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This he saw his way to accomplish if Ney were to strike in presently on the Prussian right; and so, with intent to stir that chief to vigorous enterprise, the message was sent him that "the fate of France was in his hands." The battle proceeded, Bluecher throwing in his reserves freely, Napoleon chary of his and playing the waiting game pending Ney's expected co-operation.
Early on that morning Wellington was in conversation with the Captain Bowles previously mentioned, when an officer galloped up and, to quote Captain Bowles, whispered to the Duke, who then turned to me and said, "Old Bluecher has had a d d good licking and has gone back to Wavre. As he has gone back, we must go too. I suppose in England they will say we have been licked I can't help that."
Of the Prussian army under Bluecher, about 121,000 strong with 312 guns, one corps was at Liege, another near the Meuse above Namur, a third at Namur, and Ziethen's in advance holding the line of the Sambre.
But that Napoleon kept an open mind on the subject is evidenced by his instruction to Grouchy to "go and discover the route taken by Bluecher," and this later intelligence, it may be assumed, opened his mind yet further. He thought it well, then, to send to Grouchy a supplementary written order which in the temporary absence of Marshal Soult he dictated to General Bertrand.
On certain occasions, I believe, he evoked the spirits of Frederick the Great, Napoleon, Bluecher, and others, in order to obtain from them an accurate forecast. At another time he endeavoured to peer into the future by means of crystal-gazing, in which he required the help of a little child.
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