An officer of cuirassiers asked Fougas if he had seen Bordesoulle's splendid charge, which flung the Austrians into the valley of Plauen.
Fougas had known General Bordesoulle personally, and had seen with his own eyes the beautiful heavy cavalry manoeuvre which decided the victory of Dresden.

But he chose to be disagreeable to M.du Marnet, by affecting an air of ignorance or indifference.
"In our time," said he, "the cavalry was always brought into action after the battle; we employed it to bring in the enemy after we had routed them." Here a great outcry arose, and the glorious name of Murat was thrown into the balance.
"Oh, doubtless--doubtless!" said he, shaking his head.

"Murat was a good general in his limited sphere; he answered perfectly for all that was wanted of him.

But if the cavalry had Murat, the infantry had Napoleon." M.du Marnet observed, judiciously, that Napoleon, if he must be seized upon for the credit of any single arm of the service, would belong to the artillery.
"With all my heart, monsieur," replied Fougas; "the artillery and the infantry.

Artillery at a distance, infantry at close quarters--cavalry off at one side." "Once more I beg your pardon," answered M.du Marnet; "you mean to say, at the sides, which is a very different matter." "At the sides, or at one side, I don't care! As for me, if I were commander-in-chief, I would set the cavalry aside." Several cavalry officers had already flung themselves into the discussion.