Onthetwenty-ninthofMayNapoleonleftDresden, wherehehadspentthreeweekssurroundedbyacourtthatincludedprinces, dukes, kings, , Napoleonshowedfavortotheemperor, kings, andprinceswhohaddeservedit, reprimandedthekingsandprinceswithwhomhewasdissatisfied, presentedpearlsanddiamondsofhisown—thatis, whichhehadtakenfromotherkings—totheEmpressofAustria, andhaving, ashishistoriantellsus, tenderlyembracedtheEmpressMarieLouise—whoregardedhimasherhusband, thoughhehadleftanotherwifeinParis—, andthoughtheEmperorNapoleonhimselfwrotealettertoAlexander, callinghimMonsieurmonfrere, andsincerelyassuredhimthathedidnotwantwarandwouldalwaysloveandhonorhim—yethesetofftojoinhisarmy, , surroundedbypages, aides-de-camp, andanescort, alongtheroadtoPosen, Thorn, Danzig, .
Thearmywasmovingfromwesttoeast, , [1] comingupwiththearmy, hespentthenightinapartmentspreparedforhimontheestateofaPolishcountintheVilkavisskiforest.
Nextday, overtakingthearmy, hewentinacarriagetotheNiemen, and, changingintoaPolishuniform, hedrovetotheriverbankinordertoselectaplaceforthecrossing.
Seeing, ontheotherside, someCossacks (lesCosaques) andthewide-spreadingsteppesinthemidstofwhichlaytheholycityofMoscow (Moscou, lavillesainte), thecapitalofarealmsuchastheScythiaintowhichAlexandertheGreathadmarched—Napoleonunexpectedly, andcontraryaliketostrategicanddiplomaticconsiderations, orderedanadvance, andthenextdayhisarmybegantocrosstheNiemen.
