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ishop； said； 〃The ball takes place to…day。〃 The Emperor jested with Ney； who said； 〃Wellington will not be so simple as to wait for Your Majesty。〃
That was his way； however。 〃He was fond of jesting；〃 says Fleury de Chaboulon。
〃A merry humor was at the foundation of his character；〃 says Gourgaud。 〃He abounded in pleasantries； which were more peculiar than witty；〃 says Benjamin Constant。
These gayeties of a giant are worthy of insistence。
It was he who called his grenadiers 〃his grumblers〃； he pinched their ears； he pulled their mustaches。
〃The Emperor did nothing but play pranks on us；〃 is the remark of one of them。 During the mysterious trip from the island of Elba to France； on the 27th of February； on the open sea； the French brig of war； Le Zephyr； having encountered the brig L'Inconstant； on which Napoleon was concealed； and having asked the news of Napoleon from L'Inconstant； the Emperor； who still wore in his hat the white and amaranthine cockade sown with bees； which he had adopted at the isle of Elba； laughingly seized the speaking…trumpet； and answered for himself； 〃The Emperor is well。〃
A man who laughs like that is on familiar terms with events。
Napoleon indulged in many fits of this laughter during the breakfast at Waterloo。
After breakfast he meditated for a quarter of an hour； then two generals seated themselves on the truss of straw； pen in hand and their paper on their knees； and the Emperor dictated to them the order of battle。
At nine o'clock； at the instant when the French army； ranged in echelons and set in motion in five columns； had deployed the divisions in two lines； the artillery between the brigades； the music at their head； as they beat the march； with rolls on the drums and the blasts of trumpets； mighty； vast； joyous； a sea of casques； of sabres； and of bayonets on the horizon； the Emperor was touched； and twice exclaimed； 〃Magnificent！
Magnificent！〃
Between nine o'clock and half…past ten the whole army； incredible as it may appear； had taken up its position and ranged itself in six lines； forming； to repeat the Emperor's expression； 〃the figure of six V's。〃 A few moments after the formation of the battle…array； in the midst of that profound silence； like that which heralds the beginning of a storm； which precedes engagements； the Emperor tapped Haxo on the shoulder； as he beheld the three batteries of twelve…pounders； detached by his orders from the corps of Erlon； Reille； and Lobau； and destined to begin the action by taking Mont…Saint…Jean； which was situated at the intersection of the Nivelles and the Genappe roads； and said to him； 〃There are four and twenty handsome maids； General。〃
Sure of the issue； he encouraged with a smile； as they passed before him； the pany of sappers of the first corps； which he had appointed to barricade Mont…Saint…Jean as soon as the village should be carried。
All this serenity had been traversed by but a single word of haughty pity； perceiving on his left； at a spot where there now stands a large tomb； those admirable Scotch Grays； with their superb horses； massing themselves； he said； 〃It is a pity。〃
Then he mounted his horse； advanced beyond Rossomme； and selected for his post of observation a contracted elevation of turf to the right of the road from Genappe to Brussels； which was his second station during the battle。
The third station； the one adopted at seven o'clock in the evening； between La Belle…Alliance and La Haie…Sainte； is formidable； it is a rather elevated knoll； which still exists； and behind which the guard was massed on a slope of the plain。 Around this knoll the balls rebounded from the pavements of the road； up to Napoleon himself。
As at Brienne； he had over his head the shriek of the bullets and of the heavy artillery。 Mouldy cannon…balls； old sword…blades； and shapeless projectiles； eaten up with rust； were picked up at the spot where his horse' feet stood。
Scabra rubigine。
A few years ago； a shell of sixty pounds； still charged； and with its fuse broken off level with the bomb； was unearthed。
It was at this last post that the Emperor said to his guide； Lacoste； a hostile and terrified peasant； who was attached to the saddle of a hussar； and who turned round at every discharge of canister and tried to hide behind Napoleon：
〃Fool； it is shameful！
You'll get yourself killed with a ball in the back。〃 He who writes these lines has himself found； in the friable soil of this knoll； on turning over the sand； the remains of the neck of a bomb； disintegrated； by the oxidization of six and forty years； and old fragments of iron which parted like elder…twigs between the fingers。
Every one is aware that the variously inclined undulations of the plains； where the engagement between Napoleon and Wellington took place； are no longer what they were on June 18； 1815。
By taking from this mournful field the wherewithal to make a monument to it； its real relief has been taken away； and history； disconcerted； no longer finds her bearings there。
It has been disfigured for the sake of glorifying it。
Wellington； when he beheld Waterloo once more； two years later； exclaimed； 〃They have altered my field of battle！〃 Where the great pyramid of earth； surmounted by the lion； rises to…day； there was a hillock which descended in an easy slope towards the Nivelles road； but which was almost an escarpment on the side of the highway to Genappe。
The elevation of this escarpment can still be measured by the height of the two knolls of the two great sepulchres which enclose the road from Genappe to Brussels：
one； the English tomb； is on the left； the other； the German tomb； is on the right。
There is no French tomb。
The whole of that plain is a sepulchre for France。
Thanks to the thousands upon thousands of cartloads of earth employed in the hillock one hundred and fifty feet in height and half a mile in circumference； the plateau of Mont…Saint…Jean is now accessible by an easy slope。 On the day of battle； particularly on the side of La Haie…Sainte； it was abrupt and difficult of approach。
The slope there is so steep that the En