It is crowded with your
fourgons and your ambulances. Does this mean that Massena is
about to retreat?"
One could see the dark moving lines of waggons with an occasional
flash of steel from the escort. There could, apart from my
promise, be no indiscretion in admitting that which was already
obvious.
"He will retreat," said I.
"By Coimbra?"
"I believe so."
"But the army of Clausel?"
I shrugged my shoulders.
"Every path to the south is blocked. No message can reach them.
If Massena falls back the army of Clausel is doomed."
"It must take its chance," said I.
"How many men has he?"
"I should say about fourteen thousand."
"How much cavalry?"
"One brigade of Montbrun's Division."
"What regiments?"
"The 4th Chasseurs, the 9th Hussars, and a regiment of
Cuirassiers."
"Quite right," said he, looking at his note-book. "I can tell
you speak the truth, and Heaven help you if you don't." Then,
division by division, he went over the whole army, asking the
composition of each brigade.
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