The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-24

The danger to Napoleon finally be-
came so great that he decided to leave
the Kremln. but the gates on the north
side of the palace he occupied already
We're partly consumed 10y fire. and the
maddened horses would not pass them.
Finally the Emperor was in the saddle,
his hair singed, his gray overcoat
burned in several places. and mo-
ment later he and his attendants We're
marching away over hot firebrands.
But danger was not yet over. for the
narrow street into which they turned
was blazing as II 1t We're furnace.
one exit alone presented itself-a lit
tie. crooked passageway encountered
with rubbish of every sort, pieces of
iron fallen from roofs and burning tim
bcrs For a moment men and horses
hesitated. Several sprang forward Of
fering to wrap the Emperor from head
to foot In their military cloaks and
carry him in their arms to safety. But
he waved them back. spran5 to the
ground and plunged forward on foot.
Arrived safely on the other side of the
firellt street, Napoleon went Temporal
rily TO the imperial palace of Petrow.
ski, and from there sent an aide to eX-
anime another palace and ascertain
whether it was in condition to be occu-
pied.
Meanwhile pandemonium ragged
throughout the city. Shells had been
placed in the stoves Of houses and many
of them exploded while French soldiers
were I'm the buildings for loot. Through
the streets ran hideous women and
drink craZed men, dashing into build
lngs to seize burning wood and carry
it to other structures not yet on fire
Napoleon gave orders that such incen-
diaries be taken and at once hanged
on posts In one of the city squares as
an example, and when thiT was done
crowds of Russians prO";rated them
selves at the base of these gibbets and
kissed the feet of those executed, pray
| ing meanwhile and making the sign OF
| the cross.
After heroic effort by a battalion OF
| the guard the Kremlin was saved and
| the Emperor returned there.
Five long weeks. almost intolerable
slowly dragged by. The Emperor, not
| knowing what to do else, at times threw
| himself into administrative work. i
was decided to provision Moscow fol
| the winter. Day after day his generals
| held councils to decide what to do next
Some of these the Emperor attended
More often he merely sought to xii
time, spending hours over his meals
lounging in theatre which had beer
| built close to the Kremlin, and openly
yawning there during performances 10y
actors brought from Paris to divert his
officers and men. AS time went on h
threw aside restraint and INDUCED II
dissipation losing all interest in hi!
troops, becoming listless. Indifferent
even unkempt in appearance.
on October IS. however, he awoke
Winter was coming on; his men were
clad in summer uniforms they were
weakened by idleness and excuses o.
every kind Furthermore, word cam,
that the Russians We're Strengthening
their position and We're making prepare
| ton to strike hard and suddenly
Dashed To earth was Napoleor's dream
of subduing Russia, conquerng Eng
land, sweeping through the East ant
dominating a world empire.
Against forces OF arms he might con
quer with a multitude OF troops in tn,
height OF condition. But against tn
forces Of unyielding nature, against tn,