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s are continually moving in front of each other。
Where the infantry stood the artillery arrives； the cavalry rushes in where the artillery was； the battalions are like smoke。
There was something there； seek it。
It has disappeared； the open spots change place； the sombre folds advance and retreat； a sort of wind from the sepulchre pushes forward； hurls back； distends； and disperses these tragic multitudes。
What is a fray？ an oscillation？
The immobility of a mathematical plan expresses a minute； not a day。
In order to depict a battle； there is required one of those powerful painters who have chaos in their brushes。 Rembrandt is better than Vandermeulen； Vandermeulen； exact at noon； lies at three o'clock。 Geometry is deceptive； the hurricane alone is trustworthy。
That is what confers on Folard the right to contradict Polybius。
Let us add； that there is a certain instant when the battle degenerates into a bat； bees specialized； and disperses into innumerable detailed feats； which； to borrow the expression of Napoleon himself； 〃belong rather to the biography of the regiments than to the history of the army。〃
The historian has； in this case； the evident right to sum up the whole。
He cannot do more than seize the principal outlines of the struggle； and it is not given to any one narrator； however conscientious he may be； to fix； absolutely； the form of that horrible cloud which is called a battle。
This； which is true of all great armed encounters； is particularly applicable to Waterloo。
Nevertheless； at a certain moment in the afternoon the battle came to a point。
BOOK FIRST。…WATERLOO
CHAPTER VI
FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON
Towards four o'clock the condition of the English army was serious。 The Prince of Orange was in mand of the centre； Hill of the right wing； Picton of the left wing。
The Prince of Orange； desperate and intrepid； shouted to the Hollando…Belgians： 〃Nassau！ Brunswick！
Never retreat！〃
Hill； having been weakened； had e up to the support of Wellington； Picton was dead。
At the very moment when the English had captured from the French the flag of the 105th of the line； the French had killed the English general； Picton； with a bullet through the head。
The battle had； for Wellington； two bases of action； Hougomont and La Haie…Sainte； Hougomont still held out； but was on fire； La Haie…Sainte was taken。
Of the German battalion which defended it； only forty…two men survived； all the officers； except five； were either dead or captured。
Three thousand batants had been massacred in that barn。
A sergeant of the English Guards； the foremost boxer in England； reputed invulnerable by his panions； had been killed there by a little French drummer…boy。 Baring had been dislodged； Alten put to the sword。
Many flags had been lost； one from Alten's division； and one from the battalion of Lunenburg； carried by a prince of the house of Deux…Ponts。 The Scotch Grays no longer existed； Ponsonby's great dragoons had been hacked to pieces。 That valiant cavalry had bent beneath the lancers of Bro and beneath the cuirassiers of Travers； out of twelve hundred horses； six hundred remained； out of three lieutenant…colonels； two lay on the earth；Hamilton wounded； Mater slain。
Ponsonby had fallen； riddled by seven lance…thrusts。 Gordon was dead。
Marsh was dead。 Two divisions； the fifth and the sixth； had been annihilated。
Hougomont injured； La Haie…Sainte taken； there now existed but one rallying…point； the centre。
That point still held firm。 Wellington reinforced it。
He summoned thither Hill； who was at Merle…Braine； he summoned Chasse； who was at Braine…l'Alleud。
The centre of the English army； rather concave； very dense； and very pact； was strongly posted。
It occupied the plateau of Mont…Saint…Jean； having behind it the village； and in front of it the slope； which was tolerably steep then。
It rested on that stout stone dwelling which at that time belonged to the domain of Nivelles； and which marks the intersection of the roadsa pile of the sixteenth century； and so robust that the cannon…balls rebounded from it without injuring it。
All about the plateau the English had cut the hedges here and there； made embrasures in the hawthorn…trees； thrust the throat of a cannon between two branches； embattled the shrubs。 There artillery was ambushed in the brushwood。
This punic labor； incontestably authorized by war； which permits traps； was so well done； that Haxo； who had been despatched by the Emperor at nine o'clock in the morning to reconnoitre the enemy's batteries； had discovered nothing of it； and had returned and reported to Napoleon that there were no obstacles except the two barricades which barred the road to Nivelles and to Genappe。
It was at the season when the grain is tall； on the edge of the plateau a battalion of Kempt's brigade； the 95th； armed with carabines； was concealed in the tall wheat。
Thus assured and buttressed； the centre of the Anglo…Dutch army was well posted。
The peril of this position lay in the forest of Soignes； then adjoining the field of battle； and intersected by the ponds of Groenendael and Boitsfort。
An army could not retreat thither without dissolving； the regiments would have broken up immediately there。 The artillery would have been lost among the morasses。
The retreat； according to many a man versed in the art；though it is disputed by others；would have been a disorganized flight。
To this centre； Wellington added one of Chasse's brigades taken from the right wing； and one of Wincke's brigades taken from the left wing； plus Clinton's division。
To his English； to the regiments of Halkett； to the brigades of Mitchell； to the guards of Maitland； he gave as reinforcements and aids； the infantry of Brunswick； Nassau's contingent； Kielmansegg's Hanoverians； and Ompteda's Germans。
This placed twenty…six battalions under his hand。 The right wing； as Charras says； was thrown back on the centre。 An enormous battery was masked by sacks of earth at the spot where there now stands what is called the 〃Museum of Waterloo。〃 Bes