"You will take care to advise Field Marshal Vurmser without delay not to discontinue his operations; you will inform him that I am expecting him valorously and zealously to defend Mantua to the last extremity; that I know him, and the brave officers of his staff who are with him, too well to fear they will give themselves up as prisoners; moreover, he must try to transport the garrison into France rather than to send it back into my realm; I desire that in the event of his being reduced to the last extremity and without means of subsistence, he will take measures to destroy as far as possible anything in Mantua that would be serviceable to the enemy, and, in leading out the portion of his troops that are fit to follow him, to make for and to cross the Po, and then to march to Ferrara or to Bologna, holding himself ready, if the need arises, to go towards Rome or into Tuscany; he will find very few of the enemy in those regions, which are _favourably disposed_ towards the provisioning of his troops, on whose behalf, if needful, he must use force, as he would to surmount any other obstacle. "FRANÇOIS. "A reliable man, a cadet from the Straroldo regiment, brings this important despatch to your Excellency. I would add that the actual situation and the requirements of the army do not allow of attempting any fresh operations for _three weeks or a month_, without exposing it anew to the danger of non-success. "I cannot too strongly urge upon your Excellency to hold on in Mantua as long as you possibly can, His Majesty's commands acting as your general instructions; whatever happens, I beg of your Excellency to send me news by some safe means, in order that I may keep in touch with you. "ALVINTZY. "_P.S._-In all probability the next action I am arranging will take place on the 13th or 14th January. I shall march with 30,000 men to the plateau of Rivoli, and I shall despatch Provera with 10,000 men along the Adige to Legnago, with a considerable convoy. When you hear firing, make a sortie to cause a diversion in favour of his movement." CHAPTER IX The despatch is sent to Bonaparte--Dermoncourt's reception--Berthier's open response--Military movements in consequence of the despatch--Correspondence between my father and Serrurier and Dallemagne--Battle of St. Georges and La Favorite--Capture of Mantua--My father as a looker-on. My father's joy was great, and so was Dermoncourt's; the despatch was clearly of the greatest importance. For one thing it proclaimed Tuscany and the Venetian and Pontifical States as countries _favourably disposed._ Moreover, it revealed Alvintzy's intention of taking no action _for three weeks or a month._ The despatch must be taken to Bonaparte post haste.