If they could have the night to rest in----" Napoleon shook his head.
"Advance with those who can march," he said decisively.

"We must fall on Bluecher in the morning or we are lost." "Impossible!" ejaculated Ney.
"I banished that word from my vocabulary when I first went into Italy," said Napoleon.

"Where are your troops ?" "Here, your Majesty," answered Ney, turning, pointing back to dark huddled ranks drooping over their muskets at parade rest.
Napoleon wheeled his horse and trotted over to them.

The iron hand of Ney had kept some sort of discipline and some sort of organization, but the distress and dismay of the conscripts was but too plainly evident.
"My friends," said the Emperor, raising his voice, "you are hungry----" a dull murmur of acquiescence came from the battalion--"you are weary and cold----" a louder murmur--"you are discouraged----" silence.
"Some of you have no arms.

You would fain rest.