WhenlesenfantsduDonmightpositivelycapturetheEmperorhimselfinthemiddleofhisarmy，itwasevidentthattherewasnothingelsetodobuttoflywithallpossiblehastebythenearestandthefamiliarroad。Napoleon，withhisfortyyearsandhiscorpulence，hadnotallhisoldresourcefulnessandcourage，andhequitetookthehint；andundertheinfluenceofthefrighttheCossackshadgivenhim，heagreedatoncewithMouton，andgave，asthehistorianstellus，theordertoretreatalongtheSmolenskroad。
ThefactthatNapoleonagreedwithMouton，andthatthearmydidnotretreatinthatdirection，doesnotprovethathiscommanddecidedthatretreat，butthattheforcesactingonthewholearmyanddrivingitalongtheMozhaiskroadweresimultaneouslyactinguponNapoleontoo。
Chapter19
WHENAMANfindshimselfinmovement，healwaysinventsagoalofthatmovement。Inordertowalkathousandversts，amanmustbelievethatthereissomegoodbeyondthosethousandversts。Heneedsavisionofapromisedlandtohavethestrengthtogoonmoving。ThepromisedlandfortheFrenchontheirmarchintoRussiawasMoscow；ontheirretreatitwastheirowncountry。Buttheircountrywastoofar；andamanwalkingathousandverstsmustinevitablyputasidehisfinalgoalandsaytohimselfeverydaythatheisgoingtowalkfortyverststoaresting—placewherehecansleep；andbeforethefirsthaltthatresting—placehaseclipsedtheimageofthefinalgoal，andallhishopesanddesiresareconcentratedonit。Allimpulsesmanifestintheindividualarealwaysgreatlyexaggeratedinacrowd。
FortheFrench，marchingbackalongtheoldSmolenskroad，thefinalgoal，theirowncountry，wastooremote，andthenearergoalonwhichallhopesanddesires，enormouslyintensifiedbytheinfluenceofthecrowd，wereconcentratedwasSmolensk。