战争与和平(上)-第240章

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n　peace。
Of　late　after　the　Tsar’s　return　from　the　army；　some　increase　of　excitement　was　perceptible　in　these　antagonistic　salons；　and　they　made　something　like　demonstrations　of　hostility　to　one　another；　but　the　bias　of　each　circle　remained　unaffected。　Anna　Pavlovna’s　set　refused　to　admit　any　French　people　but　the　most　unimpeachable　legitimists；　and　in　her　drawing…room　the　patriotic　view　found　expression　that　the　French　theatre　ought　not　to　be　patronised；　and　that　the　maintenance　of　the　French　company　there　cost　as　much　as　the　maintenance　of　a　whole　army　corps。　The　progress　of　the　war　was　eagerly　followed；　and　rumours　greatly　to　the　advantage　of　our　army　were　circulated。　In　the　circle　of　Ellen；　of　Rumyantsev；　the　French　circle；　the　reports　of　the　enemy’s　cruelty　and　barbarous　methods　of　warfare　were　discredited；　and　all　sorts　of　conciliatory　efforts　on　the　part　of　Napoleon　were　discussed。　This　set　discountenanced　the　premature　counsels　of　those　who　advised　preparations　for　the　removal　to　Kazan　of　the　court　and　the　girls’　schools；　that　were　under　the　protection　of　the　empress　mother。　The　whole　war　was　in　fact　regarded　in　Ellen’s　salon　as　a　series　of　merely　formal　demonstrations；　very　shortly　to　be　terminated　by　peace；　and　the　view　prevailed；　expressed　by　Bilibin；　who　was　now　in　Petersburg　and　constantly　seen　at　Ellen’s；　as　every　man　of　wit　was　sure　to　be；　that　the　war　would　be　ended　not　by　gunpowder　but　by　those　who　had　invented　it。　The　patriotic　fervour　of　Moscow；　of　which　tidings　reached　Petersburg　with　the　Tsar；　was　in　Ellen’s　salon　a　subject　of　ironical；　and　very　witty；　though　circumspect；　raillery。
In　Anna　Pavlovna’s　circle；　on　the　contrary；　these　patriotic　demonstrations　roused　the　greatest　enthusiasm；　and　were　spoken　of　as　Plutarch　speaks　of　his　ancient　Romans。　Prince　Vassily；　who　still　filled　the　same　important　positions；　constituted　the　connecting　link　between　the　two　circles。　He　used　to　visit　“my　good　friend　Anna　Pavlovna；”　and　was　also　seen　in　the　“diplomatic　salon　of　my　daughter”；　and　often　was　led　into　blunders　from　his　frequent　transitions　from　one　to　the　other；　and　said　in　one　drawing…room　what　should　have　been　reserved　for　the　other。
Soon　after　the　Tsar’s　arrival；　Prince　Vassily；　in　conversation　about　the　progress　of　the　war　at　Anna　Pavlovna’s；　severely　criticised　Barclay　de　Tolly；　and　expressed　himself　unable　to　decide　who　should　be　appointed　commander…in…chief。　One　of　the　guests；　usually　spoken　of　as　a　“man　of　great　abilities；”　described　how　he　had　that　day　seen　the　newly　elected　commander　of　the　Petersburg　militia；　Kutuzov；　presiding　over　the　enrolment　of　militiamen　in　the　Court　of　Exchequer；　and　ventured　discreetly　to　suggest　that　Kutuzov　would　be　the　man　who　might　satisfy　all　requirements。
Anna　Pavlovna　smiled　mournfully；　and　observed　that　Kutuzov　had　done　nothing　but　cause　the　Tsar　annoyance。
“I　have　said　so　over　and　over　again　in　the　assembly　of　nobility；”　interposed　Prince　Vassily；　“but　they　wouldn’t　listen　to　me。　I　said　that　his　election　to　the　command　of　the　militia　would　not　be　pleasing　to　his　majesty。　They　wouldn’t　listen　to　me。　It’s　all　this　mania　for　being　in　the　opposition；”　he　went　on。　“And　to　what　public　are　they　playing；　I　should　like　to　know。　It’s　all　because　we　are　trying　to　ape　the　silly　enthusiasm　of　Moscow；”　said　Prince　Vassily；　forgetting　for　a　moment　that　it　was　at　Ellen’s　that　that　enthusiasm　was　jeered　at；　while　at　Anna　Pavlovna’s　it　was　as　well　to　admire　it。　But　he　hastened　to　retrieve　his　mistake。　“Is　it　suitable　for　Kutuzov；　the　oldest　general　in　Russia；　to　be　presiding　in　the　Court？　Et　il　en　restera　pour　sa　peine！　Did　any　one　hear　of　such　a　thing　as　appointing　a　man　commander…in…chief　who　cannot　sit　a　horse；　who　drops　asleep　at　a　council—a　man；　too；　of　the　lowest　morals！　A　pretty　reputation　he　gained　for　himself　in　Bucharest！　To　say　nothing　of　his　qualities　as　a　general；　can　we　appoint；　at　such　a　moment；　a　man　decrepit　and　blind—yes；　simply　blind！　A　fine　idea—a　blind　general！　He　sees　nothing。　Playing　blind…man’s　buff—that’s　all　he’s　fit　for！”
No　one　opposed　that　view。
On　the　24th　of　July　it　was　accepted　as　perfectly　correct。　But　on　the　29th　Kutuzov　received　the　title　of　prince。　The　bestowal　of　this　title　might　be　taken　to　indicate　a　desire　to　shelve　him；　and　therefore　Prince　Vassily’s　dictum　still　remained　correct；　though　he　was　in　no　such　hurry　now　to　express　it。　But　on　the　8th　of　August　a　committee；　consisting　of　General　Field…Marshal　Saltykov；　Araktcheev；　Vyazmitinov；　Lopuhin；　and　Kotchubey　was　held　to　consider　the　progress　of　the　war。　This　committee　decided　that　the　disasters　were　due　to　divided　authority；　and　although　the　members　of　the　committee　were　aware　of　the　Tsar’s　dislike　of　Kutuzov；　after　a　deliberation　they　advised　the　appointment　of　Kutuzov　as　commander…in…chief。　And　that　same　day　Kutuzov　was　appointed　commander…in…chief　of　the　army；　and　intrusted　with　unlimited　authority　over　the　whole　region　occupied　by　the　troops。
On　the　9th　of　August　Prince　Vassily　once　more　met　the　“man　of　great　abilities”　at　Anna　Pavlovna’s。　The　latter　gentleman　was　assiduous　in　his　attendance　at　Anna　Pavlovna’s；　in　the　hope　of　receiving；　through　her　influence；　an　appointment　on　one　of　the　institutions　of　female　education。　Prince　Vassily　strode　into　the　room　with　the　air　of　a　victorious　general；　of　a　man　who　has　succeeded　in　attaining　the　object　of　his　desires。
“Well；　you　know　the　great　news！　Prince　Kutuzov　is　marshal！　All　differences　of　opinion　are　at　an　end。　I　am　so　glad；　so　delighted！”　said　Prince　Vassily。　“At　last　here　is　a　man！”　he　declared；　looking　sternly　and　significantly　at　all　the　company。　In　spite　of　his　desire　to　secure　the　post　he　coveted；　the　“man　of　great　abilities”　could　not　refrain　from　reminding　Prince　Vassily　of　the　view　he　had　expressed　shortly　before。　（This　was　a　breach　of　civility　to　Prince　Vassily　in　Anna　Pavlovna’s　drawing…room；　and　also　to　Anna　Pavlovna；　who　had　received　the　tidings　with　equal　enthusiasm；　but　he　could　not　refrain。）
“But　they　say　he　is　blind；　prince；”　he　said　to　recall　to　Prince　Vassily　his　own　words。
“Allez　donc；　il　y　voit　assez；”　said　Prince　Vassily；　with　the　rapid　bass　voice　and　the　cough　with　which　he　always　disposed　of　all　difficulties。　“He　sees　quite　enough；”　he　repeated。　“And　what　I’m　particularly　glad　of；”　he　went　on；　“is　that　the　Emperor　has　given　him　unlimited　authority　over　all　the　troops；　over　the　whole　region；　an　authority　no　commander…in…chief　has　ever　had　before。　It’s　another　autocrat；”　he　concluded；　with　a　victorious　smile。
“God　grant　it　may　be；”　said　Anna　Pavlovna。
The　“man　of　great　abilities；”　a　novice　in　court　society；　was　anxious　to　flatter　Anna　Pavlovna　by　maintaining　her　former　opinion　against　this　new　view　of　the　position。　He　said：　“They　say　the　Emperor　was　unwilling　to　give　Kutuzov　such　authority。　They　say　he　blushed　like　a　young　lady　to　whom　Joconde　is　read；　saying　to　him；　‘The　sovereign　and　the　country　decree　you　this　honour。’　”
“Perhaps　the　heart　was　not　of　the　party；”　said　Anna　Pavlovna。
“Oh　no；　no；”　Prince　Vassily　maintained　warmly。　Now　he　would　not　put　Kutuzov　second　to　any　one。　To　hear　Prince　Vassily　now　Kutuzov　was　not　simply　a　good　man　in　himself；　but　idolised　by　every　one。　“No；　that’s　impossible；　for　the　sovereign　has　always　known　how　to　appreciate　him；”　he　added。
“God　only　grant　that　Prince　Kutuzov　may　take　the　control　of　things　into　his　own　hands；”　said　Anna　Pavlovna；　“and　not　permit　any　one　to　put　a　spoke　in　his　wheel。”
Prince　Vassily　knew　at　once　who　was　meant。　He　whispered；　“I　know　for　a　fact　that　Kutuzov　made　it　an　express　condition　that　the　Tsarevitch　should　not　be　with　the　army。　Vous　savez　ce　qu’il　a　dit　à　l’Empereur。”　And　Prince　Vassily　repeated　the　words　said　to　have　been　spoken　by　Kutuzov　to　the　Tsar：　“　‘I　can　neither　punish　him　if　he　does　wrong；　nor　reward　him　if　he　does　well。’　Oh！　he’s　a　shrewd　fellow；　Prince　Kutuzov。　I　have　known　him　a　long　while。”
“They　do　say；”　observed　the　“man　of　great　abilities；”　who　had　not　acquired　a　courtier’s　tact；　“that　his　excellency　even　made　it　an　express　condition　that　the　Emperor　himself　should　not　be　with　the　army。”
He　had　hardly　uttered　the　words　when　Anna　Pavlovna　an