It must be admitted, however, that the aggression in this terrible species of warfare was not on the side of Napoleon.  On the 19th of October, Berthier had written to Kutusoff, proposing “to regulate hostilities in such a manner that they might not inflict on the Muscovite empire more evils than were inseparable from a state of war; the devastation of Russia being as detrimental to that empire as it was painful to Napoleon.”  But Kutusoff replied, that “it was not in his power to restrain the Russian patriotism,” which amounted to an approval of the Tartar war made upon us by his militia, and authorized us in some measure to repay them in their own coin.

The like flames consumed Vereia, where Mortier rejoined the Emperor, bringing to him Winzingerode.  At sight of that German general, all the secret resentments of Napoleon took fire; his dejection gave place to anger, and he discharged all the spleen that oppressed him upon his enemy.  “Who are you?” he exclaimed, crossing his arms with violence as if to grasp and to restrain himself, “a man without country!  You have always been my personal enemy.  When I was at war with the Austrians, I found you in their ranks.  Austria is become my ally, and you have entered into the Russian service.  You have been one of the warmest instigators of the present war.  Nevertheless you are a native of the states of the Confederation of the Rhine; you are my subject.  You are not an ordinary enemy, you are a rebel; I have a right to bring you to trial! Gendarmes d’elite, seize this man!” The gendarmes remained motionless, like men accustomed to see these violent scenes terminate without effect, and sure of obeying best by disobeying.

The Emperor resumed:  “Do you see, sir, this devastated country, these villages in flames?  To whom are these disasters to be charged? to fifty adventurers like yourself, paid by England, who has thrown them upon the continent; but the weight of this war will ultimately fall on those who have excited it.  In six months I shall be at Petersburg, and I will call them to account for all this swaggering.”

Then addressing the aide-de-camp of Winzingerode, who was a prisoner like himself, “As for you, Count Narischkin,” said he, “I have nothing to upbraid you with; you are a Russian, you are doing your duty; but how could a man of one of the first families in Russia become the aide-de-camp of a foreign mercenary?  Be the aide-de-camp of a Russian general; that employment will be far more honourable.”

Till then General Winzingerode had not had an opportunity to answer this violent language, except by his attitude:  it was calm as his reply.  “The Emperor Alexander,” he said, “was his benefactor and that of his family:  all that he possessed he owed to him; gratitude had made him his subject; he was at the post which his benefactor had allotted to him, and consequently he was only doing his duty.”