1822.] 
I removed all my effects, and foolishly 
left my own house, which remained 
untouched, to take refuge in another, 
which became the prey of the flames. 
But I was not the only one that was 
easily persuaded. 
1 quitted my house on the 25th of 
August, Russian calendar,—or on the 
6th Sept. according to the French. For 
eight or ten days we were tolerably 
quiet; but about that time, hearing it 
reported that the French army was 
advancing, we went up into the garret 
to see whether we could obtain a dis- 
tant view of them. Towards the Ist 
of September, or the 13th according 
to the French calendar, we could per- 
ceive their fires, and the next morn- 
ing our Russian servants entered our 
chambers in a state of fright, saying 
that the police-officers had knocked at 
all the doors in the night, to give no- 
tice that it was time to flee. “ But 
(said I,) they did not knock at our 
door: what is their knocking to us?” 
“Madam, (said my femme de cham- 
bre,) you area Frenchwoman; they 
have only been to the Russians: be- 
sides, the police is gone away; they 
have taken away the fire-engines, and 
we don’t choose to remain here.” 
‘We were now without any servant, 
excepting one stupid female, that used 
to bake our bread, but who, to quiet 
her fears, got completely intoxicated, 
though atlastshe washighly useful tous. 
We learnt to a certainty ‘that the police 
was actually gone; and, on the night be- 
iween the 13th and the 14th, I could not 
sleep, and did not go to bed. My friend’s 
wife was so extremely timid, that I 
could not make her a partaker of my re- 
flections ; but only communicate them 
to her husband. I was afraid of their 
effects upon her nerves, which would 
only have tended to increase the em. 
barrassments of the moment. T lis- 
tened, and could hear drunken per- 
sons passing, re-passing, and swear- 
ing. We knew that the public-houses 
had been pillaged; and another day 
passed in a state of inquietude. In 
the succeeding night, I thought the 
populace were still more noisy: I 
heard them exclaim JF ransoushi, 
(French,) and I thought every mo- 
ment they would burst open the door. 
I stole softly into the chamber of my 
agitated companion, and told her hus- 
band I thought the mob were coming. 
He looked through the curtain, and 
said, “No; not yet.” These were the 
Journal kept by a Lady at Moscow in 1812. 
li 
agreeable prospects which we enjoyed 
two nights successively. On the 15th, 
being much fatigued, and, from our 
retired situation, unable to learn what 
was passing in the interior of the city, 
I threw myself on the bed pretty carly 
in the evening. My friend and her 
husband went up-stairs to make their 
observations as usual, when all on a 
sudden his wife came down precipi- 
tately, and, calling me, desired I would 
come immediately, and see a meteor 
in the heavens resembling a flaming 
sword, which she thought was the 
forerunner of some trouble to us. As 
I knew this good woman was very su- 
perstitious, I did not much care to put 
myself out of my way; however, as 
she drew me towards her, I went up, 
and really witnessed something 1 
thought very extraordinary. ‘The more 
we reasoned upon it, the farther we 
seemed from any conclusion, and 
finished our discussions by falling fast 
asleep. At six in the moming we 
were awakened by several violent 
blows against the door. I ran to my 
friend’s chamber: ‘We are ruined 
(said I): they are breaking open the 
door.” JI, however, heard them call 
the master of the house by his name; 
when, looking through the shutters, 
we saw one of our acquaintance. 
Ah! thought J, they are massacring 
in the other quarters, and he has come 
here to save himself. In fact, on 
opening the door, this gentleman. told 
us, that the fire having approached his 
house, he came to request an asylum 
for himself and two other persons: 
this being promptly granted, he re- 
turned to fetch them. My friend’s 
husband ventured to go to the end of 
the street, and, on returning, told us, 
that the famous prodigy which had 
alarmed his wife was a small balloon 
filled with rockets, which had fallen 
upon the palace of Prince Trouberkoi, 
in the Pakroska, very near us; and 
that the palace, as well as the sur- 
rounding houses, were on fire. Itnow 
appeared clearly that the city would 
be burnt; and, whilst he went out 
again to get farther intelligence, we 
ventured to put our heads out of the 
window, when [ saw asoldicr on horse- 
back, and heard him ask a question 
in French. Judge of our astonish- 
ment. I, having been always more 
courageous than my friend, imme- 
diately asked him if he was a Vrench- 
man? “ Yes, madam,’’-~ “The French 
are 
