12 
are here, then?” ‘They entered the 
suburbs yesterday at three in the 
afternoon.”—“ All?” “Yes; all.” 
The three persons to whom we had 
granted an asylum now arrived, with 
such of their effects as they were able 
to save. They told us the fire had 
caught in several places, and, no en- 
gines being left, it was impossible to 
extinguish it. They prevented me 
from going out to ascertain whether 
any thing had happened to my friends 
or to my house, where great part of 
my goods were left, not being able to 
getthem removed. One of these gen- 
tlemen advised me te go on foot, as all 
the horses were seized for the army ; 
“‘however, (added he,) as the French 
are gallant, perhaps they would not 
take alady’s horse. 1t would be other- 
wise with me, and of course I shall 
not run the risk ; for, if we are obliged 
to remove our goods again, our horses 
will be of great use.” It seemed that 
he prophesied. ‘But (said I,) why 
should we trouble ourselves about 
Saving our goods: this house cannot 
be burnt.” After dinner I borrowed 
one of the gentleman’s droskys, and 
went about the town. I found the 
houses crowded with the military, and 
in my own two captains of the gen- 
darmerie. Every thing was tured 
upside down, and my papers were 
spread about the floor; but this disor- 
der took place before the arrival of 
the French, who, as they found none 
but Russian servants there, looked 
upon it as a deserted dwelling. They 
much wished me, to re-occupy my 
apartments, assuring me I should have 
nothing to fear. But, as the fire was 
spreading every where, I thought it 
might probably reach my dwelling; 
and, besides, as I did not wish to 
leave my friends, I returned to them 
by the light of the burning houses, 
whilst the flames seemed to make an 
inconceivably rapid progress. It was 
now the 15th of September: the autumn 
in Russia being pleasant, and the even- 
ing very fine, we visited all the streets 
in the neighbourhood of Prince Treu- 
beskoi, to see the progress of the 
flames. This spectacle was one of 
awful grandeur; I have often reflected 
upon it. J do not wish to dwell upon 
these recollections. We had been 
four days without having any occasion 
for light ; and it was now brighter than 
noon-day. The rapidity with which 
the houses were burnt, by the appli- 
Journal kept by a Lady at Moscow in 1812. 
[Aug. fy 
cation of the Congreve rockets, is in- 
conceivable. We heard a light ex- 
plosion, something like the report of 
a fusil, and then saw a black smoke ; 
in the course of a few minutes it be- 
came red; a mass of flames suceeeded, 
and in a few hours the houses were 
consumed. 
When I came home I found my 
friend’s wife in conversation with a 
wounded officer, as she wished him to 
accept of a lodging at her house, re- 
marking that it was dangerous to be 
without a guard: in this the officer 
acquiesced, and advised us to request 
a guard for the house from the prince. 
With this view I went out again the 
next morning. One side of the Boule- 
vard that I traversed was nothing but 
amass of fames. Several Polish sol- 
diers were running about the streets, 
and the whole resembled a place sur- 
rendered to pillage. I went to the 
governor’s house, but there was such 
a crowd before his door, that I could 
not approach. Returning home, a 
young French officer accosted me, and 
very politely informed me that it was 
dangerous to go alone, and that he 
would accompany me. I accepted his 
proposal without ceremony, consider- 
ing the urgency of the moment. We 
then proceeded together, he on horse- 
back and I on foot; and coming to the 
corner of a street, several women, in 
great distress, implored his protection 
against some soldiers, who were plun- 
dering them. He dispersed them, but 
after he was gone, these or some others, 
no doubt, returned to complete their 
work. I was now anxious to get 
home, fearing our house might be in 
the same situation as some we had 
seen; its distance from the city might 
only be a temporary preventive. Our 
wounded officer might for the moment 
repel the assailants ; but the town con- 
tinued. burning, and, as it was no longer 
possible to restrain the soldiers, or to 
make them hear reason, a good guard 
was absolutely necessary, and this the 
military themselves acknowledged. 
My young conductor dining with us, 
talked very fluently about the fashions, 
the theatre, and the gaiety of Paris; 
and I soon recognized him to be a 
dashing frequenter of the Chaussée 
D’ Antin, wearing the mustachios of a 
soldier. Alas! I never saw him more ; 
I should have regretted had any thing 
happened to him. He talked much of 
his mother, whom he sincerely loved ; 
and. 
