战争与和平(上)-第191章

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nd；　it’s　all　straightforward　as　regards　that。　We　see　daylight　…”
“Then　why　did　he　forbid　it？”
Timohin　looked　round　in　confusion；　at　a　loss　how　to　answer　such　a　question。　Pierre　turned　to　Prince　Andrey　with　the　same　inquiry。
“Why；　so　as　not　to　waste　the　country　we　were　leaving　for　the　enemy；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　with　angry　sarcasm。　“That’s　a　first　principle：　never　to　allow　pillage　and　accustom　your　men　to　marauding。　And　at　Smolensk　too　he　very　correctly　judged　that　the　French　were　the　stronger　and　might　overcome　us。　But　he　could　not　understand；”　cried　Prince　Andrey　in　a　voice　suddenly　shrill；　“he　could　not　understand　that　for　the　first　time　we　were　fighting　on　Russian　soil；　that　there　was　a　spirit　in　the　men　such　as　I　had　never　seen　before；　that　we　had　twice　in　succession　beaten　back　the　French；　and　that　success　had　multiplied　our　strength　tenfold。　He　ordered　a　retreat；　and　all　our　efforts　and　our　curses　were　in　vain。　He　had　no　thought　of　treachery；　he　tried　to　do　everything　for　the　best　and　thought　over　everything　well。　But　for　that　very　reason　he　was　no　good。　He　is　no　good　now　just　because　be　considers　everything　soundly　and　accurately　as　every　German　must。　How　can　I　explain　to　you。　…　Well；　your　father　has　a　German　valet；　say；　and　he’s　an　excellent　valet　and　satisfies　all　his　requirements　better　than　you　can　do　and　all’s　well　and　good；　but　if　your　father　is　sick　unto　death；　you’ll　send　away　the　valet　and　wait　on　your　father　yourself　with　your　awkward；　unpractised　hands；　and　be　more　comfort　to　him　than　a　skilful　man　who’s　a　stranger。　That’s　how　we　have　done　with　Barclay。　While　Russia　was　well；　she　might　be　served　by　a　stranger；　and　an　excellent　minister　he　was；　but　as　soon　as　she’s　in　danger；　she　wants　a　man　of　her　own　kith　and　kin。　So　you　in　your　club　have　been　making　him　out　to　be　a　traitor！　They　slander　him　now　as　a　traitor；　and　afterwards；　ashamed　of　their　false　accusations；　they　will　suddenly　glorify　him　as　a　hero　or　a　genius；　which　would　be　even　more　unfair　to　him。　He’s　an　honest　and　conscientious　German　…”
“They　say　he’s　an　able　general；　though；”　said　Pierre。
“I　don’t　know　what’s　meant　by　an　able　general；”　Prince　Andrey　said　ironically。
“An　able　general；”　said　Pierre；　“well；　it’s　one　who　foresees　all　contingencies　…　well；　divines　the　enemy’s　projects。”
“But　that’s　impossible；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　as　though　of　a　matter　long　ago　settled。
Pierre　looked　at　him　in　surprise。
“But　you　know　they　say；”　he　said；　“that　war　is　like　a　game　of　chess。”
“Yes；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　“only　with　this　little　difference；　that　in　chess　you　may　think　over　each　move　as　long　as　you　please；　that　you　are　not　limited　as　to　time；　and　with　this　further　difference　that　a　knight　is　always　stronger　than　a　pawn　and　two　pawns　are　always　stronger　than　one；　while　in　war　a　battalion　is　sometimes　stronger　than　a　division；　and　sometimes　weaker　than　a　company。　No　one　can　ever　be　certain　of　the　relative　strength　of　armies。　Believe　me；”　he　said；　“if　anything　did　depend　on　the　arrangements　made　by　the　staff；　I　would　be　there；　and　helping　to　make　them；　but　instead　of　that　I　have　the　honour　of　serving　here　in　the　regiment　with　these　gentlemen　here；　and　I　consider　that　the　day　really　depends　upon　us　to…morrow　and　not　on　them。　…　Success　never　has　depended　and　never　will　depend　on　position；　on　arms；　nor　even　on　numbers；　and；　least　of　all；　on　position。”
“On　what　then？”
“On　the　feeling　that　is　in　me　and　him；”　he　indicated　Timohin；　“and　every　soldier。”
Prince　Andrey　glanced　at　Timohin；　who　was　staring　in　alarm　and　bewilderment　at　his　colonel。　In　contrast　to　his　usual　reserved　taciturnity；　Prince　Andrey　seemed　excited　now。　Apparently　he　could　not　refrain　from　expressing　the　ideas　that　suddenly　rose　to　his　mind。　“The　battle　is　won　by　the　side　that　has　firmly　resolved　to　win。　Why　did　we　lose　the　battle　of　Austerlitz？　Our　losses　were　almost　equalled　by　the　French　losses；　but　we　said　to　ourselves　very　early　in　the　day　that　we　were　losing　the　battle；　and　we　lost　it。　And　we　said　so　because　we　had　nothing　to　fight　for　then；　we　wanted　to　get　out　of　fighting　as　quick　as　we　could。　‘We　are　defeated；　so　let　us　run！’　and　we　did　run。　If　we　had　not　said　that　till　evening；　God　knows　what　might　not　have　happened。　But　to…morrow　we　shan’t　say　that。　You　talk　of　our　position；　of　the　left　flank　being　weak；　and　the　right　flank　too　extended；”　he　went　on；　“all　that’s　nonsense；　that’s　all　nothing。　But　what　awaits　us　to…morrow？　A　hundred　millions　of　the　most　diverse　contingencies；　which　will　determine　on　the　instant　whether　they　run　or　we　do；　whether　one　man　is　killed　and　then　another；　but　all　that’s　being　done　now　is　all　mere　child’s　play。　The　fact　is　that　these　people　with　whom　you　have　been　inspecting　the　positions　do　nothing　towards　the　progress　of　things；　they　are　a　positive　hindrance。　They　are　entirely　taken　up　with　their　own　petty　interests。”
“At　such　a　moment？”　said　Pierre　reproachfully。
“At　such　a　moment；”　repeated　Prince　Andrey。　“To　them　this　is　simply　a　moment　on　which　one　may　score　off　a　rival　and　win　a　cross　or　ribbon　the　more。　To　my　mind　what　is　before　us　to…morrow　is　this：　a　hundred　thousand　Russian　and　a　hundred　thousand　French　troops　have　met　to　fight；　and　the　fact　is　that　these　two　hundred　thousand　men　will　fight；　and　the　side　that　fights　most　desperataly　and　spares　itself　least　will　conquer。　And　if　you　like；　I’ll　tell　you　that　whatever　happens；　and　whatever　mess　they　make　up　yonder；　we　shall　win　the　battle　to…morrow；　whatever　happens　we　shall　win　the　victory。”
“Your　excellency；　that’s　the　truth　of　it；　the　holy　truth；”　put　in　Timohin；　“who　would　spare　himself　now！　The　soldiers　in　my　battalion；　would　you　believe　it；　wouldn’t　drink　their　vodka；　this　isn’t　an　ordinary　day；　they　say。”
All　were　silent。
The　officers　rose。　Prince　Andrey　went　with　them　out　of　the　barn；　giving　the　last　instructions　to　the　adjutant。　When　the　officers　had　gone；　Pierre　came　nearer　to　Prince　Andrey；　and　was　just　about　to　begin　talking　when　they　heard　the　tramp　of　hoofs　not　far　away　on　the　road；　and　glancing　in　that　direction　Prince　Andrey　recognised　Woltzogen　and　Klausewitz；　accompanied　by　a　Cossack。　They　rode　close　by　them；　still　talking；　and　Pierre　and　Prince　Andrey　could　not　help　overhearing　the　following　phrases　in　German：
“The　war　ought　to　be　carried　on　over　a　wide　extent　of　country。　I　cannot　sufficiently　strongly　express　that　view　of　the　matter；”　one　said　in　German。
“Oh　yes；”　said　another　voice；　“since　the　object　is　to　wear　out　the　enemy；　one　must　not　consider　the　losses　of　private　persons。”
“Certainly　not；”　acquiesced　the　first　voice。
“Carried　into　a　wide　extent　of　country；”　Prince　Andrey　repeated　with　a　wrathful　snort；　when　they　had　ridden　by。　“In　that　open　country　I　had　a　father　and　son　and　sister　at　Bleak　Hills。　He　doesn’t　care　about　that。　That’s　just　what　I　was　saying　to　you：　these　excellent　Germans　won’t　win　the　battle　to…morrow；　they　will　only　make　a　mess　of　it；　so　far　as　they　are　able；　because　they　have　nothing　in　their　German　noddles　but　calculations　that　are　not　worth　a　rotten　egg；　and　they　haven’t　in　their　hearts　the　one　thing　that’s　wanted　for　to…morrow；　that　Timohin　has。　They　have　given　all　Europe　up　to　him；　and　now　they　have　come　to　teach　us—fine　teachers！”　he　added；　his　voice　growing　shrill　again
“So　you　think　the　battle　to…morrow　will　be　a　victory；”　said　Pierre。
“Yes；　yes；”　said　Prince　Andrey　absently。　“There’s　one　thing　I　would　do；　if　I　were　in　power；”　he　began　again。　“I　wouldn’t　take　prisoners。　What　sense　is　there　in　taking　prisoners？　That’s　chivalry。　The　French　have　destroyed　my　home　and　are　coming　to　destroy　Moscow；　they　have　outraged　and　are　outraging　me　at　every　second。　They　are　my　enemies；　they　are　all　criminals　to　my　way　of　thinking。　And　so　thinks　Timohin；　and　all　the　army　with　him。　They　must　be　put　to　death。　Since　they　are　my　enemies；　they　can’t　be　my　friends；　whatever　they　may　have　said　at　Tilsit。”
“Yes；　yes；”　said　Pierre；　looking　with　shining　eyes　at　Prince　Andrey。　“I　entirely　agree　with　you！”
The　question　that　had　been　disturbing　Pierre　all　that　day；　since　the　Mozhaisk　hill；　now　struck　him　as　perfectly　clear　and　fully　solved。　He　saw　now　all　the　import　and　all　the　gravity　of　the　war　and　the　impending　battle。　All　he　had　seen　that　day；　all　the　stern；　grave　faces　of　which　he　had　had　glimpses；　appeared　to　him　in　a　new　light　now。　He　saw；　to　borrow　a　term　from　physics；　the　latent　heat　of　patriotism　in　all　those　men　he　had　seen；　and　saw　in　it　the　explanation　of　the　composure　and　apparent　levity　with　which　they　were　all　preparing　for　death。　“We　ought　not　to　take　prisoners；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　“That　change　alone　would　transform　the　whole　aspect　of　war　and　would　make　it　less　cruel。　But　playing　at　war；　that’s　what’s　vile；　and　playing　at　magnanimity　and　all　the　rest　of　it。　That　magnanimity　and　sensibility　is　like　the　magnanimity　and　sensibility　of　the　lady　who　turns　sick　at　the　sight　of　a　slaughtered　calf—she　is　so　kind…hearted　she　can’t　see　blood—but　eats　fricasseed　veal　with　a　very　good　appetite。　They　talk　of　the　laws　of　warfare；　of　chivalry；　of　flags　of　truce；　and　humanity　to　the　wounded；　and　so　on。　That’s　all　rubbish。　I　saw　enough　in　1805　of　chivalry　and　flags　of　truce：　they　duped　us；　and　we　duped　them。　They　plunder　other　people’s　homes；　issue　false　money；　and；　worse　than　all；　kill　my　children；　my　father；　and　then　talk　of　the　laws　of　warfare；　and　generosity　to　a　fallen　foe。　No　prisoners；　and　go　to　give　and　to　meet　death！　Any　one　who　has　come　to　think　this　as　I　have；　through　the　same　sufferings　…”
Prince　Andrey；　who　had　thought　that　he　did　not　care　whether　they　took　Moscow　as　they　had　taken　Smolensk；　was　suddenly　pulled　up　in　his　speech　by　a　nervous　catch　in　his　throat。　He　walked　to　and　fro　several　times　in　silence；　but　his　eyes　blazed　with　feverish　brilliance　and　his　lips　quivered；　as　he　began　to　speak　again。
“If　there　were　none　of　this　playing　at　generosity　in　warfare；　we　should　never　go　to　war；　except　for　something　worth　facing　certain　death　for；　as　now。　Then　there　would　not　be　wars　because　Pavel　Ivanitch　had　insulted　Mihail　Ivanitch。　But　if　there　is　war　as　now；　let　it　be　really　war。　And　then　the　intensity　of　warfare　would　be　something　quite　different。　All　these　Westphalians　and　Hessians　Napoleon　is　leading　against　us　would　not　have　come　to　fight　us　in　Russia；　and　we　should　not　have　gone　to　war　in　Austria　and　in　Prussia　without　knowing　what　for。　War　is　not　a　polite　recreation；　but　the　vilest　thing　in　life；　and　we　ought　to　understand　that　and　not　play　at　war。　We　ought　to　accept　it　sternly　and　solemnly　as　a　fearful　necessity。　It　all　comes　to　this：　have　done　with　lying；　and　if　it’s　war；　then　it’s　war　and　not　a　game；　or　else　warfare　is　simply　the　favourite　pastime　of　the　idle　and　frivolous。　…　The　military　is　the　most　honoured　calling。　And　what　is　war；　what　is　needed　for　success　in　war；　what　are　the　morals　of　the　military　world？　The　object　of　warfare　is　murder；　the　means　employed　in　warfare—spying；　treachery；　and　the　encouragement　of　it；　the　ruin　of　a　country；　the　plundering　of　its　inhabitants　and　robbery　for　the　maintenance　of　the　army；　trickery　and　lying；　which　are　called　military　strategy；　the　morals　of　the　military　class—absence　of　all　independence