战争与和平(上)-第76节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


expectation—were　founded　on　a　real　desire　for　peace。　In　the　evening　Dolgorukov　came　back；　went　straight　to　the　Tsar　and　remained　a　long　while　alone　with　him。
On　the　18th　and　19th　the　troops　moved　forward　two　days’　march；　and　the　enemy’s　outposts；　after　a　brief　interchange　of　shots；　retired。　In　the　higher　departments　of　the　army　an　intense；　bustling　excitement　and　activity　prevailed　from　midday　of　the　19th　till　the　morning　of　the　following　day；　the　20th　of　November；　on　which　was　fought　the　memorable　battle　of　Austerlitz。　Up　to　midday　of　the　19th　the　activity；　the　eager　talk；　the　bustle；　and　the　despatching　of　adjutants　was　confined　to　the　headquarters　of　the　Emperors；　after　midday　the　activity　had　reached　the　headquarters　of　Kutuzov　and　the　staff　of　the　commanding　officers　of　the　columns。　By　evening　this　activity　had　been　carried　by　the　adjutants　in　all　directions　into　every　part　of　the　army；　and　in　the　night　of　the　19th　the　multitude　of　the　eighty　thousands　of　the　allied　army　rose　from　its　halting…place；　and　with　a　hum　of　talk　moved　on；　a　heaving　mass　nine　versts　long。
The　intense　activity　that　had　begun　in　the　morning　in　the　headquarters　of　the　Emperors；　and　had　given　the　impetus　to　all　the　activity　in　remoter　parts；　was　like　the　first　action　in　the　centre　wheel　of　a　great　tower　clock。　Slowly　one　wheel　began　moving；　another　began　turning；　and　a　third；　and　more　and　more　rapidly；　levers；　wheels；　and　blocks　began　to　revolve；　chimes　began　playing；　figures　began　to　pop　out；　and　the　hands　began　moving　rhythmically；　as　a　result　of　that　activity。
Just　as　in　the　mechanism　of　the　clock；　in　the　mechanism　of　the　military　machine　too；　once　the　impetus　was　given；　it　was　carried　on　to　the　last　results；　and　just　as　unsympathetically　stationary　were　the　parts　of　the　machinery　which　the　impulse　had　not　yet　reached。　Wheels　creak　on　their　axles；　and　teeth　bite　into　cogs；　and　blocks　whir　in　rapid　motion；　while　the　next　wheel　stands　as　apathetic　and　motionless　as　though　it　were　ready　to　stand　so　for　a　hundred　years。　But　the　momentum　reaches　it—the　lever　catches；　and　the　wheel；　obeying　the　impulse；　creaks　and　takes　its　share　in　the　common　movement；　the　result　and　aim　of　which　are　beyond　its　ken。
Just　as　in　the　clock；　the　result　of　the　complex　action　of　countless　different　wheels　and　blocks　is　only　the　slow；　regular　movement　of　the　hand　marking　the　time；　so　the　result　of　all　the　complex　human　movement　of　those　160；000　Russians　and　Frenchmen—of　all　the　passions；　hopes；　regrets；　humiliations；　sufferings；　impulses　of　pride；　of　fear；　and　of　enthusiasm　of　those　men—was　only　the　loss　of　the　battle　of　Austerlitz；　the　so…called　battle　of　the　three　Emperors；　that　is；　the　slow　shifting　of　the　registering　hand　on　the　dial　of　the　history　of　mankind。
Prince　Andrey　was　on　duty　that　day；　and　in　close　attendance　on　the　commander…in…chief。　At　six　o’clock　in　the　evening　Kutuzov　visited　the　headquarters　of　the　Emperors；　and　after　a　brief　interview　with　the　Tsar；　went　in　to　see　the　Ober…Hofmarschall　Count　Tolstoy。
Bolkonsky　took　advantage　of　this　interval　to　go　in　to　Dolgorukov　to　try　and　learn　details　about　the　coming　action。　Prince　Andrey　felt　that　Kutuzov　was　disturbed　and　displeased　about　something；　and　that　they　were　displeased　with　him　at　headquarters；　and　that　all　the　persons　at　the　Emperor’s　headquarters　took　the　tone　with　him　of　people　who　knew　something　other　people　are　not　aware　of；　and　for　that　reason　he　wanted　to　have　some　talk　with　Dolgorukov。
“Oh；　good　evening；　my　dear　boy；”　said　Dolgorukov；　who　was　sitting　at　tea　with　Bilibin。　“The　fête’s　for　to…morrow。　How’s　your　old　fellow？　out　of　humour？”
“I　won’t　say　he’s　out　of　humour；　but　I　fancy　he　would　like　to　get　a　hearing。”
“But　he　did　get　a　hearing　at　the　council　of　war；　and　he　will　get　a　hearing　when　he　begins　to　talk　sense。　But　to　delay　and　wait　about　now　when　Bonaparte　fears　a　general　engagement　more　than　anything—is　out　of　the　question。”
“Oh　yes；　you　have　seen　him；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　“Well；　what　did　you　think　of　Bonaparte？　What　impression　did　he　make　on　you？”
“Yes；　I　saw　him；　and　I’m　persuaded　he　fears　a　general　engagement　more　than　anything　in　the　world；”　repeated　Dolgorukov；　who　evidently　attached　great　value　to　this　general　deduction　he　had　made　from　his　interview　with　Napoleon。　“If　he　weren’t　afraid　of　an　engagement　what　reason　has　he　to　ask　for　this　interview；　to　open　negotiations；　and；　above　all；　to　retreat；　when　retreat　is　contrary　to　his　whole　method　of　conducting　warfare？　Believe　me；　he’s　afraid；　afraid　of　a　general　engagement；　his　hour　has　come；　mark　my　words。”
“But　tell　me　what　was　he　like；　how　did　he　behave？”　Prince　Andrey　still　insisted。
“He’s　a　man　in　a　grey　overcoat；　very　anxious　to　be　called　‘your　majesty；’　but　disappointed　at　not　getting　a　title　of　any　kind　out　of　me。　That’s　the　sort　of　man　he　is；　that’s　all；”　answered　Dolgorukov；　looking　round　with　a　smile　at　Bilibin。
“In　spite　of　my　profound　respect　for　old　Kutuzov；”　he　pursued；　“a　pretty　set　of　fools　we　should　be　to　wait　about　and　let　him　have　a　chance　to　get　away　or　cheat　us；　when　as　it　is　he’s　in　our　hands　for　certain。　No；　we　mustn’t　forget　Suvorov　and　his　rule—never　to　put　oneself　in　a　position　to　be　attacked；　but　to　make　the　attack　oneself。　Believe　me；　the　energy　of　young　men　is　often　a　safer　guide　in　warfare　than　all　the　experience　of　the　old　cunctators。”
“But　in　what　position　are　you　going　to　attack　him？　I　have　been　at　the　outposts　to…day；　and　there　was　no　making　out　where　his　chief　forces　are　concentrated；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　He　was　longing　to　explain　to　Dolgorukov　his　own　idea；　the　plan　of　attack　he　had　formed。
“Ah；　that’s　a　matter　of　no　consequence　whatever；”　Dolgorukov　said　quickly；　getting　up　and　unfolding　a　map　on　the　table。　“Every　contingency　has　been　provided　for；　if　he　is　concentrated　at　Brünn。…”　And　Prince　Dolgorukov　gave　a　rapid　and　vague　account　of　Weierother’s　plan　of　a　flank　movement。
Prince　Andrey　began　to　make　objections　and　to　explain　his　own　plan；　which　may　have　been　as　good　as　Weierother’s；　but　had　the　fatal　disadvantage　that　Weierother’s　plan　had　already　been　accepted。　As　soon　as　Prince　Andrey　began　to　enlarge　on　the　drawbacks　of　the　latter　and　the　advantages　of　his　own　scheme；　Prince　Dolgorukov　ceased　to　attend；　and　looked　without　interest　not　at　the　map；　but　at　Prince　Andrey’s　face。
“There　is　to　be　a　council　of　war　at　Kutuzov’s　to…night；　though；　you　can　explain　all　that　then；”　said　Dolgorukov。
“That’s　what　I　am　going　to　do；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　moving　away　from　the　map。
“And　what　are　you　worrying　yourselves　about；　gentlemen？”　said　Bilibin；　who　had　till　then　been　listening　to　their　talk　with　a　beaming　smile；　but　now　unmistakably　intended　to　make　a　joke。　“Whether　there　is　victory　or　defeat　to…morrow；　the　glory　of　the　Russian　arms　is　secure。　Except　your　Kutuzov；　there’s　not　a　single　Russian　in　command　of　a　column。　The　commanders　are：　Herr　General　Wimpfen；　le　comte　de　Langeron；　le　prince　de　Lichtenstein；　le　prince　de　Hohenlohe　and　Prishprshiprsh；　or　some　such　Polish　name。”
“Hold　your　tongue；　backbiter；”　said　Dolgorukov。　“It’s　not　true；　there　are　two　Russians：　Miloradovitch　and　Dohturov；　and　there　would　have　been　a　third；　Count　Araktcheev；　but　for　his　weak　nerves。”
“Mihail　Ilarionovitch　has　come　out；　I　think；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　“Good　luck　and　success　to　you；　gentlemen；”　he　added；　and　went　out；　after　shaking　hands　with　Dolgorukov　and　Bilibin。
On　returning　home　Prince　Andrey　could　not　refrain　from　asking　Kutuzov；　who　sat　near　him　in　silence；　what　he　thought　about　the　coming　battle。　Kutuzov　looked　sternly　at　his　adjutant；　and　after　a　pause；　answered：　“I　think　the　battle　will　be　lost；　and　I　said　so　to　Count　Tolstoy　and　asked　him　to　give　that　message　to　the　Tsar。　And　what　do　you　suppose　was　the　answer　he　gave　me？　‘Eh；　mon　cher　général；　je　me　mêle　de　riz　et　de　c？telettes；　mêlez…vous　des　affaires　de　la　guerre。’　Yes。…　That’s　the　answer　I　got！”


Chapter　12
AT　TEN　O’CLOCK　in　the　evening；　Weierother　with　his　plans　rode　over　to　Kutuzov’s　quarters；　where　the　council　of　war　was　to　take　place。　All　the　commanders　of　columns　were　summoned　to　the　commander…in…chief’s；　and　with　the　exception　of　Prince　Bagration；　who　declined　to　come；　all　of　them　arrived　at　the　hour　fixed。
Weierother；　who　was　entirely　responsible　for　all　the　arrangements　for　the　proposed　battle；　in　his　eagerness　and　hurry；　was　a　striking　contrast　to　the　ill…humoured　and　sleepy　Kutuzov；　who　reluctantly　played　the　part　of　president　and　chairman　of　the　council　of　war。　Weierother　obviously　felt　himself　at　the　head　of　the　movement　that　had　been　set　going　and　could　not　be　stopped。　He　was　like　a　horse　in　harness　running　downhill　with　a　heavy　load　behind　him。　Whether　he　were　pulling　it　or　it　were　pushing　him；　he　could　not　have　said；　but　he　was　flying　along　at　full　speed　with　no　time　to　consider　where　this　swift　motion　would　land　him。　Weierother　had　been　twice　that　evening　to　make　a　personal　inspection　up　to　the　enemy’s　line；　and　twice　he　had　been　with　the　Emperors；　Russian　and　Austrian；　to　report　and　explain；　and　to　his　office；　where　he　had　dictated　the　disposition　of　the　German　troops。　He　came　now；　exhausted；　to　Kutuzov’s。
He　was　evidently　so　much　engros