战争与和平(上)-第257章

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n　that　position　since　it　did　not　exist）；　and　did　not　see　the　advance　posts　of　the　Russian　army；　but　in　the　pursuit　of　the　Russian　rearguard　stumbled　upon　the　left　flank　of　the　Russian　position　at　the　redoubt　of　Shevardino；　and；　to　the　surprise　of　the　Russians；　his　troops　crossed　the　Kolotcha。　And　the　Russians；　since　it　was　too　late　for　a　general　engagement；　withdrew　their　left　wing　from　the　position　they　had　intended　to　occupy；　and　took　up　a　new　position；　which　had　not　been　foreseen；　and　was　not　fortified。　By　crossing　to　the　left　bank　of　the　Kolotcha；　on　the　left　of　the　road；　Napoleon　shifted　the　whole　battle　from　right　to　left　（looking　from　the　Russian　side）；　and　transferred　it　to　the　plain　between　Utitsa；　Semyonovskoye　and　Borodino—a　plain　which　in　itself　was　a　no　more　favourable　position　than　any　other　plain　in　Russia—and　on　that　plain　was　fought　the　whole　battle　of　the　26th。
Had　Napoleon　not　reached　the　Kolotcha　on　the　evening　of　the　24th；　and　had　he　not　ordered　the　redoubt　to　be　attacked　at　once　that　evening；　had　he　begun　the　attack　next　morning；　no　one　could　have　doubted　that　the　Shevardino　redoubt　was　the　left　flank　of　the　Russian　position；　and　the　battle　would　have　been　fought　as　we　expected。　In　that　case　we　should　probably　have　defended　the　Shevardino　redoubt　by　our　left　flank　even　more　obstinately；　we　should　have　attacked　Napoleon　in　the　centre　or　on　the　right；　and　the　general　engagement　would　have　been　fought　on　the　24th　on　the　position　prepared　and　fortified　for　it。　But　as　the　attack　was　made　on　our　left　flank　in　the　evening　after　the　retreat　of　our　rearguard；　that　is；　immediately　after　the　action　at　Gridnevo；　and　as　the　Russian　generals　would　not；　or　could　not；　begin　the　general　engagement　on　the　evening　of　the　24th；　the　first　and　most　important　action　of　the　battle　of　Borodino　was　lost　on　the　24th；　and　that　loss　led　inevitably　to　the　loss　of　the　battle　fought　on　the　26th。
After　the　loss　of　the　Shevardino　redoubt；　we　found　ourselves　on　the　morning　of　the　25th　with　our　left　flank　driven　from　its　position；　and　were　forced　to　draw　in　the　left　wing　of　our　position　and　hurriedly　fortify　it　were　we　could。
So　that　on　the　26th　of　August　the　Russian　troops　were　only　defended　by　weak；　unfinished　earthworks；　and　the　disadvantage　of　that　position　was　aggravated　by　the　fact　that　the　Russian　generals；　not　fully　recognising　the　facts　of　the　position　（the　loss　of　the　position　on　the　left　flank；　and　the　shifting　of　the　whole　field　of　the　coming　battle　from　right　to　left）；　retained　their　extended　formation　from　Novoe　to　Utitsa；　and；　consequently；　had　to　transfer　their　troops　from　right　to　left　during　the　battle。　Consequently；　we　had　during　the　whole　battle　to　face　the　whole　French　army　attacking　our　left　wing；　with　our　forces　of　half　the　strength。
（Poniatovsky’s　action　facing　Utitsa　and　Uvarov’s　action　against　the　French　right　flank　were　quite　independent　of　the　general　course　of　the　battle。）
And　so　the　battle　of　Borodino　was　fought；　not　at　all　as；　in　order　to　cover　the　blunders　of　our　commanders；　it　is　described　by　our　historians；　whose　accounts；　consequently；　diminish　the　credit　due　to　the　Russian　army　and　the　Russian　people。　The　battle　of　Borodino　was　not　fought　on　a　carefully　picked　and　fortified　position；　with　forces　only　slightly　weaker　on　the　Russian　side。　After　the　loss　of　the　Shevardino　redoubt；　the　Russians　fought　on　an　open；　almost　unfortified　position；　with　forces　half　the　strength　of　the　French；　that　is；　in　conditions　in　which　it　was　not　merely　senseless　to　fight　for　ten　hours　and　gain　a　drawn　battle；　but　incredibly　difficult　to　keep　the　army　for　three　hours　together　from　absolute　rout　and　flight。


Chapter　20
ON　THE　MORNING　of　the　25th　Pierre　drove　out　of　Mozhaisk。　On　the　slope　of　an　immense；　steep；　and　winding　hill；　leading　out　of　the　town；　Pierre　got　out　of　the　carriage；　and　walked　by　a　cathedral　on　the　right　of　the　hill；　where　a　service　was　being　performed。　A　cavalry　regiment　followed　him　down　the　hill；　the　singers　of　the　regiment　in　front。　A　train　of　carts　came　up　the　hill　towards　them；　filled　with　wounded　from　the　previous　day’s　engagement。　The　peasant　drivers　kept　running　from　side　to　side；　shouting　and　whipping　the　horses。　The　carts；　in　each　of　which　three　or　four　wounded　soldiers　were　lying　or　sitting；　jolted　up　and　down　on　the　stones　that　had　been　thrown　on　the　steep　ascent　to　mend　the　road。　The　wounded　men；　pale　and　bandaged　up；　with　compressed　lips　and　knitted　brows；　clung　to　the　sides；　as　they　were　shaken　and　jolted　in　the　carts。　Almost　all　of　them　stared　with　na？ve　and　childlike　curiosity　at　Pierre’s　white　hat　and　green　coat。
Pierre’s　coachman　shouted　angrily　at　the　train　of　wounded　men　to　keep　to　one　side　of　the　road。　The　cavalry　regiment；　coming　down　the　hill　in　time　to　their　song；　overtook　Pierre’s　chaise　and　blocked　the　road。　Pierre　stopped；　keeping　close　to　the　edge　of　the　road　that　had　been　hollowed　out　in　the　hill。　The　sun　did　not　reach　over　the　side　of　the　hill　to　the　road；　and　there　it　felt　cold　and　damp。　But　overhead　it　was　a　bright　August　morning；　and　the　chimes　rang　out　merrily。　One　cart　full　of　wounded　men　came　to　a　standstill　at　the　edge　of　the　road　quite　close　to　Pierre。　The　driver；　in　bast　shoes；　ran　panting　up　to　his　cart；　thrust　a　stone　under　the　hind　wheels；　which　were　without　tires；　and　began　setting　straight　the　breech　on　his　horse。
An　old　wounded　soldier；　with　his　arm　in　a　sling；　walking　behind　the　cart；　caught　hold　of　it　with　his　uninjured　arm；　and　looked　round　at　Pierre。
“Well；　fellow…countryman；　are　we　to　be　put　down　here　or　taken　on　to　Moscow？”　he　said。
Pierre　was　so　lost　in　thought　that　he　did　not　hear　the　question。　He　looked　from　the　cavalry　regiment；　which　was　now　meeting　the　train　of　wounded；　to　the　cart　by　which　he　stood；　with　the　two　wounded　men　sitting；　and　one　lying　down　in　it。　One　of　the　soldiers　sitting　in　the　cart　had　probably　been　wounded　in　the　cheek。　His　whole　head　was　done　up　in　bandages；　and　one　cheek　was　swollen　as　large　as　a　baby’s　head。　All　his　mouth　and　nose　were　on　one　side。　This　soldier　was　looking　at　the　cathedral　and　crossing　himself。　Another；　a　young　fellow；　a　light…haired　recruit；　as　white　as　though　there　were　not　a　drop　of　blood　in　his　thin　face；　gazed　with　a　fixed；　good…natured　smile　at　Pierre。　The　third　lay　so　that　his　face　could　not　be　seen。　The　singers　of　the　cavalry　regiment　passed　close　by　the　cart。
“A！　za…pro…pa…la　…”
they　sang　the　military　dance　tune。　As　though　seconding　them；　though　in　a　different　tone　of　gaiety；　clanged　out　the　metallic　notes　of　the　chimes　at　the　top　of　the　hill。　And　the　hot　rays　of　the　sun　bathed　the　top　of　the　opposite　slope　with　sunshine　sparkling　with　another　suggestion　of　gaiety。　But　where　Pierre　stood　under　the　hillside；　by　the　cart　full　of　wounded　soldiers；　and　the　panting；　little　nag；　it　was　damp；　overcast；　and　dismal。
The　soldier　with　the　wounded　cheek　looked　angrily　at　the　singing　horse　soldiers。
“Oh；　the　smart　fellows！”　he　murmured　reproachfully。
“It’s　not　soldiers　only；　but　peasants；　too；　I　have　seen　to…day！　Peasants；　too；　they　are　hunting　up；”　said　the　soldier　standing　by　the　cart；　addressing　himself　to　Pierre；　with　a　melancholy　smile。　“They　can’t　pick　and　choose　now。　…　They　want　to　mass　all　the　people　together—it’s　a　matter　of　Moscow；　you　see。　There　is　only　one　thing　to　do　now。”　In　spite　of　the　vagueness　of　the　soldier’s　words；　Pierre　fully　grasped　his　meaning；　and　nodded　his　head　approvingly。
The　road　was　clear　once　more；　and　Pierre　walked　downhill；　and　drove　on　further。
Pierre　drove　on；　looking　on　both　sides　of　the　road　for　familiar　faces；　and　meeting　none　but　unfamiliar；　military　faces；　belonging　to　all　sorts　of　regiments；　and　all　staring　with　the　same　surprise　at　his　white　hat　and　green　coat。
After　driving　four　versts；　for　the　first　time　he　met　an　acquaintance；　and　greeted　him　joyfully。　This　was　a　doctor；　one　of　the　heads　of　the　medical　staff。　He　drove　to　meet　Pierre　in　a　covered　gig；　with　a　young　doctor　sitting　beside　him；　and　recognising　Pierre；　he　called　to　the　Cossack；　who　sat　on　the　driver’s　seat；　and　told　him　to　stop。
“Count；　your　excellency；　how　do　you　come　here？”　asked　the　doctor。
“Oh；　I　wanted　to　have　a　look　…”
“Oh　well；　there　will　be　something　to　look