战争与和平(上)-第300章

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of　exciting　the　populace　by　posting　up　placards　and　distributing　arms。
Rastoptchin；　an　impulsive；　sanguine　man；　who　had　always　moved　in　the　highest　spheres　of　the　administration；　was　a　patriot　in　feeling；　but　had　not　the　faintest　notion　of　the　character　of　the　people　he　supposed　himself　to　be　governing。　From　the　time　when　the　enemy　first　entered　Smolensk；　Rastoptchin　had　in　his　own　imagination　been　playing　the　part　of　leader　of　popular　feeling—of　the　heart　of　Russia。　He　did　not　merely　fancy—as　every　governing　official　always　does　fancy—that　he　was　controlling　the　external　acts　of　the　inhabitants　of　Moscow；　but　fancied　that　he　was　shaping　their　mental　attitude　by　means　of　his　appeals　and　placards；　written　in　that　vulgar；　slangy　jargon　which　the　people　despise　in　their　own　class；　and　simply　fail　to　understand　when　they　hear　it　from　persons　of　higher　station。　The　picturesque　figure　of　leader　of　the　popular　feeling　was　so　much　to　Rastoptchin’s　taste；　and　he　so　lived　in　it；　that　the　necessity　of　abandoning　it；　the　necessity　of　surrendering　Moscow　with　no　heroic　effect　of　any　kind；　took　him　quite　unawares；　the　very　ground　he　was　standing　on　seemed　slipping　from　under　his　feet；　and　he　was　utterly　at　a　loss　what　to　do。　Though　he　knew　it　was　coming；　he　could　not　till　the　last　minute　fully　believe　in　the　abandonment　of　Moscow；　and　did　nothing　towards　it。　The　inhabitants　left　the　city　against　his　wishes。　If　the　courts　were　removed；　it　was　only　due　to　the　insistence　of　the　officials；　to　which　Rastoptchin　reluctantly　gave　way。　He　was　himself　entirely　absorbed　by　the　role　he　had　assumed。　As　is　often　the　case　with　persons　of　heated　imagination；　he　had　known　for　a　long　while　that　Moscow　would　be　abandoned；　but　he　had　known　it　only　with　his　intellect；　and　refused　with　his　whole　soul　to　believe　in　it；　and　could　not　mentally　adapt　himself　to　the　new　position　of　affairs。
The　whole　course　of　his　painstaking　and　vigorous　activity—how　far　it　was　beneficial　or　had　influence　on　the　people　is　another　question—　aimed　simply　at　awakening　in　the　people　the　feeling　he　was　himself　possessed　by—hatred　of　the　French　and　confidence　in　himself。
But　when　the　catastrophe　had　begun　to　take　its　true　historic　proportions；　when　to　express　hatred　of　the　French　in　words　was　plainly　insufficient；　when　it　was　impossible　to　express　that　hatred　even　by　a　battle；　when　self…confidence　was　of　no　avail　in　regard　to　the　one　question　before　Moscow；　when　the　whole　population；　as　one　man；　abandoning　their　property；　streamed　out　of　Moscow；　in　this　negative　fashion　giving　proof　of　the　strength　of　their　patriotism；—then　the　part　Rastoptchin　had　been　playing　suddenly　became　meaningless。　He　felt　suddenly　deserted；　weak；　and　absurd；　with　no　ground　to　stand　on。
On　being　waked　out　of　his　sleep　to　read　Kutuzov’s　cold　and　peremptory　note；　Rastoptchin　felt　the　more　irritated　the　more　he　felt　himself　to　blame。　There　was　still　left　in　Moscow　all　that　was　under　his　charge；　all　the　government　property　which　it　was　his　duty　to　have　removed　to　safety。　There　was　no　possibility　of　getting　it　all　away。　“Who　is　responsible　for　it？　who　has　let　it　come　to　such　a　pass？”　he　wondered。　“Of　course；　it’s　not　my　doing。　I　had　everything　in　readiness；　I　held　Moscow　in　my　hand—like　this！　And　see　what　they　have　brought　things　to！　Scoundrels；　traitors！”　he　thought；　not　exactly　defining　who　were　these　scoundrels　and　traitors；　but　feeling　a　necessity　to　hate　these　vaguely　imagined　traitors；　who　were　to　blame　for　the　false　and　ludicrous　position　in　which　he　found　himself。
All　that　night　Rastoptchin　was　giving　instructions；　for　which　people　were　continually　coming　to　him　from　every　part　of　Moscow。　His　subordinates　had　never　seen　the　count　so　gloomy　and　irascible。
“Your　excellency；　they　have　come　from　the　Estates　Department；　from　the　director　for　instructions。…　From　the　Consistory；　from　the　Senate；　from　the　university；　from　the　Foundling　Hospital；　the　vicar　has　sent　…　he　is　inquiring　…　what　orders　are　to　be　given　about　the　fire　brigade？　The　overseer　of　the　prison　…　the　superintendent　of　the　mad…house　…”　all　night　long；　without　pause；　messages　were　being　brought　to　the　count。
To　all　these　inquiries　he　gave　brief　and　wrathful　replies；　the　drift　of　which　was　that　his　instructions　were　now　not　needed；　that　all　his　careful　preparations　had　now　been　ruined　by　somebody；　and　that　that　somebody　would　have　to　take　all　responsibility　for　anything　that　might　happen　now。
“Oh；　tell　that　blockhead；”　he　replied　to　the　inquiry　from　the　Estates　Department；　“to　stay　and　keep　guard　over　his　deeds。　Well；　what　nonsense　are　you　asking　about　the　fire　brigade？　There　are　horses；　let　them　go　off　to　Vladimir。　Don’t　leave　them　for　the　French。”
“Your　excellency；　the　superintendent　of　the　madhouse　has　come；　what　are　your　commands？”
“My　commands？　Let　them　all　go；　that’s　all。…　And　let　the　madmen　out　into　the　town。　When　we　have　madmen　in　command　of　our　armies；　it　seems　it’s　God’s　will　they　should　be　free。”
To　the　inquiry　about　the　convicts　in　the　prison；　the　count　shouted　angrily　to　the　overseer：
“What；　do　you　want　me　to　give　you　two　battalions　for　a　convoy　for　them；　when　we　haven’t　any　battalions　at　all？　Let　them　all　go；　and　that　settles　it！”
“Your　excellency；　there　are　political　prisoners—Myeshkov；　Vereshtchagin　…”
“Vereshtchagin！　He　is　not　yet　hanged？”　cried　Rastoptchin。　“Send　him　to　me。”


Chapter　25
BY　NINE　O’CLOCK　in　the　morning；　when　the　troops　were　moving　across　Moscow；　people　had　ceased　coming　to　Rastoptchin　for　instructions。　All　who　could　get　away　were　going　without　asking　leave；　those　who　stayed　decided　for　themselves　what　they　had　better　do。
Count　Rastoptchin　ordered　his　horses　in　order　to　drive　to　Sokolniky；　and　with　a　yellow　and　frowning　face；　sat　in　silence　with　folded　arms　in　his　study。
Every　governing　official　in　quiet；　untroubled　times　feels　that　the　whole　population　under　his　charge　is　only　kept　going　by　his　efforts；　and　it　is　this　sense　of　being　indispensably　necessary　in　which　every　governing　official　finds　the　chief　reward　for　his　toils　and　cares。　It　is　easy　to　understand　that　while　the　ocean　of　history　is　calm；　the　governing　official　holding　on　from　his　crazy　little　skiff　by　a　pole　to　the　ship　of　the　people；　and　moving　with　it；　must　fancy　that　it　is　his　efforts　that　move　the　ship　on　to　which　he　is　clinging。　But　a　storm　has　but　to　arise　to　set　the　sea　heaving　and　the　ship　tossing　upon　it；　and　such　error　becomes　at　once　impossible。　The　ship　goes　on　its　vast　course　unchecked；　the　pole　fails　to　reach　the　moving　vessel；　and　the　pilot；　from　being　the　master；　the　source　of　power；　finds　himself　a　helpless；　weak；　and　useless　person。
Rastoptchin　felt　this；　and　it　drove　him　to　frenzy。　The　head　of　the　police；　who　had　got　away　from　the　crowd；　went　in　to　see　him　at　the　same　time　as　an　adjutant；　who　came　to　announce　that　his　horses　were　ready。　Both　were　pale；　and　the　head　of　the　police；　after　reporting　that　he　had　discharged　the　commission　given　to　him；　informed　Count　Rastoptchin　that　there　was　an　immense　crowd　of　people　in　his　courtyard　wanting　to　see　him。
Without　a　word　in　reply；　Count　Rastoptchin　got　up　and　walked　with　rapid　steps　to　his　light；　sumptuously　furnished　drawing…room。　He　went　up　to　the　balcony　door；　took　hold　of　the　door…handle；　let　go　of　it；　and　moved　away　to　the　window；　from　which　the　whole　crowd　could　be　better　seen。　The　tall　young　fellow　was　standing　in　the　front；　and　with　a　severe　face；　waving　his　arms　and　saying　something。　The　blood…bespattered　smith　stood　beside　him　with　a　gloomy　air。　Through　the　closed　windows　could　be　heard　the　roar　of　voices。
“Is　the　carriage　ready？”　said　Rastoptchin；　moving　back　from　the　window。
“Yes；　your　excellency；”　said　the　adjutant。
Rastoptchin　went　again　to　the　balcony　door。
“Why；　what　is　it　they　want？”　he　asked　the　head　of　the　police。
“Your　excellency；　they　say　they　have　come　together　to　go　to　fight　the　French；　by　your　orders；　they　were　shouting　something　about　treachery。　But　it　is　an　angry　crowd；　your　excellency。　I　had　much　ado　to　get　away。　If　I　may　venture　to　suggest；　your　excellency　…”
“Kindly　leave　me；　I　know　what　to　do　without　your　assistance；”　cried　Rastoptchin　angrily。　He　stood　at　the　door　of　the　balcony　looking