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a Haie…Sainte； it was abrupt and difficult of approach。
The slope there is so steep that the English cannon could not see the farm； situated in the bottom of the valley； which was the centre of the bat。 On the 18th of June； 1815； the rains had still farther increased this acclivity； the mud plicated the problem of the ascent； and the men not only slipped back； but stuck fast in the mire。 Along the crest of the plateau ran a sort of trench whose presence it was impossible for the distant observer to divine。
What was this trench？
Let us explain。
Braine…l'Alleud is a Belgian village； Ohain is another。
These villages； both of them concealed in curves of the landscape； are connected by a road about a league and a half in length； which traverses the plain along its undulating level； and often enters and buries itself in the hills like a furrow； which makes a ravine of this road in some places。 In 1815； as at the present day； this road cut the crest of the plateau of Mont…Saint…Jean between the two highways from Genappe and Nivelles； only； it is now on a level with the plain； it was then a hollow way。 Its two slopes have been appropriated for the monumental hillock。 This road was； and still is； a trench throughout the greater portion of its course； a hollow trench； sometimes a dozen feet in depth； and whose banks； being too steep； crumbled away here and there； particularly in winter； under driving rains。
Accidents happened here。 The road was so narrow at the Braine…l'Alleud entrance that a passer…by was crushed by a cart； as is proved by a stone cross which stands near the cemetery； and which gives the name of the dead； Monsieur Bernard Debrye； Merchant of Brussels； and the date of the accident； February； 1637。＇8＇ It was so deep on the table…land of Mont…Saint…Jean that a peasant； Mathieu Nicaise； was crushed there； in 1783； by a slide from the slope； as is stated on another stone cross； the top of which has disappeared in the process of clearing the ground； but whose overturned pedestal is still visible on the grassy slope to the left of the highway between La Haie…Sainte and the farm of Mont…Saint…Jean。
＇8＇ This is the inscription：
D。 O。 M。
CY A ETE ECRASE
PAR MALHEUR
SOUS UN CHARIOT；
MONSIEUR BERNARD
DE BRYE MARCHAND
A BRUXELLE LE ＇Illegible＇
FEVRIER 1637。
On the day of battle； this hollow road whose existence was in no way indicated； bordering the crest of Mont…Saint…Jean； a trench at the summit of the escarpment； a rut concealed in the soil； was invisible； that is to say； terrible。
BOOK FIRST。…WATERLOO
CHAPTER VIII
THE EMPEROR PUTS A QUESTION TO THE GUIDE LACOSTE
So； on the morning of Waterloo； Napoleon was content。
He was right； the plan of battle conceived by him was； as we have seen； really admirable。
The battle once begun； its very various changes；the resistance of Hougomont； the tenacity of La Haie…Sainte； the killing of Bauduin； the disabling of Foy； the unexpected wall against which Soye's brigade was shattered； Guilleminot's fatal heedlessness when he had neither petard nor powder sacks； the miring of the batteries； the fifteen unescorted pieces overwhelmed in a hollow way by Uxbridge； the small effect of the bombs falling in the English lines； and there embedding themselves in the rain…soaked soil； and only succeeding in producing volcanoes of mud； so that the canister was turned into a splash； the uselessness of Pire's demonstration on Braine…l'Alleud； all that cavalry； fifteen squadrons； almost exterminated； the right wing of the English badly alarmed； the left wing badly cut into； Ney's strange mistake in massing； instead of echelonning the four divisions of the first corps； men delivered over to grape…shot； arranged in ranks twenty…seven deep and with a frontage of two hundred； the frightful holes made in these masses by the cannon…balls； attacking columns disorganized； the side…battery suddenly unmasked on their flank； Bourgeois； Donzelot； and Durutte promised； Quiot repulsed； Lieutenant Vieux； that Hercules graduated at the Polytechnic School； wounded at the moment when he was beating in with an axe the door of La Haie…Sainte under the downright fire of the English barricade which barred the angle of the road from Genappe to Brussels； Marcognet's division caught between the infantry and the cavalry； shot down at the very muzzle of the guns amid the grain by Best and Pack； put to the sword by Ponsonby； his battery of seven pieces spiked； the Prince of Saxe…Weimar holding and guarding； in spite of the te d'Erlon； both Frischemont and Smohain； the flag of the 105th taken； the flag of the 45th captured； that black Prussian hussar stopped by runners of the flying column of three hundred light cavalry on the scout between Wavre and Plancenoit； the alarming things that had been said by prisoners； Grouchy's delay； fifteen hundred men killed in the orchard of Hougomont in less than an hour； eighteen hundred men overthrown in a still shorter time about La Haie…Sainte；all these stormy incidents passing like the clouds of battle before Napoleon； had hardly troubled his gaze and had not overshadowed that face of imperial certainty。 Napoleon was accustomed to gaze steadily at war； he never added up the heart…rending details； cipher by cipher； ciphers mattered little to him； provided that they furnished the total； victory； he was not alarmed if the beginnings did go astray； since he thought himself the master and the possessor at the end； he knew how to wait； supposing himself to be out of the question； and he treated destiny as his equal：
he seemed to say to fate； Thou wilt not dare。
posed half of light and half of shadow； Napoleon thought himself protected in good and tolerated in evil。
He had； or thought that he had； a connivance； one might almost say a plicity； of events in his favor； which was equivalent to the invulnerability of antiquity。
Nevertheless； when one has Beresina； Leipzig； and Fontainebleau behind one； it seems as though one might distrust Waterloo。 A mysterious frown bees perceptible in the depths of the heavens。
At the moment when Wellington retreated； Napoleon shuddered。 He suddenly beheld the table…land of Mo