战争与和平(上)-第208章

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ith　Alexander’s　envoy　on　affairs　of　state　as　a　king　and　an　ally。　He　dismounted；　and　taking　Balashov’s　arm；　and　moving　a　little　away　from　the　suite；　who　remained　respectfully　waiting；　he　began　walking　up　and　down　with　him；　trying　to　speak　with　grave　significance。　He　mentioned　that　the　Emperor　Napoleon　had　been　offended　at　the　demand　that　his　troops　should　evacuate　Prussia；　especially　because　that　demand　had　been　made　public；　and　was　so　derogatory　to　the　dignity　of　France。　Balashov　said　that　there　was　nothing　derogatory　in　that　demand；　seeing　that…Murat　interrupted　him。
“So　you　consider　that　the　Emperor　Alexander　is　not　responsible　for　the　commencement　of　hostilities？”　he　said　suddenly；　with　a　foolish　and　good…humoured　smile。
Balashov　began　to　explain　why　he　did　consider　that　Napoleon　was　responsible　for　the　war。
“Ah；　my　dear　general；”　Murat　interrupted　him　again；　“with　all　my　heart　I　wish　that　the　Emperors　would　settle　the　matter　between　themselves；　and　that　the　war；　which　has　been　begun　by　no　desire　of　mine；　may　be　concluded　as　quickly　as　possible；”　he　said　in　the　tone　in　which　servants　speak　who　are　anxious　to　remain　on　friendly　terms　though　their　masters　have　quarrelled。　And　he　changed　the　subject；　inquiring　after　the　health　of　the　Grand　Duke；　and　recalling　the　agreeable　time　he　had　spent　with　him　in　Naples。　Then　suddenly；　as　though　recollecting　his　royal　dignity；　Murat　drew　himself　up　majestically；　threw　himself　into　the　pose　in　which　he　had　stood　at　his　coronation；　and　waving　his　right　arm；　said：　“I　will　detain　you　no　longer；　general；　I　wish　you　success　in　your　mission。”　And；　with　a　flutter　of　his　scarlet　cloak　and　his　feathers；　and　a　flash　of　his　precious　stones；　he　rejoined　the　suite；　who　were　respectfully　awaiting　him。
Balashov　rode　on　further；　expecting　from　Murat’s　words　that　he　would　be　very　shortly　brought　before　Napoleon　himself。　But　at　the　next　village　he　was　detained　by　the　sentinels　of　Davoust’s　infantry　corps；　just　as　he　had　been　at　the　outposts。　An　adjutant　of　the　commander　of　that　corps　was　sent　for　to　conduct　him　to　the　village　to　see　Marshal　Davoust。


Chapter　5
DAVOUST　was　to　the　Emperor　Napoleon　what　Araktcheev　was　to　Alexander。　Davoust　was　not　like　Araktcheev　a　coward；　but　he　was　as　exacting　and　as　cruel；　and　as　unable　to　express　his　devotion　except　by　cruelty。
In　the　mechanism　of　the　state　organism　these　men　are　as　necessary　as　wolves　in　the　organism　of　nature。　And　they　are　always　to　be　found　in　every　government；　they　always　make　their　appearance　and　hold　their　own；　incongruous　as　their　presence　and　their　close　relations　with　the　head　of　the　state　may　appear。　It　is　only　on　the　theory　of　this　necessity　that　one　can　explain　the　fact　that　a　man　so　cruel—capable　of　pulling　out　grenadiers’　moustaches　with　his　own　hand—though　unable；　from　the　weakness　of　his　nerves；　to　face　danger；　so　uncultured；　so　boorish　as　Araktcheev；　was　able　to　retain　such　influence　with　a　sovereign　of　chivalrous　tenderness　and　nobility　of　character　like　Alexander。
Balashov　found　Davoust　sitting　on　a　tub　in　a　barn　adjoining　a　peasant’s　hut。　He　was　occupied　in　writing；　auditing　accounts。　An　adjutant　was　standing　beside　him。　Better　quarters　could　have　been　found；　but　Marshal　Davoust　was　one　of　these　people　who　purposely　put　themselves　into　the　most　dismal　conditions　of　life　in　order　to　have　a　right　to　be　dismal。　For　the　same　reason　they　always　persist　in　being　busy　and　in　a　hurry。
“How　could　one　be　thinking　of　the　bright　side　of　life　when；　as　you　see；　I　am　sitting　on　a　tub　in　a　dirty　barn；　hard　at　work？”　was　what　his　face　expressed。
The　great　desire　and　delight　of　such　people　on　meeting　others　enjoying　life　is　to　throw　their　own　gloomy；　dogged　activity　into　their　faces。　Davoust　gave　himself　that　satisfaction　when　Balashov　was　brought　in。　He　appeared　even　more　deeply　engrossed　in　his　work　when　the　Russian　general　entered；　and　glancing　through　his　spectacles　at　the　face　of　Balashov；　who　looked　cheerful　from　the　brightness　of　the　morning　and　his　talk　with　Murat；　he　did　not　get　up；　did　not　stir　even；　but　scowled　more　than　before；　and　grinned　malignantly。
Observing　the　disagreeable　impression　made　on　Balashov　by　this　reception；　Davoust　raised　his　head；　and　asked　him　frigidly　what　he　wanted。
Assuming　that　such　a　reception　could　only　be　due　to　Davoust’s　being　unaware　that　he　was　a　general　on　the　staff　of　Alexander；　and　his　representative　indeed　before　Napoleon；　Balashov　hastened　to　inform　him　of　his　rank　and　his　mission。　But；　contrary　to　his　expectations；　Davoust　became　even　surlier　and　ruder　on　hearing　Balashov’s　words。
“Where　is　your　despatch？”　he　said。　“Give　it　to　me。　I　will　send　it　to　the　Emperor。”
Balashov　said　that　he　was　under　orders　to　hand　the　document　to　the　Emperor　in　person。
“The　commands　of　your　Emperor　are　obeyed　in　your　army；　but　here；”　said　Davoust；　“you　must　do　what　you　are　told。”
And；　as　though　to　make　the　Russian　general　still　more　sensible　of　his　dependence　on　brute　force；　Davoust　sent　the　adjutant　for　the　officer　on　duty。
Balashov　took　out　the　packet　that　contained　the　Tsar’s　letter；　and　laid　it　on　the　table　（a　table　consisting　of　a　door　laid　across　two　tubs　with　the　hinges　still　hanging　on　it）。　Davoust　took　the　packet　and　read　the　address　on　it。
“You　are　perfectly　at　liberty　to　show　me　respect　or　not；　as　you　please；”　said　Balashov。　“But；　permit　me　to　observe　that　I　have　the　honour　to　serve　as　a　general　on　the　staff　of　his　majesty…”
Davoust　glanced　at　him　without　a　word；　and　plainly　derived　satisfaction　from　signs　of　emotion　and　confusion　on　Balashov’s　face。
“You　will　be　shown　what　is　fitting；”　he　said；　and　putting　the　envelope　in　his　pocket　he　walked　out　of　the　barn。
A　minute　later　an　adjutant　of　the　marshal’s；　Monsieur　de　Castre；　came　in　and　conducted　Balashov　to　the　quarters　that　had　been　assigned　him。
He　dined　that　day　in　the　barn　with　the　marshal；　sitting　down　to　the　door　laid　across　the　tubs。
Next　day　Davoust　went　out　early　in　the　morning；　but　before　starting　he　sent　for　Balashov；　and　told　him　peremptorily　that　he　begged　him　to　remain　there；　to　move　on　with　the　baggage…waggons　should　the　command　be　given　to　do　so；　and　to　have　no　conversation　with　any　one　but　Monsieur　de　Castre。
After　four　days　spent　in　solitude　and　boredom；　with　a　continual　sense　of　dependence　and　insignificance；　particularly　galling　after　the　position　of　power　which　he　had　hitherto　occupied；　after　several　marches　with　the　marshal’s　baggage　and　the　French　troops；　who　were　in　possession　of　the　whole　district；　Balashov　was　brought　back　to　Vilna；　now　occupied　by　the　French；　and　re…entered　the　town　by　the　very　gate　by　which　he　had　left　it　four　days　earlier。
Next　day　the　Emperor’s　gentleman…in…waiting；　Count　de　Turenne；　came　to　Balashov　with　a　message　that　it　was　the　Emperor　Napoleon’s　pleasure　to　grant　him　an　audience。
Four　days　before　sentinels　of　the　Preobrazhensky　regiment　had　been　on　guard　before　the　very　house　to　which　Balashov　was　conducted。　Now　two　French　grenadiers　were　on　duty　before　it；　wearing　fur　caps　and　blue　uniforms　open　over　the　breast；　while　an　escort　of　hussars　and　Uhlans；　and　a　brilliant　suite　of　adjutants；　pages；　and　generals　were　waiting　for　Napoleon　to　come　out；　forming　a　group　round　his　saddle…horse　at　the　steps　and　his　Mameluke；　Rustan。　Napoleon　received　Balashov　in　the　very　house　in　Vilna　from　which　Alexander　had　despatched　him。


Chapter　6
THOUGH　BALASHOV　was　accustomed　to　the　pomp　of　courts；　he　was　impressed　by　the　splendour　and　luxury　of　Napoleon’s　court。
Count　de　Turenne　led　him　into　the　great　reception…room；　where　a　number　of　generals；　gentlemen…in…waiting；　and　Polish　magnates　were　waiting　to　see　the　Emperor。　Many　of　them　Balashov　had　seen　at　the　court　of　the　Russian　Emperor。　Duroc　told　him　that　the　Emperor　Napoleon　would　receive　the　Russian　general　before　going　out　for　his　ride。
After　a　delay　of　several　moments；　a　gentleman…in…waiting　came　into　the　great　reception…room；　and　bowing　courteously　to　Balashov；　invited　him　to　follow　him。
Balashov　went　into　the　little　reception…room；　from　which　one　door　led　to　the　study；　the　room　where　he　had　received　the　Russian　Emperor’s　last　charges　before　setting　off。　Balashov　stood　for　a　couple　of　minutes　waiting。　Hurried　st