战争与和平(上)-第214章
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tsev; the chancellor; Stein; the former Prussian minister; Armfeldt; the Swedish general; Pfuhl; the chief organiser of the plan of the campaign; Paulucci; a Sardinian refugee; who had been made a general…adjutant; Woltzogen; and many others。 Though those personages had no definite posts in the army; yet; from their position; they had influence; and often the commander of a corps; or even one of the commanders…in…chief; did not know in what capacity Bennigsen or the Tsarevitch or Araktcheev or Prince Volkonsky addressed some advice or inquiry to him; and could not tell whether some command in the form of advice came directly from the person who got it or through him from the Tsar; and whether he ought or ought not to obey it。 But all this formed simply the external aspect of the situation; the inner import of the presence of the Tsar and all these great personages was; from a courtier’s point of view (and in the presence of a monarch all men become courtiers); plain to all。 All grasped the fact that though the Tsar was not formally assuming the position of commander…in…chief; he did; in fact; hold the supreme control of all the armies in his hands; and the persons about him were his councillors。 Araktcheev was a trusty administrator; a stern upholder of discipline; and careful of the safety of the Tsar。 Bennigsen was a land…holder in the neighbourhood; and seemed to feel it his function to entertain the Tsar there; while he was in reality; too; a good general; useful as an adviser; and useful to have in readiness to replace Barclay at any time。 The Tsarevitch was there because he thought fit to be。 The former Prussian minister; Stein; was there because his advice might be useful; and the Emperor Alexander had a high opinion of his personal qualities。 Armfeldt was a bitter enemy of Napoleon; and had self…confidence; which never failed to have influence with Alexander。 Paulucci was there because he was bold and decided in his utterances。 The generals on the staff were there because they were always where the Emperor was; and the last and principal figure; Pfuhl; was there because he had created a plan of warfare against Napoleon; and having made Alexander believe in the consistency of this plan; was now conducting the plan of the whole campaign。 Pfuhl was accompanied by Woltzogen; who put Pfuhl’s ideas into a more easily comprehensible form than could be done by Pfuhl himself; who was a rigid theorist; with an implicit faith in his own views; and an absolute contempt for everything else。
The above…mentioned were the most prominent personages about the Tsar; and among them the foreigners were in the ascendant; and were every day making new and startling suggestions with the audacity characteristic of men who are acting in a sphere not their own。 But; besides those; there were many more persons of secondary importance; who were with the army because their principals were there。
In this vast; brilliant; haughty; and uneasy world; among all these conflicting voices; Prince Andrey detected the following sharply opposed parties and differences of opinion。
The first party consisted of Pfuhl and his followers; military theorists; who believe in a science of war; having its invariable laws—laws of oblique movements; out…flanking; etc。 Pfuhl and his adherents demanded that the army should retreat into the heart of the country in accordance with the exact principles laid down by their theory of war; and in every departure from this theory they saw nothing but barbarism; ignorance; or evil intention。 To this party belonged Woltzogen; Wintzengerode; and others—principally Germans。
The second party was in direct opposition to the first。 As is always the case where there is one extreme opinion; representatives had come forward of the opposite extreme。 This party had urged an advance from Vilna into Poland regardless of all previous plans。 This party; while advocating bold action; consisted of the representatives of nationalism; which made them even more one…sided in their views。 They were Russians: Bagration; Yermolov; who was just beginning to make his mark; and some others。 Yermolov’s well…known joke was much quoted at the time—a supposed petition to the Tsar for promotion to be a “German。” The members of this party; recalling Suvorov; maintained that what was wanted was not reasoning and sticking pins into maps; but fighting; beating the enemy; preventing the enemy from getting into Russia; and keeping up the spirits of the army。
To the third party; in which the Tsar was disposed to place most confidence; belonged the courtiers; who tried to effect a compromise between the two contending sides。 The members of this party—to which Araktcheev belonged—were mostly not military men; and they spoke and reasoned as men usually do who have no convictions; but wish to pass for having them。 They admitted that a war with such a genius as Bonaparte (they called him Bonaparte again now) did undoubtedly call for the profoundest tactical considerations and thorough scientific knowledge; and that on that side Pfuhl was a genius。 But; at the same time; they acknowledged that it could not be denied that theorists were often one…sided; and so one should not put implicit confidence in them; but should listen too to what Pfuhl’s opponents urged; and also to the views of practical men who had experience; and should take a middle course。 They advocated maintaining the camp at Drissa on Pfuhl’s plan; but altering his disposition of the other two armies。 Though by this course of action neither aim could be attained; this seemed to the party of compromise the best line to adopt。
Of the fourth section of opinions; the most prominent representative was the Grand Duke; and heir…apparent; who could not get over his rude awakening at Austerlitz。 He had ridden out at the head of his guards in helmet and cuirass as though to a review; expecting gallantly to rout the French; and finding himself unexpectedly just in the line of the enemy’s fire; had with difficulty escaped in the general disorder。 The members of this party had at once the merit and the defect of sincerity in their convictions。 They feared Napoleon; they saw his strength and their own weakness; and frankly admitted it。 They said: “Nothing but a huge disgrace and ruin can come of the war! We have abandoned Vilna; and abandoned Vitebsk; and we are abandoning the Drissa too。 The only sensible thing left for us to do is to conclude peace; and as soon as possible; before we have been driven out of Petersburg!”
This view was widely diffused in the higher military circles; and found adherents; too; in Petersburg—one of them being the chancellor Rumyantsev; who advocated peace on other political considerations。
A fifth section were the adherents of Barclay de Tolly; not so much from his qualities as a man; as a minister of war and commander…in…chief。 “Whatever he may be;” they always began; “he is an honest; practical man; and there is nobody better。 Let him have sole responsibility; since war can never be prosecuted successfully under divided authority and he will show what he can do; as he did in Finland。 We owe it simply to Barclay that our army is strong and well organised; and has retreated to the Drissa without disaster。 If Barclay is replaced by Bennigsen now; everything will be lost; for Bennigsen has proved his incapacity already in 1807。” Such was the line of argument of the fifth party。
The sixth party; the partisans of Bennigsen; maintained on the contrary that there was after all no one more capable and experienced than Bennigsen; and that whatever else were done they would have to come back to him。 They maintained that the whole Russian retreat to Drissa had been an uninterrupted series of shameful disasters and blunders。 “Let them blunder now if they will;” they said; “the more blunders the better; at least it will teach them all the sooner that we can’t go on like this。 And we want none of your Barclays; but a man like Bennigsen; who showed what he was in 1807; so that Napoleon himself had to do him justice; and a man; too; is needed to whom all would readily intrust authority; and Bennigsen is the only such man。”
The seventh class were persons such as are always found in co