战争与和平(上)-第215章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　Bennigsen　is　the　only　such　man。”
The　seventh　class　were　persons　such　as　are　always　found　in　courts；　and　especially　in　the　courts　of　young　sovereigns；　and　were　particularly　plentiful　in　the　suite　of　Alexander—generals　and　adjutants；　who　were　passionately　devoted　to　the　Tsar；　not　merely　as　an　emperor；　but　sincerely　and　disinterestedly　adored　him　as　a　man；　as　Rostov　had　adored　him　in　1805；　and　saw　in　him　every　virtue　and　good　quality　of　humanity。　These　persons；　while　they　were　ecstatic　over　the　modesty　of　the　Tsar　in　declining　the　chief　command　of　the　army；　deplored　that　excess　of　modesty；　and　desired　and　urged　one　thing　only；　that　their　adored　Tsar；　conquering　his　excessive　diffidence；　would　openly　proclaim　that　he　put　himself　at　the　head　of　the　army；　would　gather　the　staff　of　the　commander…in…chief　about　him；　and；　consulting　experienced　theorists　and　practical　men　where　necessary；　would　himself　lead　his　forces；　who　would　be　excited　to　the　highest　pitch　of　enthusiasm　by　this　step。
The　eighth　and　largest　group；　numbering　ninety…nine　to　every　one　of　the　others；　consisted　of　people　who　were　eager　neither　for　peace　nor　for　war；　neither　for　offensive　operations　nor　defensive　camps；　neither　at　Drissa　nor　anywhere　else；　who　did　not　take　the　side　of　Barclay；　nor　of　the　Tsar；　nor　of　Pfuhl；　nor　of　Bennigsen；　but　cared　only　for　the　one　thing　most　essential—their　own　greatest　gain　and　enjoyment。　In　the　troubled　waters　of　those　cross…currents　of　intrigue；　eddying　about　the　Tsar’s　headquarters；　success　could　be　attained　in　very　many　ways　that　would　have　been　inconceivable　at　other　times。　One　courtier；　with　the　single…hearted　motive　of　retaining　a　lucrative　position；　would　agree　today　with　Pfuhl；　and　to…morrow　with　his　opponents；　and　the　day　after　to…morrow　would　declare　that　he　had　no　opinion　on　the　subject　in　question；　simply　to　avoid　responsibility　and　to　gratify　the　Tsar。　Another；　in　the　hope　of　bettering　his　position；　would　seek　to　attract　the　Tsar’s　attention　by　loudly　clamouring　a　suggestion　hinted　at　by　the　Tsar　on　the　previous　day；　by　quarrelling　noisily　at　the　council；　striking　himself　on　the　chest　and　challenging　opponents　to　a　duel　to　prove　his　readiness　to　sacrifice　himself　for　the　common　good。　A　third　simply　took　advantage　of　the　absence　of　enemies　between　two　councils　to　beg　a　grant　from　the　Single　Assistance　Fund　for　his　faithful　service；　knowing　there　would　be　no　time　now　for　a　refusal。　A　fourth　took　care　to　place　himself　where　the　Tsar　might　quite　casually　find　him　deeply　engrossed　in　work。　A　fifth　tried　to　reach　the　long…desired　goal　of　his　ambition—a　dinner　at　the　Tsar’s　table—by　violently　espousing　one　side　or　another　and　collecting　more　or　less　true　and　valid　arguments　in　support　of　it。
All　the　members　of　this　party　were　on　the　hunt　after　roubles；　crosses；　and　promotions；　and　in　that　chase　they　simply　followed　the　scent　given　them　by　the　fluctuations　of　imperial　favour。　As　soon　as　they　saw　the　imperial　weather…cock　shifting　to　one　quarter　the　whole　swarm　of　these　drones　began　buzzing　away　in　the　direction；　making　it　more　difficult　for　the　Tsar　to　shift　his　course　back　again。　In　the　uncertainty　of　the　position；　with　the　menace　of　serious　danger；　which　gave　a　peculiarly　intense　character　to　everything；　in　this　whirlpool　of　ambitions；　of　conflicting　vanities；　and　views；　and　feelings；　and　different　nationalities；　this　eighth　and　largest　party；　absorbed　only　in　the　pursuit　of　personal　interests；　greatly　increased　the　complexity　and　confusion。　Whatever　question　arose；　the　swarm　of　drones；　still　humming　over　the　last　subject；　flew　to　the　new　one；　and　by　their　buzzing　drowned　and　confused　the　voices　of　sincere　disputants。
At　the　time　when　Prince　Andrey　reached　the　army　yet　another—a　ninth　party—was　being　formed　out　of　all　the　rest；　and　was　just　making　its　voice　heard。　It　consisted　of　sensible　men　of　age　and　political　experience；　sharing　none　of　the　conflicting　opinions；　and　able　to　take　a　general　view　of　all　that　was　being　done　at　headquarters；　and　to　consider　means　for　escaping　from　the　vagueness；　uncertainty；　confusion；　and　feebleness。
The　members　of　this　party　thought　and　said　that　the　whole　evil　was　primarily　due　to　the　presence　of　the　Tsar　with　his　military　court　in　the　army；　that　it　brought　into　the　army　that　indefinite；　conditional；　and　fluctuating　uncertainty　of　relations　which　is　in　place　in　a　court；　but　mischievous　in　an　army；　that　it　was　for　the　Tsar　to　govern　and　not　to　lead　his　troops；　that　the　only　escape　from　the　position　was　the　departure　of　the　Tsar　and　his　court　from　the　army；　that　the　simple　presence　of　the　Tsar　paralysed　fifty　thousand　troops；　which　must　be　retained　to　secure　his　personal　safety；　that　the　worst　commander…in…chief；　acting　independently；　would　be　better　than　the　best　commander…in…chief　with　his　hands　tied　by　the　presence　and　authority　of　the　Tsar。
While　Prince　Andrey　was　staying；　with　nothing　to　do；　at　Drissa；　Sishkov；　the　secretary　of　state；　one　of　the　leading　representatives　of　this　last　group；　wrote　to　the　Tsar　a　letter　to　which　Balashov　and　Araktcheev　agreed　to　add　their　signatures。　In　this　letter　he　took　advantage　of　the　Tsar’s　permitting　him　to　offer　his　opinion　on　the　general　question；　and　respectfully　suggested　the　sovereign’s　leaving　the　army；　urging　as　a　pretext　for　his　doing　so　the　absolute　necessity　of　his　presence　to　rouse　public　feeling　in　the　capital。
To　appeal　to　the　people；　and　to　rouse　them　in　defence　of　their　fatherland；　was　represented　as　urgently　necessary　to　the　Tsar；　and　was　accepted　by　him　as　a　sufficient　reason　for　leaving。　The　outburst　of　patriotism　that　followed　that　appeal　（so　far　indeed　as　it　can　be　said　to　have　been　produced　by　the　Tsar’s　visit　to　Moscow）　was　the　principal　cause　of　the　subsequent　triumph　of　Russia。


Chapter　10
THIS　LETTER　had　not　yet　been　given　to　the　Tsar；　when　Barclay；　at　dinner　one　day；　informed　Bolkonsky　that　his　majesty　would　be　graciously　pleased　to　see　Prince　Andrey　in　person；　to　ask　him　some　questions　about　Turkey；　and　that　Prince　Andrey　was　to　present　himself　at　Bennigsen’s　quarters　at　six　o’clock　in　the　evening。
That　day　news　had　reached　the　Tsar’s　quarters　of　a　fresh　advance　on　Napoleon’s　part　that　might　be　regarded　as　menacing　the　army—news　that　turned　out　in　the　sequel　to　be　false。　And　that　morning　Colonel　Michaud　had　accompanied　the　Tsar　on　a　tour　of　inspection　about　the　Drissa　fortifications；　and　had　tried　to　convince　the　Tsar　that　the　fortified　camp；　constructed　on　Pfuhl’s　theory；　and　hitherto　regarded　as　the　chef　d’？uvre　of　tactical　science；　destined　to　overthrow　Napoleon—that　that　camp　was　a　senseless　absurdity　that　would　lead　to　the　destruction　of　the　Russian　army。
Prince　Andrey　arrived　at　Bennigsen’s　quarters；　a　small　manor…house　on　the　very　bank　of　the　river。　Neither　Bennigsen　nor　the　Tsar　was　there；　but　Tchernishev；　the　Tsar’s　aide…de…camp；　received　Bolkonsky；　and　informed　him　that　the　Tsar　had　set　off　with　General　Bennigsen　and　Marchese　Paulucci　to　make　his　second　inspection　that　day　of　the　fortifications　of　the　Drissa　camp；　of　the　utility　of　which　they　were　beginning　to　entertain　grave　doubts。
Tchernishev　sat　in　the　window　of　the　outer　room　with　a　French　novel。　This　room　had　once　probably　been　the　main　hall；　there　was　still　an　organ　in　it；　on　which　were　piled　rugs　of　some　sort；　and　in　the　corner　of　the　room　was　a　folding　bedstead　belonging　to　Bennigsen’s　adjutant。　The　owner　of　the　bedstead；　too；　was　there。　Apparently　exhausted　by　work　or　festivities；　he　sat　dozing　on　the　folded　bed。　Two　doors　led　from　the　room：　one　straight　in　front　opening　into　the　drawing…room；　another　on　the　right　opening　into　the　study。　From　the　first　door　came　the　sound　of　voices　speaking　German　and　occasionally　French。　In　the　drawing…room　there　was　being　held；　by　the　Tsar’s　desire；　not　a　military　council—the　Tsar　loved　to　have　things　vague—but　a　meeting　of　a　few　persons；　whose　opinions　he　wished　to　hear　in　the　present　difficult　position。　It　was　not　a　military　council；　but　a　sort　of　council　for　the　elucidation　of　certain　questions　for　the　benefit　of　the　Tsar　personally。　To　this　sort　of　semi…council　had　been　bidden　the　Swedish　general；　Armfeldt；　the　general　on　the　staff　Woltzogen；　Wintzengerode　（whom　Napoleon　had　call