While our weak body of foreigners was as-
sembling, the authorities of Tilsit, frightened
and alarmed for the safety of their town, came to
implore me to preserve it. They thought we
were going to set alight to it out of revenge for
the defection. I sent them back reassured, and
we started in good order. The enemy's scouts
pursued us ; I had no cavalry now to keep them
at a distance, and they were not worth powder
and shot. Two parlementaires — one Russian and
the other Prussian — were brought, by mistake, to
me in the midst of my column. The latter sum-
moned me insolently to lay down my arms ; I
treated him with scorn, and dismissed him. I
did not know until after the former had left me
that he was a Frenchman, formerly aide-de-camp
to General Moreau, and by name Rapatel. I
did not recognise him ; but, more prudent than
his comrade, he asked me to come to an arrange-



i8i 3 ] A TRAP 35

ment with his General, Prince Repnine, who pro-
posed a suspension of arms until the peace, which
he said was imminent, was concluded, and to give
him an interview in the meantime. The trap was
too clumsily set to catch me. I told him that a
suspension of arms could be brought about with-
out a convention ; that he could easily see that I
was only marching in order to retire, and that
they could very well stop following if they thought
fit to do so ; that, as to the interview, as I had no
reason for refusing it, I would meet his Prince at
a certain spot at a given hour the next day, but
that after that hour he need not trouble himself.
