“Reinforcements?” said Napoleon in a tone of stern surprise, looking at the adjutant⁠—a handsome lad with long black curls arranged like Murat’s own⁠—as though he did not understand his words.

“Reinforcements!” thought Napoleon to himself. “How can they need reinforcements when they already have half the army directed against a weak, unentrenched Russian wing?”

“Tell the King of Naples,” said he sternly, “that it is not noon yet, and I don’t yet see my chessboard clearly. Go!⁠ ⁠…”

The handsome boy adjutant with the long hair sighed deeply without removing his hand from his hat and galloped back to where men were being slaughtered.

Napoleon rose and having summoned Caulaincourt and Berthier began talking to them about matters unconnected with the battle.