战争与和平(上)-第218章

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cuits　to　be　given　out；　and　when　to　march　his　troops　to　the　right　and　when　to　the　left？　He　is　only　called　a　genius　because　of　the　glamour　and　authority　with　which　the　military　are　invested；　and　because　masses　of　sycophants　are　always　ready　to　flatter　power；　and　to　ascribe　to　it　qualities　quite　alien　to　it。　The　best　generals　I　have　known　are；　on　the　contrary；　stupid　or　absent…minded　men。　The　best　of　them　is　Bagration—Napoleon　himself　admitted　it。　And　Bonaparte　himself！　I　remember　his　fatuous　and　limited　face　on　the　field　of　Austerlitz。　A　good　general　has　no　need　of　genius；　nor　of　any　great　qualities；　on　the　contrary；　he　is　the　better　for　the　absence　of　the　finest　and　highest　of　human　qualities—love；　poetry；　tenderness；　philosophic　and　inquiring　doubt。　He　should　be　limited；　firmly　convinced　that　what　he　is　doing　is　of　great　importance　（or　he　would　never　have　patience　to　go　through　with　it）；　and　only　then　will　he　be　a　gallant　general。　God　forbid　he　should　be　humane；　should　feel　love　and　compassion；　should　pause　to　think　what　is　right　and　wrong。　It　is　perfectly　comprehensible　that　the　theory　of　their　genius　should　have　been　elaborated　long；　long　ago；　for　the　simple　reason　that　they　are　the　representatives　of　power。　The　credit　of　success　in　battle　is　not　by　right　theirs；　for　victory　or　defeat　depends　in　reality　on　the　soldier　in　the　ranks　who　first　shouts　‘Hurrah！’　or　‘We　are　lost！’　And　it　is　only　in　the　ranks　that　one　can　serve　with　perfect　conviction；　that　one　is　of　use！”
Such　were　Prince　Andrey’s　reflections　as　he　heard　the　discussion　going　on　around　him；　and　he　was　only　roused　from　his　musing　when　Paulucci　called　to　him　and　the　meeting　was　breaking　up。
Next　day　at　the　review　the　Tsar　asked　Prince　Andrey　where　he　desired　to　serve；　and　Bolkonsky　ruined　his　chances　for　ever　in　the　court　world　by　asking　to　be　sent　to　the　front；　instead　of　begging　for　a　post　in　attendance　on　the　Tsar’s　person。


Chapter　12
BEFORE　THE　BEGINNING　of　the　campaign　Rostov　had　received　a　letter　from　his　parents；　in　which　they　informed　him　briefly　of　Natasha’s　illness　and　the　breaking　off　of　her　engagement；　and　again　begged　him　to　retire　from　the　army　and　come　home　to　them。　Natasha　had；　they　explained；　broken　off　the　engagement　by　her　own　wish。　On　receiving　this　letter　Nikolay　did　not　even　attempt　to　retire　from　the　army　or　to　obtain　leave；　but　wrote　to　his　parents　that　he　was　very　sorry　to　hear　of　Natasha’s　illness　and　her　rupture　with　her　betrothed；　and　that　he　would　do　everything　in　his　power　to　follow　their　wishes。　To　Sonya　he　wrote　separately。
“Adored　friend　of　my　heart；”　he　wrote；　“nothing　but　honour　could　avail　to　keep　me　from　returning　to　the　country。　But　now；　at　the　beginning　of　a　campaign；　I　should　feel　myself　dishonoured　in　my　comrades’　eyes；　as　well　as　my　own；　if　I　put　my　own　happiness　before　my　duty　and　my　love　for　my　country。　But　this　shall　be　our　last　separation。　Believe　me；　immediately　after　the　war；　if　I　be　living　and　still　loved　by　thee；　I　shall　throw　up　everything　and　fly　to　thee　to　press　thee　for　ever　to　my　ardent　breast。”
It　was；　in　fact；　only　the　outbreak　of　the　war　that　detained　Rostov　and　hindered　him　from　returning　home；　as　he　had　promised；　and　marrying　Sonya。　The　autumn　at　Otradnoe　with　the　hunting；　and　the　winter　with　the　Christmas　festivities　and　Sonya’s　love　had　opened　before　his　imagination　a　vista　of　peace　and　quiet　country　delights　unknown　to　him　before；　and　this　prospect　now　lured　him　back。　“A　charming　wife；　children；　a　good　pack　of　hounds；　ten　to　twelve　leashes　of　swift　harriers；　the　estate　to　look　after；　the　neighbours；　election　to　offices；　perhaps；　by　the　provincial　nobility；”　he　mused。　But　now　war　was　breaking　out；　and　he　had　to　remain　with　his　regiment。　And　since　this　had　to　be；　Nikolay　Rostov　was　characteristically　able　to　be　content　too　with　the　life　he　led　in　the　regiment；　and　to　make　that　life　a　pleasant　one。
On　his　return　from　his　leave；　Nikolay　had　been　joyfully　welcomed　by　his　comrades　and　sent　off　for　remounts。　He　succeeded　in　bringing　back　from　Little　Russia　some　first…rate　horses　that　gave　him　great　satisfaction；　and　won　him　the　commendation　of　his　superior　officers。　In　his　absence　he　had　been　promoted　to　be　captain；　and　when　the　regiment　was　being　made　ready　with　reinforcements　for　active　service；　he　was　again　put　in　command　of　his　old　squadron。
The　campaign　was　beginning；　pay　was　doubled；　the　regiment　was　reinforced　with　new　officers；　new　men；　and　fresh　horses；　and　had　moved　into　Poland。　The　temper　of　eager　cheerfulness；　always　common　at　the　beginning　of　a　war；　was　general　in　the　army；　and　Rostov；　fully　conscious　of　his　improved　position　in　the　regiment；　gave　himself　up　heart　and　soul　to　the　pleasures　and　interests　of　the　army；　though　he　knew　that　sooner　or　later　he　would　have　to　leave　it。
The　army　had　been　compelled　to　retreat　from　Vilna　owing　to　various　complex　considerations　of　state；　of　policy；　and　tactics。　Every　step　of　that　retreat　had　been　accompanied　by　a　complicated　play　of　interests；　arguments；　and　passions　at　headquarters。　For　the　hussars　of　the　Pavlograd　regiment；　however；　this　whole　march　in　the　finest　part　of　the　summer；　with　ample　supplies　of　provisions；　was　a　most　simple　and　agreeable　business。　Depression；　uneasiness；　and　intrigue　were　possible　only　at　headquarters；　the　rank　and　file　of　the　army　never　even　wondered　where　and　why　they　were　going。　If　the　retreat　was　a　subject　of　regret；　it　was　simply　owing　to　the　necessity　of　leaving　quarters　one　had　grown　used　to　or　a　pretty　Polish　hostess。　If　the　idea　did　occur　to　any　one　that　things　were　amiss；　he　tried；　as　a　good　soldier　should；　to　put　a　cheerful　face　on　it；　and　to　keep　his　thoughts　fixed　on　the　duty　that　lay　nearest；　and　not　on　the　general　progress　of　the　war。　At　first　they　had　been　very　pleasantly　stationed　near　Vilna；　where　they　made　acquaintance　with　the　Polish　gentry　of　the　neighbourhood；　prepared　for　reviews；　and　were　reviewed　by　the　Tsar　and　various　commanders　of　high　authority。　Then　came　the　command　to　retreat　to　Sventsyany；　and　to　destroy　all　the　stores　that　could　not　be　carried　away。　Sventsyany　was　memorable　to　the　hussars　simply　as　the　drunken　camp；　the　name　given　to　the　encampment　there　by　the　whole　army；　and　as　the　scene　of　many　complaints　against　the　troops；　who　had　taken　advantage　of　orders　to　collect　stores；　and　under　the　head　of　stores　had　carried　off　horses　and　carriages　and　carpets　from　the　Polish　landowners。　Rostov　remembered　Sventsyany；　because　on　the　very　day　of　his　arrival　there　he　had　dismissed　his　quartermaster　and　did　not　know　how　to　manage　the　men　of　his　squadron；　who　had；　without　his　knowledge；　carried　off　five　barrels　of　strong　old　ale　and　were　all　drunk。　From　Sventsyany　they　had　fallen　further　back；　and　then　further　again；　till　they　reached　Drissa；　and　from　Drissa　they　retreated　again；　till　they　were　getting　near　the　frontiers　of　Russia　proper。
On　the　13th　of　July　the　Pavlograd　hussars　took　part　in　their　first　serious　action。
On　the　previous　evening　there　had　been　a　violent　storm　of　rain　and　hail。　The　summer　of　1812　was　remarkably　stormy　throughout。
The　two　Pavlograd　squadrons　were　bivouacking　in　the　middle　of　a　field　of　rye；　which　was　already　in　ear；　but　had　been　completely　trodden　down　by　the　cattle　and　horses。　The　rain　was　falling　in　torrents；　and　Rostov　was　sitting　with　a　young　officer；　Ilyin；　a　protégé　of　his；　under　a　shanty；　that　had　been　hastily　rigged　up　for　them。　An　officer　of　their　regiment；　adorned　with　long　moustaches；　that　hung　down　from　his　cheeks；　was　caught　in　the　rain　on　his　way　back　from　visiting　the　staff；　and　he　went　into　Rostov’s　shanty　for　shelter。
“I’m　on　my　way　from　the　staff；　count。　Have　you　heard　of　Raevsky’s　exploit？”　And　the　officer　proceeded　to　relate　to　them　details　of　the　Saltanov　battle　that　had　been　told　him　at　the　staff。
Rostov　smoked　his　pipe；　and　wriggled　his　neck；　down　which　the　water　was　trickling。　He　listened　with　little　interest；　looking　from　time　to　time　at　the　young　officer　Ilyin；　who　was　squatting　beside　him。　Ilyin；　a　lad　of　sixteen；　who　had　lately　joined　the　regiment；　took　now　with　Nikolay　the　place　Nikolay　had　taken　seven　years　before　with　Denisov。　Ilyin　tried　to　imitate　Rostov　in　everything　and　adored　him；　as　a　girl　might　have　done。