420 
from house to house, and from street 
to street, where all bore the marks of 
devastation. This city, which I had 
beheld so rich and splendid a few days 
before, now little more than a 
heap of ashes and ruins, and we were 
sauntering about like spectres who 
revisit their former dwellings. 
At length, after many attempts to the 
right and left, and backwards and for- 
wards, we came to the resolution of 
returning to the house we had just 
left. We thought it might possibly 
have escaped, and we thought right. 
We found it as we had left it, except 
that the soldiers had broken every 
thing to pieces; however, we disco- 
vered some provisions which they 
had concealed, or overlooked. Our 
officer now thoughtit was time to go to 
dinner, as we had taken nothing since 
the preceding evening. Some tables 
were brought into the street, witha 
few chairs, and dinner was served and 
eaten in the middle of the street. The 
appearance of this repast appeared one 
of the most melancholy connected with 
our ‘unhappy circumstances. Only 
imagine a table laid out in the middle 
of the highway, the houses on all sides 
in flames, and the ruins of others still 
smoking, whilst the fiery particles, like 
dust, were blown into our eyes by the 
wind; and the soldiers, in a state of 
intoxication, were carrying off the booty 
they had pillaged. As it may be sup- 
posed, we had not much appetite for 
eating, but our officer ate and drank 
heartily. These gentlemen are accus- 
tomed to such vicissitudes, but heaven 
preservewomenand children from them, 
After this dismal dinner, we deter- 
mined to exert our means for procur- 
ing an asylum. We were advised to 
speak to the colonel in command in 
this quarter, to let us have an oflicer to 
conduct us to the camp. My female 
friend being quite weary of proceeding, 
I made up my mind to go and find the 
colonel myself. He was a truly esti- 
mable man, and was the means of 
preserving us from death: “‘I cannot,” 
said he, “grant you an officer, because 
all are ordered to remain at their posts; 
but, if it be only an asylum that you 
want, you shall share with us such a 
one as we have for ourselves, for my 
own house is just burnt down.” “ But 
there are seven of us,” said I; “we 
shall incommode you.” “ Not at all, 
follow me, we will endeavour to find a 
house for you as commodious as pos- 
sible.” 
Journal kept by a Lady at Moscow in 1812. 
[Dec. 1, 
Colonel Sicard, near the palace of 
Count Golofkin, foundthe house he had 
promised us. I went through all the 
rooms; a quantity of splendid furniture 
had been previously broken and scat- 
tered about the floors. Two chambers 
in this house were appropriated for 
our residence; and provisions, which 
were extremely scarce, having been 
procured for us, we began to respire 
for a time. Owing to what I had al- 
ready suffered from hunger, thirst, 
cold, and fatigue, with many other 
privations, I began to look at general 
events with a kind of indifference, and 
without anxiety. Atlength, after much 
conversation on the subject,we actually 
departed with the army from Moscow 
on the 19th of October, 1812. 
I shall not undertake to recount the 
events of this frightful journey to its 
termination; but, leaving that to 
others, I shall speak only of twelve 
days, which to me was a period of in- 
cessantagony, and during which death 
appeared and re-appeared under in- 
numerable hideous shapes ! 
This unhappy term commenced on 
the 6th of November. We were then 
on the road to Smolensko; I tra- 
velled in a caleche belonging to an of- 
ficer of artillery, who gave orders to his 
driver to reach Smolensko in the even- 
ing. This man was a Pole, and one of 
the most awkward beings I ever be- 
held. He remained behind all night, 
as he said—for the sake of obtaining 
feed, and left his horses to be frozen 
at leisure. When he wished them 
to proceed they could not move their 
limbs; so that, losing two of them, we 
found it impossible to advance with 
only three. We had now to remain 
at the approach of a bridge till Satur- 
day the 7th. Reflecting on the steps 
I ought to take, I determined to 
abandon the carriage as soon as day 
appeared, and cross the bridge on 
foot, for the purpose of getting assist- 
ance, or aplace in some other carriage, 
from the general that commanded on 
the other side. But, just as I was 
Setting out, the driver told me he had 
found two horses! Intruth, I believe 
he had stolen them; for, at this dreadful 
period, nothing was more frequent; 
they reciprocally took from each other 
with impunity every thing they wanted. 
There was no danger except being 
taken in the fact, and then the thief 
ran the hazard only of a good chas- 
lismg. During the day we often heard 
such exclamations as these, oe 
teu— 
