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They are majestic because they think。 The elevation of level which they contribute to civilization is intrinsic with them； it proceeds from themselves and not from an accident。 The aggrandizement which they have brought to the nineteenth century has not Waterloo as its source。
It is only barbarous peoples who undergo rapid growth after a victory。
That is the temporary vanity of torrents swelled by a storm。
Civilized people； especially in our day； are neither elevated nor abased by the good or bad fortune of a captain。
Their specific gravity in the human species results from something more than a bat。
Their honor； thank God！ their dignity； their intelligence； their genius； are not numbers which those gamblers； heroes and conquerors； can put in the lottery of battles。
Often a battle is lost and progress is conquered。 There is less glory and more liberty。
The drum holds its peace； reason takes the word。
It is a game in which he who loses wins。 Let us； therefore； speak of Waterloo coldly from both sides。 Let us render to chance that which is due to chance； and to God that which is due to God。
What is Waterloo？
A victory？
No。 The winning number in the lottery。
The quine＇11＇ won by Europe； paid by France。
＇11＇ Five winning numbers in a lottery。
It was not worth while to place a lion there。
Waterloo； moreover； is the strangest encounter in history。 Napoleon and Wellington。
They are not enemies； they are opposites。 Never did God； who is fond of antitheses； make a more striking contrast； a more extraordinary parison。
On one side； precision； foresight； geometry； prudence； an assured retreat； reserves spared； with an obstinate coolness； an imperturbable method； strategy； which takes advantage of the ground； tactics； which preserve the equilibrium of battalions； carnage； executed according to rule； war regulated； watch in hand； nothing voluntarily left to chance； the ancient classic courage； absolute regularity； on the other； intuition； divination； military oddity； superhuman instinct； a flaming glance； an indescribable something which gazes like an eagle； and which strikes like the lightning； a prodigious art in disdainful impetuosity； all the mysteries of a profound soul； associated with destiny； the stream； the plain； the forest； the hill； summoned； and in a manner； forced to obey； the despot going even so far as to tyrannize over the field of battle； faith in a star mingled with strategic science； elevating but perturbing it。 Wellington was the Bareme of war； Napoleon was its Michael Angelo； and on this occasion； genius was vanquished by calculation。 On both sides some one was awaited。
It was the exact calculator who succeeded。
Napoleon was waiting for Grouchy； he did not e。 Wellington expected Blucher； he came。
Wellington is classic war taking its revenge。
Bonaparte； at his dawning； had encountered him in Italy； and beaten him superbly。 The old owl had fled before the young vulture。
The old tactics had been not only struck as by lightning； but disgraced。
Who was that Corsican of six and twenty？
What signified that splendid ignoramus； who； with everything against him； nothing in his favor； without provisions； without ammunition； without cannon； without shoes； almost without an army； with a mere handful of men against masses； hurled himself on Europe bined； and absurdly won victories in the impossible？
Whence had issued that fulminating convict； who almost without taking breath； and with the same set of batants in hand； pulverized； one after the other； the five armies of the emperor of Germany； upsetting Beaulieu on Alvinzi； Wurmser on Beaulieu； Melas on Wurmser； Mack on Melas？
Who was this novice in war with the effrontery of a luminary？
The academical military school exmunicated him； and as it lost its footing； hence； the implacable rancor of the old Caesarism against the new； of the regular sword against the flaming sword； and of the exchequer against genius。 On the 18th of June； 1815； that rancor had the last word。 and beneath Lodi； Montebello； Montenotte； Mantua； Arcola； it wrote：
Waterloo。
A triumph of the mediocres which is sweet to the majority。
Destiny consented to this irony。
In his decline； Napoleon found Wurmser； the younger； again in front of him。
In fact； to get Wurmser； it sufficed to blanch the hair of Wellington。
Waterloo is a battle of the first order； won by a captain of the second。
That which must be admired in the battle of Waterloo； is England； the English firmness； the English resolution； the English blood； the superb thing about England there； no offence to her； was herself。 It was not her captain； it was her army。
Wellington； oddly ungrateful； declares in a letter to Lord Bathurst； that his army； the army which fought on the 18th of June； 1815； was a 〃detestable army。〃
What does that sombre intermingling of bones buried beneath the furrows of Waterloo think of that？
England has been too modest in the matter of Wellington。
To make Wellington so great is to belittle England。
Wellington is nothing but a hero like many another。
Those Scotch Grays； those Horse Guards； those regiments of Maitland and of Mitchell； that infantry of Pack and Kempt； that cavalry of Ponsonby and Somerset； those Highlanders playing the pibroch under the shower of grape…shot； those battalions of Rylandt； those utterly raw recruits； who hardly knew how to handle a musket holding their own against Essling's and Rivoli's old troops；that is what was grand。
Wellington was tenacious； in that lay his merit； and we are not seeking to lessen it： but the least of his foot…soldiers and of his cavalry would have been as solid as he。
The iron soldier is worth as much as the Iron Duke。 As for us； all our glorification goes to the English soldier； to the English army； to the English people。
If trophy there be； it is to England that the trophy is due。
The column of Waterloo would be more just； if； instead of the figure of a man； it bore on high the statue of a people。
But this great England will be angry at what we are saying here。 She still cherishes； after her own 1688 and our 1789； the feudal illusion。
She believes in heredity and hierarchy。 This people； surpassed by none in power and glory； regards itself as a nation； and not as a people。
And as a people； it willingly subordinates itself and takes a lord for its head。
As a workman； it allows itself to be disdained； as a soldier； it allows itself to be flogged。
It will be remembered； that at the battle of Inkermann a sergeant who had； it appears； saved the army； could not be mentioned by Lord Paglan； as the English military hierarchy does not permit any hero below the grade of an officer to be mentioned in the reports。
That which we admire above all； in an encounter of the nature of Waterloo； is the marvellous cleverness of chance。
A nocturnal rain； the wall of Hougomont； the hollow road of Ohain； Grouchy deaf to the cannon； Napoleon's guide deceiving him； Bulow's guide enlightening him； the whole of this cataclysm is wonderfully conducted。
On the whole； let us say it plainly； it was more of a massacre than of a battle at Waterloo。
Of all pitched battles； Waterloo is the one which has the smallest front for such a number of batants。
Napoleon three…quarters of a league； Wellington； half a league； seventy…two thousand batants on each side。
From this denseness the carnage arose。
The following calculation has been made； and the following proportion established：
Loss of men：
at Austerlitz； French； fourteen per cent； Russians； thirty per cent； Austrians； forty…four per cent。
At Wagram； French； thirteen per cent； Austrians； fourteen。
At the Moskowa； French； thirty…seven per cent； Russians； forty…four。 At Bautzen； French； thirteen per cent； Russians and Prussians； fourteen。
At Waterloo； French； fifty…six per cent； the Allies； thirty…one。 Total for Waterloo； forty…one per cent； one hundred and forty…four thousand batants； sixty thousand dead。
To…day the field of Waterloo has the calm which belongs to the earth； the impassive support of man； and it resembles all plains。
At night； moreover； a sort of visionary mist arises from it； and if a traveller strolls there； if he listens； if he watches； if he dreams like Virgil in the fatal plains of Philippi； the hallucination of the catastrophe takes possession of him。
The frightful 18th of June lives again； the false monumental hillock disappears； the lion vanishes in air； the battle…field resumes its reality； lines of infantry undulate over the plain； furious gallops traverse the horizon； the frightened dreamer beholds the flash of sabres； the gleam of bayonets； the flare of bombs； the tremendous interchange of thunders； he hears； as it were； the death rattle in the depths of a tomb； the vague clamor of the battle phantom； those shadows are grenadiers； those lights are cuirassiers； that skeleton Napoleon； that other skeleton is Wellington； all this no longer exists； and yet it clashes together and bats still； and the ravines are empurpled； and the trees quiver； and there is fury even in the clouds and in the shadows； all those terrible heights； Hougomont； Mont…Saint…Jean； Frischemont； Papelotte； Plancenoit； appear confusedly crowned with whirlwinds of spectres engaged in exterminating each other。
BOOK FIRST。…WATERLOO
CHAPTER XVII
IS WATERLOO TO BE CONSIDERED GOOD？
There exists a very respectable liberal school which does not hate Waterloo。
We do not belong to it。 To us； Waterloo is but the stupefied date of liberty。 That such an eagle should emerge from such an egg is certainly unexpected。
If one places one's self at the culminating point of view of the question； Waterloo is intentionally a counter…revolutionary victory。
It is Europe against France； it is Petersburg； Berlin； and Vienna against Paris； it is the statu quo against the initiative； it is the 14th of July； 1789； attacked through the 20th of March； 1815； it is the monarchies clearing the decks in opposition to the indomitable French rioting。 The final extinction of that vast people which had been in eruption for twenty…six yearssuch was the dream。
The solidarity of the Brunswicks； the Nassaus； the Romanoffs； the Hohenzollerns； the Hapsburgs with the Bourbons。
Waterloo bears divine right on its crupper。
It is true； that the Empire having been despotic； the kingdom by the natural reaction of things； was forced to be liberal； and that a constitutional order was the unwilling result of Waterloo； to the great regret of the conquerors。
It is because revolution cannot be really conquered； and that being providential and absolutely fatal； it is always cropping up afresh：
before Waterloo； in Bonaparte overthrowing the old thrones； after Waterloo； in Louis XVIII。 granting and conforming to the charter。
Bonaparte places a postilion on the throne of Naples； and a sergeant on the throne of Sweden； employing inequality to demonstrate equality； Louis XVIII。 at Saint…Ouen countersigns the declaration of the rights of man。 If you wish to gain an idea of what revolution is； call it Progress； and if you wish to acquire an idea of the nature of progress； call it To…morrow。 To…morrow fulfils its work irresistibly； and it is already fulfilling it to…day。 It always reaches its goal strangely。 It employs Wellington to make of Foy； who was only a soldier； an orator。
Foy falls at Hougomont and rises again in the tribune。 Thus does progress proceed。
There is no such thing as a bad tool for that workman。
It does not bee disconcerted； but adjusts to its divine work the man who has bestridden the Alps； and the good old tottering invalid of Father Elysee。
It makes use of the gouty man as well as of the conqueror； of the conqueror without； of the gouty man within。
Waterloo； by cutting short the demolition of European thrones by the sword； had no other effect than to cause the revolutionary work to be continued in another direction。 The slashers have finished； it was the turn of the thinkers。 The century that Waterloo was intended to arrest has pursued its march。 That sinister victory was vanquished by liberty。
In short； and incontestably； that which triumphed at Waterloo； that which smiled in Wellington's rear； that which brought him all the marshals' staffs of Europe； including； it is said； the staff of a marshal of France； that which joyously trundled the barrows full of bones to erect the knoll of the lion； that which triumphantly inscribed on that pedestal the date 〃June 18； 1815〃； that which encouraged Blucher； as he put the flying army to the sword； that which； from the heights of the plateau of Mont…Saint…Jean； hovered over France as over its prey； was the counter…revolution。 It was the counter…revolution which murmured that infamous word 〃dismemberment。〃 On arriving in Paris； it beheld the crater close at hand； it felt those ashes which scorched its feet； and it changed its mind； it returned to the stammer of a charter。
Let us behold in Waterloo only that which is in Waterloo。 Of intentional liberty there is none。
The counter…revolution was