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n them； the terrible muddy slope of the table…land of Mont…Saint…Jean。 They ascended； grave； threatening； imperturbable； in the intervals between the musketry and the artillery； their colossal trampling was audible。 Being two divisions； there were two columns of them； Wathier's division held the right； Delort's division was on the left。
It seemed as though two immense adders of steel were to be seen crawling towards the crest of the table…land。 It traversed the battle like a prodigy。
Nothing like it had been seen since the taking of the great redoubt of the Muskowa by the heavy cavalry； Murat was lacking here； but Ney was again present。
It seemed as though that mass had bee a monster and had but one soul。
Each column undulated and swelled like the ring of a polyp。
They could be seen through a vast cloud of smoke which was rent here and there。
A confusion of helmets； of cries； of sabres； a stormy heaving of the cruppers of horses amid the cannons and the flourish of trumpets； a terrible and disciplined tumult； over all； the cuirasses like the scales on the hydra。
These narrations seemed to belong to another age。
Something parallel to this vision appeared； no doubt； in the ancient Orphic epics； which told of the centaurs； the old hippanthropes； those Titans with human heads and equestrian chests who scaled Olympus at a gallop； horrible； invulnerable； sublimegods and beasts。
Odd numerical coincidence；twenty…six battalions rode to meet twenty…six battalions。
Behind the crest of the plateau； in the shadow of the masked battery； the English infantry； formed into thirteen squares； two battalions to the square； in two lines； with seven in the first line； six in the second； the stocks of their guns to their shoulders； taking aim at that which was on the point of appearing； waited； calm； mute； motionless。
They did not see the cuirassiers； and the cuirassiers did not see them。 They listened to the rise of this flood of men。
They heard the swelling noise of three thousand horse； the alternate and symmetrical tramp of their hoofs at full trot； the jingling of the cuirasses； the clang of the sabres and a sort of grand and savage breathing。 There ensued a most terrible silence； then； all at once； a long file of uplifted arms； brandishing sabres； appeared above the crest； and casques； trumpets； and standards； and three thousand heads with gray mustaches； shouting； 〃Vive l'Empereur！〃 All this cavalry debouched on the plateau； and it was like the appearance of an earthquake。
All at once； a tragic incident； on the English left； on our right； the head of the column of cuirassiers reared up with a frightful clamor。 On arriving at the culminating point of the crest； ungovernable； utterly given over to fury and their course of extermination of the squares and cannon； the cuirassiers had just caught sight of a trench； a trench between them and the English。
It was the hollow road of Ohain。
It was a terrible moment。
The ravine was there； unexpected； yawning； directly under the horses' feet； two fathoms deep between its double slopes； the second file pushed the first into it； and the third pushed on the second； the horses reared and fell backward； landed on their haunches； slid down； all four feet in the air； crushing and overwhelming the riders； and there being no means of retreat； the whole column being no longer anything more than a projectile； the force which had been acquired to crush the English crushed the French； the inexorable ravine could only yield when filled； horses and riders rolled there pell…mell； grinding each other； forming but one mass of flesh in this gulf：
when this trench was full of living men； the rest marched over them and passed on。 Almost a third of Dubois's brigade fell into that abyss。
This began the loss of the battle。
A local tradition； which evidently exaggerates matters； says that two thousand horses and fifteen hundred men were buried in the hollow road of Ohain。
This figure probably prises all the other corpses which were flung into this ravine the day after the bat。
Let us note in passing that it was Dubois's sorely tried brigade which； an hour previously； making a charge to one side； had captured the flag of the Lunenburg battalion。
Napoleon； before giving the order for this charge of Milhaud's cuirassiers； had scrutinized the ground； but had not been able to see that hollow road； which did not even form a wrinkle on the surface of the plateau。
Warned； nevertheless； and put on the alert by the little white chapel which marks its angle of junction with the Nivelles highway； he had probably put a question as to the possibility of an obstacle； to the guide Lacoste。
The guide had answered No。 We might almost affirm that Napoleon's catastrophe originated in that sign of a peasant's head。
Other fatalities were destined to arise。
Was it possible that Napoleon should have won that battle？ We answer No。 Why？
Because of Wellington？
Because of Blucher？ No。 Because of God。
Bonaparte victor at Waterloo； that does not e within the law of the nineteenth century。
Another series of facts was in preparation； in which there was no longer any room for Napoleon。
The ill will of events had declared itself long before。
It was time that this vast man should fall。
The excessive weight of this man in human destiny disturbed the balance。 This individual alone counted for more than a universal group。 These plethoras of all human vitality concentrated in a single head； the world mounting to the brain of one man；this would be mortal to civilization were it to last。
The moment had arrived for the incorruptible and supreme equity to alter its plan。
Probably the principles and the elements； on which the regular gravitations of the moral； as of the material； world depend； had plained。 Smoking blood； over…filled cemeteries； mothers in tears； these are formidable pleaders。
When the earth is suffering from too heavy a burden； there are mysterious groanings of the shades； to which the abyss lends an ear。
Napoleon had been denounced in the infinite and his fall had been decided on。
He embarrassed God。
Waterloo is not a battle； it is a change of front on the part of the Universe。
BOOK FIRST。…WATERLOO
CHAPTER X
THE PLATEAU OF MONT…SAINT…JEAN
The battery was unmasked at the same moment with the ravine。
Sixty cannons and the thirteen squares darted lightning point…blank on the cuirassiers。
The intrepid General Delort made the military salute to the English battery。
The whole of the flying artillery of the English had re…entered the squares at a gallop。
The cuirassiers had not had even the time for a halt。
The disaster of the hollow road had decimated； but not discouraged them。
They belonged to that class of men who； when diminished in number； increase in courage。
Wathier's column alone had suffered in the disaster； Delort's column； which Ney had deflected to the left； as though he had a presentiment of an ambush； had arrived whole。
The cuirassiers hurled themselves on the English squares。
At full speed； with bridles loose； swords in their teeth pistols in fist；such was the attack。
There are moments in battles in which the soul hardens the man until the soldier is changed into a statue； and when all this flesh turns into granite。
The English battalions； desperately assaulted； did not stir。
Then it was terrible。
All the faces of the English squares were attacked at once。 A frenzied whirl enveloped them。
That cold infantry remained impassive。 The first rank knelt and received the cuirassiers on their bayonets； the second ranks shot them down； behind the second rank the cannoneers charged their guns； the front of the square parted； permitted the passage of an eruption of grape…shot； and closed again。
The cuirassiers replied by crushing them。
Their great horses reared； strode across the ranks； leaped over the bayonets and fell； gigantic； in the midst of these four living wells。
The cannon…balls ploughed furrows in these cuirassiers； the cuirassiers made breaches in the squares。 Files of men disappeared； ground to dust under the horses。
The bayonets plunged into the bellies of these centaurs； hence a hideousness of wounds which has probably never been seen anywhere else。
The squares； wasted by this mad cavalry； closed up their ranks without flinching。 Inexhaustible in the matter of grape…shot； they created explosions in their assailants' midst。
The form of this bat was monstrous。 These squares were no longer battalions； they were craters； those cuirassiers were no longer cavalry； they were a tempest。 Each square was a volcano attacked by a cloud； lava contended with lightning。
The square on the extreme right； the most exposed of all； being in the air； was almost annihilated at the very first shock。 lt was formed of the 75th regiment of Highlanders。
The bagpipe…player in the centre dropped his melancholy eyes； filled with the reflections of the forests and the lakes； in profound inattention； while men were being exterminated around him； and seated on a drum； with his pibroch under his arm； played the Highland airs。
These Scotchmen died thinking of Ben Lothian； as did the Greeks recalling Argos。 The sword of a cuirassier； which hewed down the bagpipes and the arm which bore it； put an end to the song by killing the singer。
The cuirassiers； relatively few in number； and still further diminished by the catastrophe of the ravine； had almost the whole English army against them； but they multiplied themselves so that each man of them was equal to ten。
Nevertheless； some Hanoverian battalions yielded。 Wellington perceived it； and thought of his cavalry。
Had Napoleon at that same moment thought of his infantry； he would have won the battle。
This forgetfulness was his great and fatal mistake。
All at once； the cuirassiers； who had been the assailants； found themselves assailed。
The English cavalry was at their back。 Before them two squares； behind them Somerset； Somerset meant fourteen hundred dragoons of the guard。
On the right； Somerset had Dornberg with the German light…horse； and on his left； Trip with the Belgian carabineers； the cuirassiers attacked on the flank and in front； before and in the rear； by infantry and cavalry； had to face all sides。
What mattered it to them？
They were a whirlwind。 Their valor was something indescribable。
In addition to this； they had behind them the battery； which was still thundering。
It was necessary that it should be so； or they could never have been wounded in the back。
One of their cuirasses； pierced on the shoulder by a ball from a biscayan；＇9＇ is in the collection of the Waterloo Museum。
＇9＇ A heavy rifled gun。
For such Frenchmen nothing less than such Englishmen was needed。 It was no longer a hand…to…hand conflict； it was a shadow； a fury； a dizzy transport of souls and courage； a hurricane of lightning swords。 In an instant the fourteen hundred dragoon guards numbered only eight hundred。
Fuller； their lieutenant…colonel； fell dead。 Ney rushed up with the lancers and Lefebvre…Desnouettes's light…horse。 The plateau of Mont…Saint…Jean was captured； recaptured； captured again。 The cuirassiers quitted the cavalry to return to the infantry； or； to put it more exactly； the whole of that formidable rout collared each other without releasing the other。
The squares still held firm。
There were a dozen assaults。
Ney had four horses killed under him。 Half the cuirassiers remained on the plateau。
This conflict lasted two hours。
The English army was profoundly shaken。
There is no doubt that； had they not been enfeebled in their first shock by the disaster of the hollow road the cuirassiers would have overwhelmed the centre and decided the victory。
This extraordinary cavalry petrified Clinton； who had seen Talavera and Badajoz。
Wellington； three…quarters vanquished； admired heroically。
He said in an undertone； 〃Sublime！〃
The cuirassiers annihilated seven squares out of thirteen； took or spiked sixty pieces of ordnance； and captured from the English regiments six flags； which three cuirassiers and three chasseurs of the Guard bore to the Emperor； in front of the farm of La Belle Alliance。
Wellington's situation had grown worse。
This strange battle was like a duel between two raging； wounded men； each of whom； still fighting and still resisting； is expending all his blood。
Which of the two will be the first to fall？
The conflict on the plateau continued。
What had bee of the cuirassiers？
No one could have told。 One thing is certain； that on the day after the battle； a cuirassier and his horse were found dead among the woodwork of the scales for vehicles at Mont…Saint…Jean； at the very point where the four roads from Nivelles； Genappe； La Hulpe； and Brussels meet and intersect each other。
This horseman had pierced the English lines。 One of the men who picked up the body still lives at Mont…Saint…Jean。 His name is Dehaze。
He was eighteen years old at that time。
Wellington felt that he was