战争与和平(上)-第307节

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about　batteries；　or　doing　anything　of　the　kind；　whom　people　looked　on　and　spoke　of　as　lacking　decision　and　penetration；　though　all　through　the　Russian　wars　with　the　French；　from　Austerlitz　to　the　year　1813；　we　always　find　him　in　command　where　the　position　is　particularly　difficult。　At　Austerlitz　he　was　the　last　to　remain　at　the　ford　of　Augest；　rallying　the　regiments；　saving　what　he　could；　when　all　was　flight　and　ruin；　and　not　a　single　other　general　was　to　be　found　in　the　rearguard。　When　ill　with　fever；　he　marched　with　twenty　thousand　men　to　Smolensk　to　defend　the　town　against　the　whole　of　Napoleon’s　army。　In　Smolensk　he　had　only　just　fallen　asleep　at　the　Malahovsky　gates　in　a　paroxysm　of　fever　when　he　was　waked　by　the　cannonade　of　Smolensk；　and　Smolensk　held　out　a　whole　day。　At　Borodino　when　Bagration　was　killed；　and　nine…tenths　of　the　men　of　our　left　flank　had　been　slain；　and　the　fire　of　all　the　French　artillery　was　turned　upon　it；　Kutuzov　made　haste　to　recall　another　general　he　had　sent　by　mistake；　and　sent　there　no　other　than　Dohturov；　who　was　said　to　be　lacking　in　decision　and　penetration。　And　unpretentious　little　Dohturov　went　there；　and　Borodino　became　the　greatest　glory　of　the　Russian　arms。　And　many　of　its　heroes　have　been　celebrated　in　prose　and　verse；　but　of　Dohturov　hardly　a　word。　Again　Dohturov　was　sent　to　Fominskoe；　and　from　there　to　Maley　Yaroslavets；　the　place　where　the　last　battle　was　fought　with　the　French；　and　where　it　is　plain　the　final　destruction　of　the　French　army　really　begun。　And　again　many　heroes　and　men　of　genius　are　described　to　us　in　accounts　of　this　period　of　the　campaign；　but　of　Dohturov　nothing　is　said；　or　but　few　words　of　dubious　praise。　This　silence　in　regard　to　Dohturov　is　the　plainest　testimony　to　his　merits。
It　is　natural　that　a　man　who　does　not　understand　the　working　of　a　machine　should　suppose；　when　he　sees　it　in　action；　that　a　shaving　that　has　fallen　into　it　by　chance；　and　flaps　about　in　it；　hindering　its　progress；　is　the　most　important　part　of　the　mechanism。　Any　one　who　does　not　understand　the　construction　of　the　machine　cannot　conceive　that　this　shaving　is　only　clogging　and　spoiling　it；　while　the　little　cog…wheel；　which　turns　noiselessly；　is　one　of　the　most　essential　parts　of　the　machine。
On　the　10th　of　October　Dohturov　had　marched　halfway　to　Fominskoe；　and　halted　at　the　village　of　Aristovo；　making　every　preparation　for　exactly　carrying　out　the　orders　given　him。　On　the　same　day　the　whole　French　army；　after　reaching　in　its　spasmodic　rush　as　far　as　Murat’s　position；　seemingly　with　the　object　of　giving　battle；　suddenly；　with　no　apparent　cause；　turned　off　to　the　left　to　the　new　Kaluga　road；　and　began　marching　into　Fominskoe；　where　Broussier　had　before　been　alone。　Dohturov　had　under　his　command　at　the　time　only　Dorohov’s　troops　and　the　two　small　detachments　of　Figner　and　Seslavin。
On　the　evening　of　the　11th　of　October；　Seslavin　came　to　the　general　at　Aristovo　with　a　French　prisoner　of　the　guards。　The　prisoner　said　that　the　troops　that　had　reached　Fominskoe　that　day　were　the　advance　guard　of　the　whole　army；　that　Napoleon　was　with　them；　that　the　whole　army　had　marched　out　of　Moscow　five　days　before。　The　same　evening　a　house…serf　coming　from　Borovsk　brought　word　that　he　had　seen　an　immense　army　entering　that　town。　Dorohov’s　Cossacks　reported　that　they　had　seen　the　French　guards　marching　along　the　road　to　Borovsk。　From　all　this　it　was　evident　that　where　they　had　expected　to　find　one　division　there　was　now　the　whole　army　of　the　French；　marching　from　Moscow　in　an　unexpected　direction—along　the　old　Kaluga　road。　Dohturov　was　unwilling　to　take　any　action；　as　it　was　not　clear　to　him　now　where　his　duty　lay。　He　had　received　instructions　to　attack　Fominskoe。　But　there　had　then　been　only　Broussier　at　Fominskoe；　and　now　the　whole　French　army　was　there。　Yermolov　wanted　to　act　on　his　own　judgment；　but　Dohturov　insisted　that　he　must　have　instructions　from　his　highness　the　commander…in…chief。　It　was　resolved　to　send　a　report　to　the　staff。
For　this　purpose　they　chose　a　capable　officer；　Bolhovitinov；　who　was　to　take　a　written　report；　and　to　explain　the　whole　matter　verbally。　At　midnight　Bolhovitinov　received　his　despatch　and　his　verbal　instructions；　and　galloped　off　to　headquarters；　accompanied　by　a　Cossack　with　spare　horses。


Chapter　16
IT　was　a　dark；　warm　autumn　night。　Rain　had　been　falling　for　the　last　four　days。　Changing　horses　twice；　Bolhovitinov　galloped　in　an　hour　and　a　half　thirty　versts　over　a　muddy；　slippery　road。　He　reached　Letashevko　after　one　o’clock　in　the　night。　Dismounting　at　a　hut；　on　the　hurdle　fence　of　which　was　the　inscription　“Headquarters　of　the　Staff；”　and　letting　his　horse　go；　he　walked　into　the　dark　entry。
“The　general　on　duty　at　once！　Very　important！”　he　cried　to　some　one；　who　jumped　up；　wheezing　in　the　darkness。
“His　honour　has　been　very　unwell　since　the　evening；　he　has　not　slept　for　three　nights；”　an　orderly’s　voice　whispered；　interposing。　“You　must　wake　the　captain　first。”
“Very　important　from　General　Dohturov；”　said　Bolhovitinov；　feeling　for　the　opened　door　and　going　in。
The　orderly　went　in　before　him；　and　began　waking　some　one　up。　“Your　honour；　your　honour；　a　courier。”
“What？　what？　from　whom？”　said　a　sleepy　voice。
“From　Dohturov　and　from　Alexey　Petrovitch。　Napoleon　is　at　Fominskoe；”　said　Bolhovitinov；　not　seeing　the　speaker　in　the　darkness；　but　assuming　from　the　voice　that　it　was　not　Konovnitsyn。
The　man　who　had　been　waked　yawned　and　stretched。　“I　don’t　want　to　wake　him；”　he　said；　fumbling　for　something。　“He’s　ill！　Perhaps　it’s　only　a　rumour。”
“Here　is　the　report；”　said　Bolhovitinov。　“My　instructions　are　to　give　it　at　once　to　the　general　on　duty。”
“Wait　a　minute；　I’ll　strike　a　light。　What　do　you　do　with　things；　damn　you！”　said　the　sleepy　voice　addressing　the　orderly。　The　speaker　was　Shtcherbinin；　Konovnitsyn’s　adjutant。　“I　have　found　it；　I　have　found　it；”　he　added。
The　orderly　struck　a　light；　Shtcherbinin　felt　for　a　candlestick。
“Ah；　the　nasty　beasts！”　he　said　with　disgust。
By　the　light　of　the　sparks　in　the　tinderbox　Bolhovitinov　had　a　glimpse　of　Shtcherbinin’s　youthful　face；　and　in　a　corner　another　man　asleep。　This　was　Konovnitsyn。
When　the　tinder　broke　first　into　a　blue　and　then　into　a　red　flame；　Shtcherbinin　lighted　a　tallow　candle—the　cockroaches　that　had　been　gnawing　it　ran　away　in　all　directions—and　looked　at　the　messenger。　Bolhovitinov　was　bespattered　all　over；　and　on　rubbing　his　face　with　his　sleeve；　had　smudged　that　too　with　mud。
“But　who　sends　the　report？”　said　Shtcherbinin；　taking　the　packet。
“The　news　is　certain；”　said　Bolhovitinov。　“Prisoners　and　Cossacks　and　spies；　all　tell　the　same　story。”
“Well　there’s　no　help　for　it；　we　must　wake　him；”　said　Shtcherbinin；　getting　up　and　going　to　the　sleeping　man　who　wore　a　nightcap　and　was　covered　up　with　a　military　cloak。　“Pyotr　Petrovich！”　he　said。　Konovnitsyn　did　not　stir。　“Wanted　at　headquarters！”　he　said　with　a　smile；　knowing　these　words　would　be　sure　to　wake　him。　And　the　head　in　the　nightcap　was　in　fact　lifted　at　once。　Konovnitsyn’s　strong；　handsome　face；　with　feverishly　swollen　cheeks；　still　wore　for　an　instant　a　far…away　dreamy　look；　but　he　gave　a　sudden　start　and　his　face　resumed　its　customary　expression　of　calmness　and　strength。
“Well；　what　is　it？　From　whom？”　he　asked　at　once；　but　with　no　haste；　blinking　at　the　light。　Hearing　what　the　officer　had　to　tell　him；　Konovnitsyn　broke　open　the　packet　and　read　it。　He　had　hardly　read　it　before　he　dropped　his　feet　in　worsted　stockings　on　to　the　earth　floor　and　began　putting　on　his　boots。　Then　he　took　off　the　nightcap；　and　combing　his　hair；　put　on　a　forage　cap。
“Did　you　get　here　quickly？　Let　us　go　to　his　highness。”
Konovnitsyn　understood　at　once　that　the　news　was　of　great　importance；　and　that　they　must　lose　no　time。　As　to　whether　it　were　good　news　or　bad；　he　had　no　opinion　and　did　not　even　put　the　question　to　himself。　That　did　not　interest　him。　He　looked　at　the　whole　subject　of　the　war；　not　with　his　intellect；　not　with　his　reason；　but　with　something　different。　In　his　heart　he　had　a　deep；　unaltered　conviction　that　all　would　be　well；　yet　that　he　ought　not　to　believe　in　this；　and　still　more　ought　not　to　say　so；　but　ought　simply　to　do　his　duty。　And　that　he　did　do；　giving　all　his　energies　to　it。
Pyotr　Petrovich　Konovnitsyn；　like　Dohturov；　is　simply　as　a　formality　included　in　the　list　of　the　so…called　heroes　of　1812　with　the　Barclays；　Raevskys；　Yermolovs；　Platovs　and　Miloradovitchs。　Like　Dohturov；　he　had　the　reputation　of　being　a　man　of　very　limited　capacities　and　information；　and；　like　Dohturov；　he　never　proposed　plans　of　campaign；　but　was　always　to　be　found　in　the　most　difficult　position。　Ever　since　he　had　been　appointed　the　general　on　duty；　he　had　slept　with　his　door　open；　and　given　orders　to　be　waked　on　the　arrival　of　any　messenger。　In　battle　he　was　always　under　fire；　so　that　Kutuzov　even　reproached　him　for　it；　and　was　afraid　to　send　him　to　the　front。　Like　Dohturov；　he　was　one　of　those　inconspicuous　cogwheels；　which；　moving　without　creaking　or　rattling；　make　up　the　most　essential　part　of　the　machine。
Coming　out　of　the　hut　into　the　damp；　dark　night；　Konovnitsyn　frowned；　partly　from　his　headache　getting　worse；