战争与和平(上)-第244章

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　conflicting　currents　the　object　of　intrigue　was　for　the　most　part　the　management　of　the　war；　which　all　these　men　supposed　they　were　controlling；　though　it　did；　in　fact；　follow　its　inevitable　course　quite　apart　from　their　action；　a　course　that　never　corresponded　with　their　schemes；　but　was　the　outcome　of　the　forces　interacting　in　the　masses。　All　these　schemes；　thwarting　and　stultifying　one　another；　were　simply　accepted　in　the　higher　spheres　as　the　correct　reflection　of　what　was　bound　to　come　to　pass。
“Prince　Mihail　Ilarionovitch！”　the　Tsar　wrote　on　the　2nd　of　October；　a　letter　received　by　Kutuzov　after　the　battle　of　Tarutino。　“From　the　2nd　of　September　Moscow　has　been　in　the　hands　of　the　enemy。　Your　last　reports　were　dated　the　20th；　and　in　the　course　of　all　this　time　since；　no　attempt　has　been　made　to　act　against　the　enemy；　and　to　relieve　the　ancient　capital；　and　you　have　even；　from　your　last　reports；　retreated　further。　Serpuhov　is　by　now　occupied　by　a　detachment　of　the　enemy；　and　Tula；　with　its　famous　arsenal；　of　such　importance　to　the　army；　is　in　danger。　From　the　reports　received　from　General　Wintzengerode；　I　see　that　a　corps　of　the　enemy；　ten　thousand　strong；　is　marching　along　the　Petersburg　road。　Another；　numbering　some　thousands；　is　already　close　upon　Dmitrov。　A　third　is　advancing　along　the　Vladimir　road。　A　fourth　force　of　considerable　strength　is　stationed　between　Ruza　and　Mozhaisk。　Napoleon　himself　was　in　Moscow　on　the　25th。　In　face　of　these　facts；　with　the　enemy’s　forces　split　up　into　these　detached　bodies；　and　Napoleon　himself　with　his　guards　in　Moscow；　is　it　possible　that　the　enemy’s　forces　confronting　you　are　too　strong　to　permit　of　your　acting　on　the　offensive？　One　may；　with　far　more　probability；　assume　that　you　are　being　pursued　by　detachments；　or　at　most　a　corps　by　far　inferior　to　the　army　under　your　command。　It　would　seem　that　taking　advantage　of　these　circumstances；　you　might　with　advantage　have　attacked　forces　inferior　in　strength　to　your　army；　and　have　destroyed　them；　or　at　least　have　forced　them　to　retreat；　and　have　kept　in　our　hands　a　considerable　part　of　the　province　now　occupied　by　the　enemy；　and　thereby　have　averted　all　danger　from　Tula　and　the　other　towns　of　the　interior。　You　will　be　responsible；　if　the　enemy　is　able　to　send　a　considerable　body　of　men　to　Petersburg；　to　menace　that　capital；　in　which　it　has　been　impossible　to　keep　any　great　number　of　troops；　for　with　the　army　under　your　command；　acting　with　energy　and　decision；　you　have　ample　means　at　your　disposal　for　averting　such　a　calamity。　Recollect　that　you　have　still　to　answer　to　your　humiliated　country　for　the　loss　of　Moscow。　You　have　had　experience　of　my　readiness　to　reward　you。　That　readiness　is　no　less　now；　but　Russia　and　I　have　the　right　to　expect　from　you　all　the　energy；　decision；　and　success；　which　your　intellect；　your　military　talents；　and　the　valour　of　the　troops　under　your　command　should　guarantee　us。”
But　while　this　letter；　proving　that　the　change　in　the　relative　strength　of　the　armies　was　by　now　reflected　in　opinion　at　Petersburg；　was　on　its　road；　Kutuzov　had　been　unable　to　hold　the　army　back；　and　a　battle　had　already　been　fought。
On　the　2nd　of　October；　a　Cossack；　Shapovalov；　out　scouting；　shot　one　hare　and　wounded　a　second。　Shapovalov　was　led　on　in　pursuit　of　the　game　far　into　the　forest；　and　came　across　the　left　flank　of　Murat’s　army；　which　was　encamped　and　quite　off　guard。　The　Cossack　told　his　comrades　with　laughter　the　tale　of　how　he　had　all　but　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　French。　The　ensign；　who　heard　the　story；　repeated　it　to　his　superior　officer。　The　Cossack　was　sent　for　and　questioned。　The　officers　of　the　Cossacks　wanted　to　take　advantage　of　this　to　carry　off　some　horses　from　the　French；　but　one　of　them；　who　was　intimate　with　some　of　the　higher　authorities　in　the　army；　mentioned　the　incident　to　a　general　on　the　staff。　On　the　staff　the　position　of　late　had　been　strained　to　the　utmost。　A　few　days　previously；　Yermolov　had　gone　to　Bennigsen　and　besought　him　to　use　his　influence　with　the　commander…in…chief　to　bring　about　an　attack。
“If　I　did　not　know　you；　I　should　suppose　you　did　not　desire　that　result。　I　have　only　to　advise　one　course　for　his　highness　to　be　sure　to　adopt　the　opposite　one；”　answered　Bennigsen。
The　news　brought　by　the　Cossack；　confirmed　by　scouts；　proved　conclusively　that　the　time　was　ripe。　The　strained　string　broke；　and　the　wheels　of　the　clock　whirred；　and　the　chimes　began　to　strike。　In　spite　of　all　his　supposed　power；　his　intellect；　his　experience；　and　his　knowledge　of　men；　Kutuzov；　taking　into　consideration　the　note　from　Bennigsen；　who　was　sending　a　personal　report　on　the　subject　to　the　Tsar；　the　desire　expressed　by　all　the　generals　alike；　the　desire　assumed　by　them　to　be　the　Tsar’s　wish；　and　the　news　brought　by　the　Cossack；　could　hold　back　the　inevitable　movement　no　longer；　and　gave　orders　for　what　he　regarded　as　useless　and　mischievous—gave　his　assent；　in　fact；　to　the　accomplished　fact。


Chapter　4
THE　NOTE　submitted　by　Bennigsen；　and　the　report　sent　in　by　the　Cossacks　of　the　enemy’s　left　flank　being　unguarded；　were　simply　the　last　straws　that　showed　the　inevitability　of　giving　the　signal　for　advance；　and　it　was　arranged　to　advance　to　attack　on　the　5th　of　October。
On　the　morning　of　the　4th；　Kutuzov　signed　the　disposition　of　the　forces。　Toll　read　it　to　Yermolov；　proposing　that　he　should　superintend　the　further　instructions　for　carrying　it　out。
“Very　good；　very　good；　I　haven’t　time　just　now；”　said　Yermolov；　and　he　hurried　out　of　the　cottage。　The　arrangement　of　the　troops　as　drawn　up　by　Toll　was　an　excellent　one。　The　disposition　had　been　written　out；　as　at　Austerlitz；　though　not　in　German：
“The　First　Column　marches　here　and　there；　the　Second　Column　occupies　this　place；”　and　so　on。
On　paper　all　these　columns　were　in　their　proper　place　at　a　fixed　time　and　annihilated　the　enemy。　Everything　had　been；　as　in　all　such　cases；　carefully　thought　of；　and　as　in　all　such　cases　not　a　single　column　did　reach　its　right　place　at　the　right　time。　When　a　sufficient　number　of　copies　of　the　disposition　were　ready；　an　officer　was　summoned　and　sent　off　to　give　them　to　Yermolov；　that　he　might　see　that　instructions　were　given　in　accordance　with　them。　A　young　officer　of　the　horseguards；　in　waiting　on　Kutuzov；　set　off　for　Yermolov’s　quarters；　delighted　at　the　importance　of　the　commission　with　which　he　was　intrusted。
“Not　at　home；”　Yermolov’s　servant　told　him。　The　officer　of　the　horseguards　set　off　to　the　quarters　of　the　general；　with　whom　Yermolov　was　often　to　be　found。
“Not　here；　nor　the　general　either；”　he　was　told。
The　officer　mounted　his　horse　again　and　rode　off　to　another　general’s。
“No；　not　at　home。”
“If　only　I　don’t　get　into　trouble　for　the　delay！　How　annoying！”　thought　the　officer。
He　rode　all　over　the　camp。　One　man　told　him　he　had　seen　Yermolov　riding　away　in　company　with　some　other　generals；　another　said　he　was　sure　to　be　at　home　again　by　now。　The　officer　was　hunting　him　till　six　o’clock　in　the　evening　without　stopping　for　dinner。　Yermolov　was　nowhere　to　be　found；　and　no　one　knew　where　he　was。　The　officer　took　a　hasty　meal　at　a　comrade’s；　and　trotted　back　to　the　advance　guard　to　see　Miloradovitch。　Miloradovitch；　too；　was　not　at　home；　but　there　he　was　told　that　he　was　at　a　ball　at　General　Kikin’s　and　that；　most　likely；　Yermolov　was　there　too。
“But　where　is　that？”
“At　Etchkino；　that　way；”　said　an　officer　of　the　Cossacks；　pointing　out　to　him　a　country　house　in　the　far　distance。
“Out　there！　beyond　our　lines！”
“Two　regiments　of　our　fellows　have　been　sent　out　to　the　outposts；　and　there　is　a　spree　going　on　there　now；　fine　doings！　Two　bands；　three　choruses　of　singers。”
The　officer　rode　out　beyond　our　lines　to　Etchkino。　While　yet　a　long　way　off；　he　heard　the　gay　sounds　of　a　soldier’s　dance　tune　sung　in　chorus。
“In　the　meadows　…　in　the　meadows；”　he　heard　with　a　whistle　and　string　music；　drowned　from　time　to　time　in　a　roar　of　voices。　The　officer’s　spirits；　too；　rose　at　these　sounds；　but　at　the　same　time　he　was　in　terror　lest　he　should　be　held　responsible　for　having　so　long　delayed　giving　the　important　message　intrusted　to　him。　It　was　by　now　nearly　nine　o’clock。　He　dismounted　and　walked　up　to　the　entrance　of　a　big　manor…house　that　had　been　left　uninjured　between　the　French　and　the　Russian　lines。　Footmen　were　bustling　about　with　wines　and　edibles　in　the　vestibule　and　the　buffet。　Choruses　were　standing　under　the　windows。　The　officer　was　led　up　to　a　door；　and　he　saw　all　at　once　all　the　most　important　generals　in　the　army；　among　them　the　big；　impressive　figure　of　Yermolov。　All　the　generals　were　standing　in　a　semicircle；　laughing　loudly；　their　uniforms　unbuttoned；　and　their　faces　flushed　and　animated。　In　the　middle　of　the　room　a　handsome；　short　general　with　a　red　face；　was　smartly　and　jauntily　executing　the　steps　of　the　trepak。
“Ha；　ha；　ha！　Bravo；　Nikolay　Ivanovitch！　ha；　ha！　…”
The　officer　felt　doubly　guilty　in　breaking　in　at　such　a　moment　with　important　business；　and　he　would　have　waited；　but　one　of　the　generals　caught　sight　of　him；　and　hearing　what　he　had　come　for；　told　Yermolov。　The　latter；　with　a　frowning　face；　came　out　to　the　officer；　and　hearing　his　story；　took　the　papers　from　him　without　a　word。
“Do　you　suppose　it　was　by　chance　that　he　was　not　at　home？”　said　a　comrade　of　the　officer’s　who　was　on　the　staff；　speaking　of　Yermolov　that　evening。　“That’s　all　stuff　and　nonsense；　it　was　all　done　on　purpose。　To　play　a　trick　on　Konovnitsyn。　You　see；　there’ll　be　a　pretty　kettle　of　fish　to…morrow！”


Chapter　5
THE　DECREPIT　OLD　MAN；　Kutuzov；　had　bade　them　wake　him　early　next　day；　and　in　the　early　morning　he　said　his　prayers；　dressed；　and　with　a　disagreeable　consciousness　that　he　had　to　command　in　a　battle　of　which　he　did　not　approve；　he　got　into　his　carriage　and　drove　from　Letashevka；　five　versts　behind　Tarutino；　to　the　place　where　the　attacking　columns　were　to　be　gathered　together。　Kutuzov　drove　along；　dropping　asleep　and　waking　up　again；　and　listening　to　hear　whether　that　were　the　sound　of　shots　on　the　right；　whether　the　action　had　not　begun。　But　everything　was　still　quiet。　A　damp　and　cloudy　autumn　day　was　dawning。　As　he　approached　Tarutino；　Kutuzov　noticed　cavalry　soldiers　leading　their　horses　to　a　watercourse　across　the　road　along　which　he　was　riding。　Kutuzov　looked　at　them；　stopped　his　carriage；　and　asked　what　regiment　did　they　belong　to。　They　belonged　to　a　column　which　was　to　have　been　far　away　in　front　in　ambush。
“A　mistake；　perhaps；”　thought　the　old　commander…in…chief。　But　as　he　drove　on　further；　Kutuzov　saw　infantry　regiments　with　their　arms　stacked；　and　the　soldiers　in　their　drawers　busy　cooking　porridge　and　fetching　wood。　He　sent　for　their　officer。　The　officer　submitted　that　no　command　to　advance　had　been　given。
“No　command　…”　Kutuzov　began；　but　he　checked　himself　at　once；　and　ordered　the　senior　officer　to　be　summoned　to　him。　Getting　out　of　the　carriage；　with　drooping　head　he　walked　to　and　fro　in　silence；　breathing　heavily。　When　the　general　staff　officer；　Eichen；　for　whom　he　had　sent；　arrived；　Kutuzov　turned　purple　with　rage；　not　because　that　officer　was　to　blame　for　the　mistake；　but　because　he　was　an　object　of　sufficient　importance　for　him　to　vent　his　wrath　on。　And　stag