战争与和平(上)-第153章
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alashov almost the words he had used to Alexander himself at Tilsit。 “All that he would have owed to my friendship。 Ah； what a fine reign！ what a fine reign might have been that of the Emperor Alexander。 Oh； what a grand reign；” he repeated several times。 He stopped； took a gold snuffbox out of his pocket； and greedily put it to his nose。
He turned a commiserating glance on Balashov； and as soon as he would have made some observation； he hurriedly interrupted him again。
“What could he desire and look for that he would not have gained from my friendship？…” said Napoleon； shrugging his shoulders with an air of perplexity。 “No； he has thought better to surround himself with my enemies。 And with whom？” he went on。 “He has gathered round him the Steins； the Armfeldts； the Bennigsens； the Wintzengerodes。 Stein is a traitor； driven out of his own country； Armfeldt an intriguing debauchee； Wintzengerode a renegade French subject； Bennigsen is； indeed； rather more of a soldier than the rest； but still he’s incompetent； he could do nothing in 1807； and I should have thought he must recall painful memories to the Emperor Alexander。… Even supposing he might make use of them if they were competent；” Napoleon went on； his words hardly able to keep pace with the rush of ideas that proved to him his right or his might （which to his mind meant the same）； “but they are not even that！ They are no use for war or for peace！ Barclay； I’m told； is more capable than all of them； but I shouldn’t say so； judging from his first man？uvres。 And what are they doing； what are all these courtiers doing？ Pfuhl is making propositions； Armfeldt is quarrelling； Bennigsen is considering； while Barclay； who has been sent for to act； can come to no decision； and is wasting time and doing nothing。 Bagration is the only one that is a real general。 He is stupid； but he has experience； judgment； and determination。… And what part does your young Emperor play in this unseemly crowd？ They compromise him and throw upon him the responsibility of all that happens。 A sovereign ought not to be with the army except when he is a general；” he said； obviously uttering these words as a direct challenge to the Tsar。 Napoleon knew how greatly Alexander desired to be a great general。 “It’s a week now since the campaign commenced； and you haven’t even succeeded in defending Vilna。 You have been divided in two and driven out of the Polish provinces。 Your army is discontented…”
“On the contrary； your majesty；” said Balashov； who scarcely had time to recollect what had been said to him； and had difficulty in following these verbal fireworks； “the troops are burning with eagerness…”
“I know all that；” Napoleon cut him short； “I know all that； and I know the number of your battalions as exactly as I know my own。 You have not two hundred thousand troops； while I have three times as many。 I give you my word of honour；” said Napoleon； forgetting that his word of honour could carry no weight—“my word of honour that I have five hundred and thirty thousand men this side of the Vistula。 The Turks will be no help to you； they are good for nothing； and have proved it by making peace with you。 As for the Swedes； it’s their destiny to be governed by mad kings。 Their king was mad。 They changed him for another； Bernadotte； who promptly went mad； for no one not a madman could； being a Swede； ally himself with Russia。”
Napoleon laughed malignantly； and again put his snuff…box to his nose。
To each of Napoleon’s phrases Balashov had a reply ready； and tried to utter it。 He was continually making gestures indicative of a desire to speak； but Napoleon always interrupted him。 To his remarks on the insanity of the Swedes； Balashov would have replied that Sweden was as good as an island with Russia to back her。 But Napoleon shouted angrily to drown his voice。 Napoleon was in that state of exasperation when a man wants to go on talking and talking simply to prove to himself that he is right。 Balashov began to feel uncomfortable。 As an envoy； he was anxious to keep up his dignity； and felt it essential to make some reply。 But as a man he felt numb； repelled by the uncontrolled； irrational fury to which Napoleon abandoned himself。 He knew that nothing Napoleon might say now had any significance and believed that he would himself on regaining his composure be ashamed of his words。 Balashov remained standing； looking with downcast eyes at Napoleon’s fat legs as they moved to and fro。 He tried to avoid his eyes。
“And what are your allies to me？” said Napoleon。 “I have allies too—the Poles。 There are eighty thousand of them and they fight like lions。 And there will be two hundred thousand。”
He was probably still more exasperated at having told this obvious falsehood and at Balashov’s standing mutely before him in that pose of resignation to his fate。 He turned sharply round and going right up to Balashov； gesticulating rapidly and vigorously with his white hands close to his face； he almost shouted： “Let me tell you； if you stir Russia up against me； let me tell you； I’ll wipe her off the map of Europe；” he said； his face pale and distorted with anger； as he smote one little hand vigorously against the other。 “Yes； I’ll thrust you beyond the Dwina； beyond the Dnieper； and I’ll restore the frontier that Europe was criminal and blind to let you overstep。 Yes； that’s what’s in store for you； that’s what you will gain by alienating me；” he said； and he walked in silence several times up and down the room； his thick shoulders twitching。 He put the snuff…box in his waistcoat pocket； pulled it out again； held it several times to his nose； and stood still facing Balashov。 He paused； looked sarcastically straight into Balashov’s face and said in a low voice： “And yet what a fine reign your master might have had。”
Balashov； feeling it incumbent upon him to reply； said Russia did not look at things in such a gloomy light。 Napoleon was silent； still looking ironically at him and obviously not listening to him。 Balashov said that in Russia the best results were hoped for from the war。 Napoleon nodded condescendingly； as though to say； “I know it’s your duty to say that； but you don’t believe in it yourself； you are convinced by me。” Towards the end of Balashov’s speech； Napoleon pulled out his snuff…box again； took a sniff from it and tapped twice with his foot on the ground as a signal。 The door opened； a gentleman…in…waiting； threading his way in respectfully； handed the Emperor his hat and gloves； another handed him a pocket…handkerchief。 Napoleon； without bestowing a glance upon them； turned to Balashov。
“Assure the Emperor Alexander from me；” he said； taking his hat； “that I am devoted to him as before； I know him thoroughly； and I prize very highly his noble qualities。 I detain you no longer； general； you shall receive my letter to the Emperor。” And Napoleon walked rapidly to the door。 There was a general stampede from the great reception…room down the staircase。
Chapter 7
AFTER ALL NAPOLEON had said to him； after those outbursts of wrath； and after the last frigidly uttered words； “I will not detain you； general； you shall receive my letter；” Balashov felt certain that Napoleon would not care to see him again； would avoid indeed seeing again the envoy who had been treated by him with contumely； and had been the eyewitness of his undignified outburst of fury。 But to his surprise Balashov received through Duroc an invitation to dine that day at the Emperor’s table。
There were present at dinner； Bessières； Caulaincourt； and Berthier。
Napoleon met Balashov with a good…humoured and friendly air。 He had not the slightest appearance of embarrassment or regret for his outbreak in the morning。 On the contrary he seemed trying to encourage Balashov。 It was evident that it had long been Napoleon’s conviction that no possibility existed of his making mistakes。 To his mind all he did was good； not because it was in harmony with any preconceived notion of good or bad； but simply because it was he who did it。
The Emperor was in excellent spirits after his ride about Vilna； greeted and followed with acclamations by crowds of the inhabitants。 From every window in the streets through which he had passed draperies and flags with his monogram had been hanging； and Polish ladies had been waving handkerchiefs to welcome him。
At dinner he sat Balashov beside him； and addressed him affably。 He addressed him indeed as though he regarded Balashov as one of his own courtiers； as one of the people； who would sympathise with his plans and be sure to rejoice at his successes。 He talked； among other things； of Moscow； and began asking Balashov questions about the ancient Russian capital； not simply as a traveller of inquiring mind asks about a new place he intends to visit； but apparently with the conviction that Balashov as a Russian must be flattered at his interest in it。
“How many inhabitants are there in Moscow； how many horses？ Is it true that Moscow is called the holy city？ How many churches are there in Moscow？” he asked。
And when he was told there were over two hundred churches； he said： “Why is there such a great number of churches？”
“The Russians are very religious；” replied Balashov。
“A great number； however； of monasteries and churches is always a sign of the backwardness of a people；” said Napoleon； looking at Caulaincourt for appreciation of this remark。
Balashov ventured respectfully to differ from the opinion of the French Emperor。
“Every country has its customs；” he observed。
“But there’s nothing like that anywhere else in Europe；” said Napoleon。
“I beg your majesty’s pardon；” said Balashov； “besides Russia； there is Spain； where there is also a great number of churches and monasteries。”
This reply of Balashov’s； which suggested a covert allusion to the recent discomfiture of the French in Spain； was highly appreciated when Balashov repeated it at the court of the Emperor Alexander； though at the time at Napoleon’s dinner…table it was very little appreciated and passed indeed unnoticed。
From the indifferent and perplexed faces of the marshals present it was obvious that they were puzzled to discover wherein lay the point of the retort； suggested by Balashov’s intonation。 “If there were a point； we fail to catch it； or the remark was perhaps really pointless；” their expression seemed to say。 So little effect had this retort that Napoleon indeed certainly saw nothing in it； and he na？vely asked Balashov through what towns the direct road from Vilna to Moscow passed。 Balashov； who had been all dinner…time on his guard； replied that as； according to the proverb； every road leads to Rome； every road leads to Moscow； that there were very many roads； and among them was the road to Poltava； the one selected by Charles XII。 Balashov could not help flushing with delight at the felicity of this reply。 Balashov had hardly uttered the last word “Poltava” when Caulaincourt began talking of the badness of the road from Petersburg to Moscow and his own Petersburg reminiscences。
After dinner they went to drink coffee in Napoleon’s study； which had four days before been the study of the Emperor Alexander。 Napoleon sat down； stirring his coffee in a S�
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