He had profited, not only by his instruction in the military school, but by his campaigning, and he now carried in his mind a disposition of the Russian forces which would be of the utmost value to the Emperor.
The need of some rest, however, was absolute.

Marmont's troops, starting out at the same time he had taken his departure, would barely have reached Sezanne by this time, so much more slowly did an army move than a single person.

The Emperor, who had intimated that he would remain at Nogent until the next day, would scarcely undertake the march before morning.

Aumenier lay off to the northwest of Sezanne, distant a few miles.

If the young aide could find something to eat and get a few hours' sleep, he could be at Sezanne before the Emperor arrived and his information would be ready in the very nick of time.