战争与和平(上)-第207章

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rsburg　the　note　in　which　Count　Lauriston　informs　me　as　cause　of　this　invasion　that　your　majesty　considers　us　to　be　in　hostile　relations　ever　since　Prince　Kurakin　asked　for　his　passport。　The　causes　on　which　the　Duc　de　Bassano　based　his　refusal　to　give　these　passports　would　never　have　led　me　to　suppose　that　the　action　of　my　ambassador　could　serve　as　a　ground　for　invasion。　And；　indeed；　he　received　no　authorisation　from　me　in　his　action；　as　has　been　made　known　by　him；　and　as　soon　as　I　heard　of　it　I　immediately　expressed　my　displeasure　to　Prince　Kurakin；　commanding　him　to　perform　the　duties　entrusted　to　him　as　before。　If　your　majesty　is　not　inclined　to　shed　the　blood　of　your　subjects　for　such　a　misunderstanding；　and　if　you　consent　to　withdraw　your　troops　from　Russian　territory；　I　will　pass　over　the　whole　incident　unnoticed；　and　agreement　between　us　will　be　possible。　In　the　opposite　case；　I　shall　be　forced　to　repel　an　invasion　which　has　been　in　no　way　provoked　on　my　side。　Your　Majesty　has　it　in　your　power　to　preserve　humanity　from　the　disasters　of　another　war。—I　am；　etc。；
（Signed）　ALEXANDER。


Chapter　4
AT　TWO　O’CLOCK　in　the　night　of　the　13th　of　June；　the　Tsar　sent　for　Balashov；　and；　reading　him　his　letter　to　Napoleon；　commanded　him　to　go　in　person　and　give　the　letter　to　the　French　Emperor。　As　he　dismissed　Balashov；　he　repeated　to　him　his　declaration　that　he　would　never　make　peace　as　long　as　a　single　enemy　under　arms　remained　on　Russian　soil；　and　told　him　to　be　sure　to　repeat　those　words　to　Napoleon。　The　Tsar　had　not　inserted　them　in　his　letter　to　Napoleon；　because；　with　his　characteristic　tact；　he　felt　those　words　would　be　inappropriate　at　the　moment　when　the　last　efforts　were　being　made　for　conciliation；　but　he　expressly　charged　Balashov　to　repeat　that　message　by　word　of　mouth　to　Napoleon。
Balashov　rode　out　on　the　night　between　the　13th　and　the　14th；　accompanied　by　a　trumpeter　and　two　Cossacks；　and　at　dawn　he　reached　the　French　outposts　at　the　village　of　Rykonty　on　the　Russian　side　of　the　Niemen。　He　was　stopped　by　the　sentinels　of　the　French　cavalry。
A　French　subaltern　of　hussars；　in　a　crimson　uniform　and　a　fur　cap；　shouted　to　Balashov　to　stop。　Balashov　did　not　immediately　obey；　but　went　on　advancing　along　the　road　at　a　walking　pace。
The　subaltern；　with　scowls　and　muttered　abuse；　swooped　down　upon　Balashov；　drew　his　sword；　and　shouted　rudely　to　the　Russian　general：　“Was　he　deaf　that　he　did　not　hear　when　he　was　spoken　to？”　Balashov　gave　him　his　name。　The　subaltern　sent　a　soldier　to　his　superior　officer。
Paying　no　further　attention　to　Balashov；　the　subaltern　began　talking　with　his　comrades　about　regimental　matters；　without　looking　at　the　Russian　general。　It　was　an　exceedingly　strange　sensation　for　Balashov；　who　was　used　at　all　times　to　the　dignities　of　his　position；　was　always　in　contact　with　the　highest　power　and　authority；　and　only　three　hours　before　had　been　conversing　with　the　Tsar；　to　be　brought　here　on　Russian　soil　into　collision　with　this　hostile；　and　still　more；　disrespectful　display　of　brute　force。
The　sun　was　only　beginning　to　rise　behind　storm…clouds；　the　air　was　fresh　and　dewy。　A　herd　of　cattle　was　being　driven　along　the　road　from　the　village。　Larks　sprang　up　trilling　one　after　another　in　the　fields；　like　bubbles　rising　to　the　surface　of　water。
Balashov　looked　about　him；　awaiting　the　arrival　of　the　officer　from　the　village。　The　Russian　Cossacks　and　trumpeter　and　the　French　hussars　looked　at　one　another　now　and　then　in　silence。
A　French　colonel　of　hussars；　evidently　only　just　out　of　bed；　came　riding　out　of　the　village　on　a　handsome；　sleek；　grey　horse；　accompanied　by　two　hussars。　The　officers；　the　soldiers；　and　the　horses　all　looked　smart　and　well　satisfied。
In　this　early　stage　of　the　campaign　the　troops　were　well　in　a　state　of　good　discipline；　in　good；　almost　parade；　order；　and　engaged　in　peaceful　pursuits；　with　a　shade　of　martial　swagger　in　their　dress；　and　a　shade　of　gaiety　and　spirit　of　adventure　in　their　temper　that　always　accompanies　the　commencement　of　a　war。
The　French　colonel　had　much　ado　to　suppress　his　yawns；　but　was　courteous　in　his　manner；　and　evidently　understood　all　the　importance　of　Balashov’s　position。　He　led　him　past　the　line　of　outposts；　and　informed　him　that　his　desire　to　be　presented　to　the　Emperor　would　in　all　probability　immediately　be　satisfied；　as　the　Emperor’s　quarters　were；　he　believed；　not　far　off。
They　rode　through　the　village　of　Rykonty；　past　French　picket　ropes；　sentinels；　and　soldiers；　who　saluted　their　colonel　and　stared　with　curiosity　at　the　Russian　uniform。　They　came　out　on　the　other　side　of　the　village；　and　the　colonel　told　Balashov　that　they　were　only　two　kilometres　from　the　commander　of　the　division；　who　would　receive　him　and　conduct　him　to　his　destination。
The　sun　had　by　now　fully　risen　and　was　shining　cheerfully　on　the　bright　green　fields。
They　had　just　passed　an　inn　and　were　riding　uphill　when　a　party　of　horsemen　came　riding　downhill　towards　them。　The　foremost　figure　was　a　tall　man；　in　a　hat　with　plumes；　mounted　on　a　raven　horse；　with　trappings　glittering　in　the　sun。　He　had　a　scarlet　cloak；　and　curly　black　hair；　that　floated　on　his　shoulders；　and　he　rode　in　the　French　fashion；　with　his　long　legs　thrust　out　in　front。　This　personage　galloped　towards　Balashov；　with　his　jewels　and　gold　lace　and　feathers　all　fluttering　and　glittering　in　the　bright　June　sun。
Balashov　was　some　ten　yards　from　this　majestically　theatrical　figure　in　bracelets；　feathers；　necklaces；　and　gold；　when　Julner；　the　French　colonel；　whispered　to　him　reverentially；　“The　King　of　Naples！”　It　was　in　fact　Murat；　who　was　now　styled　the　“King　of　Naples。”　Though　it　was　utterly　incomprehensible　that　he　should　be　the　King　of　Naples；　he　was　addressed　by　that　title；　and　was　himself　persuaded　of　his　royal　position；　and　consequently　behaved　with　an　air　of　greater　solemnity　and　dignity　than　heretofore。　So　firmly　did　he　believe　that　he　really　was　the　King　of　Naples；　that　when；　just　before　leaving　Naples；　he　was　greeted　by　some　Italians　with　shouts　of　“Long　live　the　King！”　when　walking　in　the　streets　with　his　wife；　he　turned　to　her　with　a　pensive　smile　and　said；　“Poor　fellows；　they　don’t　know　I　am　quitting　them　to…morrow。”
But　though　he　believed　so　implicitly　that　he　was　King　of　Naples；　and　sympathised　with　his　subjects’　grief　at　losing　him；　after　he　had　been　commanded　to　return　to　the　service；　and　especially　after　his　interview　with　Napoleon　at　Danzig；　when　his　most　august　brother…in…law　had　said；　“I　have　made　you　king　that　you　may　rule　in　my　way；　and　not　in　your　own；”　he　had　cheerfully　resumed　his　familiar　duties；　and；　like　a　well…fed；　but　not　over…fed　stallion　feeling　himself　in　harness；　prancing　in　the　shafts；　and　decked　out　in　all　possible　motley　magnificence；　he　went　galloping　along　the　roads　of　Poland；　with　no　notion　where　or　why　he　was　going。
On　seeing　the　Russian　general　he　made　a　royal；　majestic　motion　of　his　head　with　his　floating　curls；　and　looked　inquiringly　at　the　French　colonel。　The　colonel　deferentially　informed　his　majesty　of　the　mission　of　Balashov；　whose　name　he　could　not　pronounce。　“De　Bal…macheve！”　said　the　King；　resolutely　attacking　and　vanquishing　the　colonel’s　difficulty。　“Charmed　to　make　your　acquaintance；　general；”　he　added；　with　a　gesture　of　royal　condescension。　As　soon　as　the　King　spoke　loudly　and　rapidly；　all　his　royal　dignity　instantly　deserted　him；　and；　without　himself　being　aware　of　it；　he　passed　into　the　tone　of　good…humoured　familiarity　natural　to　him。　He　laid　his　hand　on　the　forelock　of　Balashov’s　horse。　“Well；　general；　everything　looks　like　war；”　he　said；　as　it　were　regretting　a　circumstance　on　which　he　could　not　offer　an　opinion。　“Your　majesty；”　answered　Balashov；　“the　Emperor；　my　master；　does　not　desire　war；　and　as　your　majesty　sees。”　Balashov　declined　“your　majesty”　in　all　its　cases；　using　the　title　with　an　affectation　inevitable　in　addressing　a　personage　for　whom　such　a　title　was　a　novelty。
Murat’s　face　beamed　with　foolish　satisfaction　as　he　listened　to　“Monsieur　de　Balacheff。”　But　royalty　has　its　obligations。　He　felt　it　incumbent　on　him　to　converse　with　Alexander’s　envoy　on　affairs　of　state　as　a　king　and　an　ally。　He　dismounted；　and　taking　Balashov