It was Joubert's fault.

If he had rejoined the Army of Italy as soon as he had been made commander-in-chief, it is more than probable that the Russians and Austrians, with the troops they then had, could not have resisted him.

But he remained in Paris for his honeymoon! Poor Joubert paid with his life for that fatal month which gave the enemy time to gather its reinforcements.

The surrender of Mantua gave them fifteen thousand men on the eve of the battle.

It was impossible that our poor army should not have been overwhelmed by such united forces." "Alas! yes," said Moreau; "it is always the greater number which defeats the smaller." "A great truth, general," exclaimed Bonaparte; "an indisputable truth." "And yet," said Arnault, joining in the conversation, "you yourself, general, have defeated large armies with little ones." "If you were Marius, instead of the author of 'Marius,' you would not say that, my dear poet.