recule, 'postpone

1. 12. vinrent assombrir. Venir in such combinations can scarcely be rendered in English. It is worth notice that in Italian venire is often used simply as an auxiliary of the passive voice.

1. 15. cette sombre guerre. The previous year 181 3 had been marked by the great defeat of the French at Leipsic, and the victorious advance of Wellington through the Pyrenees. The campaign of 18 14, when the allies were advancing on Paris, is considered, though unsuccessful, one of Napoleon's ablest. The rivers which converge on Paris were of great advantage to him ; he was able, being within the circle, to leave at the likely points of crossing sufficient troops to retard the enemy, and to throw his main body wherever it seemed most needed.

1. 17. Soissons. Thiers {Consulat et Empire) says of the surrender of Soissons (March 3), "Cet événement le plus funeste de notre histoire après celui qui devait un an plus tard s'accomplir entre Wavre et Waterloo." In January 1814 the allies began to converge on Paris. Schwarzenherg with the army of Bohemia moved from Basle through the famous gap of Belfort {la trouée de Beljbrt) ; the army of Silesia under Bliicher started from the Rhine fortresses Coblenz, Mainz, &c, by way of Verdun; and Bulow and Winzingerode, forming part of the army of the North under Bernadotte, drove the French out of Holland, and advanced southwards. At first the allies were successful, Schwarzenberg got as far as Fontainebleau, and Bliicher as far as Meaux. But Napoleon, falling upon them successively, forced both to retreat, and delayed the crisis for at least a month. At the moment of which de Vigny is speaking, Napoleon's hopes had risen high; Bliicher was in retreat upon the Aisne, of which Soissons was the key, and Napoleon relied on catching him with an unbridged river in his rear. The surrender of Soissons, threatened by Bulow on the north and Bliicher on the south, defeated his calculations.

1.19. Macdonald (1765 — 1840). Among his most famous achievements were the passage of the Spliigen in winter (1800), and his share

ii6 LA CANNE DE JONC.

in the victory of Wagram. In the crisis of 1814 he remained faithful to Napoleon, till pressed by him to give in his allegiance to the new regime. In this campaign he was first employed in the defence of Belgium; he was unable, however, to hold his ground, retreated along the Meuse, and fell back on Chalons. Napoleon then entrusted to him the defence of the district about Montereau. After Napoleon had defeated Schwarzenberg at Montereau, Macdonald pushed him back over the Aube for a short time. This brought him to Troyes, whence, as mentioned here, he had to retreat.

1. 23. Reims changed hands several times in this campaign. It was taken by the Russians Mar. 13, and retaken Mar. 14. It was of great importance to Napoleon to secure it, in order to separate Blucher and Schwarzenberg.

1. 28. dur à cuire, used almost exclusively in its metaphorical sense, of a self-willed, obstinate person.

1. 29. Êpernay, like Rheims, an important centre of the champagne trade. It was pillaged by the allies Mar. 21, 1814.

1. 34. faisceaux, the English is to 'pile arms,' i.e. to arrange them m a sort of pyramid with the bayonets interlaced.