战争与和平(上)-第266章

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　carry　out。　After　passing　through　Borodino　the　viceroy　was　beaten　back　at　the　Kolotcha；　and　could　advance　no　further。　The　divisions　of　Morand　and　Friant　did　not　take　the　redoubt；　but　were　driven　back；　and　at　the　end　of　the　day　the　redoubt　was　captured　by　cavalry　（in　an　action　probably　unforeseen　by　Napoleon；　and　not　heard　of　by　him）。
And　not　one　of　the　instructions　given　was；　or　could　be；　carried　into　effect。　But　in　the　disposition　was　the　statement；　that　after　the　battle　had　begun；　further　instructions　would　be　given　in　accordance　with　the　enemy’s　movements；　and　so　it　might　be　supposed　that　all　necessary　instructions　had　been　given　by　Napoleon　during　the　battle。　But　this　was　not；　and　could　not　be；　the　case；　because；　during　the　whole　battle　Napoleon　was　so　far　from　the　scene　of　action　that　（as　it　turned　out　later）　he　knew　nothing　of　the　course　of　the　battle；　and　not　a　single　instruction　given　by　him　during　the　fight　could　possibly　be　executed。


Chapter　28
MANY　HISTORIANS　assert　that　the　French　failed　at　Borodino　because　Napoleon　had　a　cold　in　his　head；　that　if　he　had　not　had　a　cold　the　orders　given　by　him　before　and　during　the　battle　would　have　been　even　more　remarkable　for　their　genius；　and　Russia　would　have　been　lost　and　the　face　of　the　world　would　have　been　changed。　To　historians；　who　can　maintain　that　Russia　was　transformed　at　the　will　of　one　man—Peter　the　Great—and　that　France；　from　a　republic；　became　an　empire；　and　that　the　French　army　marched　into　Russia　at　the　will　of　one　man—Napoleon—the　conclusion　that　Russia　has　remained　a　power　because　Napoleon　had　a　bad　cold　on　the　26th　of　August　may　seem　indisputable　and　convincing。　Had　it　depended　on　Napoleon’s　will　to　fight；　or　not　to　fight；　at　Borodino；　or　had　it　depended　on　his　will　whether　he　gave　this　order　or　that；　it　is　evident　that　a　cold；　affecting　the　manifestation　of　his　will；　might　be　the　saving　of　Russia；　and　consequently　the　valet；　who　forgot　to　put　on　Napoleon’s　waterproof　boots　on　the　24th；　would　be　the　saviour　of　Russia。　On　that　method　of　reasoning　such　a　deduction　is　inevitable；　as　inevitable　as　the　contention　which　Voltaire　maintains　in　jest　（unconscious　what　he　was　ridiculing）　that　the　Massacre　of　St。　Bartholomew　was　due　to　an　attack　of　dyspepsia　from　which　Charles　IX　was　suffering。　But　for　minds　that　cannot　admit　that　Russia　was　transformed　at　the　will　of　one　man—Peter　the　Great—and　the　French　empire　was　created；　and　the　war　with　Russia　begun；　at　the　will　of　one　man—Napoleon—such　a　contention　will　seem　not　merely　unsound　and　irrational；　but　contrary　to　the　whole　nature　of　humanity。　The　question；　What　constitutes　the　cause　of　historical　events？　will　suggest　to　them　another　answer；　resting　on　the　idea　that　the　course　of　earthly　events　is　predestined　from　on　high；　depends　on　the　combination　of　all　the　wills　of　the　men　taking　part　in　those　events；　and　that　the　predominant　influence　of　Napoleon　in　those　events　is　purely　external　and　fictitious。
Strange　at　first　sight　as　appears　the　proposition　that　the　Massacre　of　St。　Bartholomew；　the　order　for　which　was　given　by　Charles　IX。；　was　not　the　result　of　his　will；　and　that　it　was　only　in　his　fancy　that　the　command　he　had　given　was　the　cause　of　it；　and　that　the　Borodino　slaughter　of　eighty　thousand　men　was　not　due　to　Napoleon’s　will　（though　he　gave　the　order　for　the　commencement　of　the　battle）；　and　that　it　was　only　his　fancy　that　it　was　his　doing；　strange　as　this　proposition　appears；　yet　human　dignity；　that　tells　us　that　every　one　of　us　is　neither　more　nor　less　a　man　than　Napoleon；　bids　us　admit　that　solution　of　the　question；　and　historical　researches　abundantly　confirm　the　proposition。
At　the　battle　of　Borodino　Napoleon　did　not　fire　at　any　one；　nor　kill　any　one。　All　that　was　done　by　his　soldiers。　Therefore　it　was　not　he　who　killed　those　men。　The　soldiers　of　the　French　army　went　out　to　slay　their　fellow…men　at　Borodino；　not　owing　to　Napoleon’s　commands；　but　through　their　own　desire　to　do　so。　The　whole　army—French；　Italians；　Germans；　Poles—hungry；　ragged；　and　exhausted　by　the　march；　felt　at　the　sight　of　an　army；　barring　their　way　to　Moscow：　the　wine　is　drawn；　it　must　be　drunk。　Had　Napoleon　forbidden　them　at　that　point　to　fight　the　Russians；　they　would　have　killed　him；　and　have　proceeded　to　fight　the　Russians；　because　it　was　inevitable　for　them。
When　they　heard　Napoleon’s　proclamation；　offering　them　as　consolation　for　maiming　and　death　the　reminder　that　posterity　would　say　that　they　had　been　at　the　battle　before　Moscow；　they　shouted；　“Vive　l’Empereur；”　just　as　they　shouted　“Vive　l’Empereur”　at　the　sight　of　the　picture　of　the　little　boy　playing　cup　and　ball　with　the　earth；　and　just　as　they　shouted　“Vive　l’Empereur”　at　every　absurdity　that　was　said。　There　was　nothing　left　for　them　to　do　but　to　shout　“Vive　l’Empereur！”　and　to　fight　so　as　to　get　food　and　rest　as　conquerors　in　Moscow。　Therefore　it　was　not　owing　to　Napoleon’s　commands　that　they　killed　their　fellow…men。
And　it　was　not　Napoleon　who　ordained　the　course　of　the　battle；　because　none　of　his　instructions　were　put　into　execution；　and　he　knew　nothing　of　what　was　passing　before　him。　Therefore　the　manner　in　which　these　men　slaughtered　one　another　did　not　depend　on　Napoleon’s　will；　but　proceeded　independently　of　him；　from　the　wills　of　the　hundreds　of　thousands　of　men　who　took　part　in　the　affair。　It　only　seemed　to　Napoleon　that　all　this　was　due　to　his　will。　And　therefore　the　question　whether　Napoleon　had　or　had　not　a　cold　in　his　head　is　of　no　more　interest　to　history　than　the　cold　of　the　lowest　soldier　of　the　commissariat。
The　contention　of　some　writers；　that　Napoleon’s　cold　was　the　reason　of　his　previous　instructions　and　commands　during　the　battle　being　weaker　than　usual；　is　completely　groundless。
The　instructions　that　have　been　reproduced　here　are　by　no　means　inferior；　are　indeed　superior；　to　many　similar　arrangements　by　which　he　had　gained　victories　in　the　past。　His　supposed　instructions　during　the　day　were　also　in　no　way　inferior　to　the　commands　he　had　given　in　previous　battles；　but　were　much　the　same　as　usual。　But　these　instructions　are　supposed　to　be　inferior；　simply　because　Borodino　was　the　first　battle　in　which　Napoleon　was　not　victorious。　The　finest　and　profoundest　combinations　seem　very　poor；　and　every　military　student　can　criticise　them　with　a　consequential　air；　when　the　battle　has　not　been　won　by　means　of　them；　and　the　stupidest　combinations　will　seem　exceedingly　ingenious；　and　serious　writers　will　fill　volumes　in　proving　their　excellence；　when　the　battle　that　followed　chances　to　have　been　a　victory。
The　plan　composed　by　Weierother　at　Austerlitz　was　a　model　of　perfection　in　its　own　line；　but　it　has　yet　been　condemned；　and　condemned　for　its　very　perfection；　for　its　over…minuteness　in　detail。
At　Borodino　Napoleon　played　his　part　as　the　representative　of　supreme　power　as　well；　or　even　better；　than　he　had　done　at　previous　battles。　He　did　nothing　likely　to　hinder　the　progress　of　the　battle；　he　yielded　to　the　most　sensible　advice；　he　was　not　confused；　did　not　contradict　himself；　did　not　lose　his　presence　of　mind；　nor　run　away　from　the　field　of　battle；　but　with　his　great　tact　and　military　experience；　he　performed　calmly　and　with　dignity　his　role　of　appearing　to　be　in　supreme　control　of　it　all。


Chapter　29
ON　RETURNING　from　a　second　careful　inspection　of　the　lines；　Napoleon　said：
“The　pieces　are　on　the　board；　the　game　will　begin　to…morrow。”
He　ordered　some　punch；　and　sending　for　Beausset　began　talking　of　Paris　with　him；　discussing　various　changes　he　intended　to　make　in　the　Empress’s　household；　and　surprising　the　prefect　by　his　memory　of　the　minutest　details　of　court　affairs。
He　showed　interest　in　trifles；　jested　at　Beausset’s　love　of　travel；　and　chatted　carelessly；　as　some　renowned；　skilful　and　confident　surgeon　will　often　chat　playfully　while　he　tucks　up　his　sleeves　and　puts　on　his　apron；　and　the　patient　is　being　bound　down　on　the　operating…table。　“I　have　the　whole　business　at　my　finger…tips；　and　it’s　all　clear　and　definite　in　my　head。　When　I　have　to　set　to　work；　I　will　do　it　as　no　one　else　could；　but　now　I　can　jest；　and　the　more　serenely　I　jest　the　more　calm　and　confidence　and　admiration　for　my　genius　you　ought　to　feel。