战争与和平(上)-第318章

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untry　and　my　dear　people；　whose　sacrifice　I　know　how　to　appreciate。”　Uttering　these　words　in　a　voice　of　much　feeling；　the　Tsar　turned　quickly　away；　as　though　wishing　to　conceal　from　Michaud　the　tears　that　were　starting　into　his　eyes；　and　he　walked　to　the　further　end　of　his　study。　After　standing　there　some　instants；　he　strode　back　to　Michaud；　and　with　a　vigorous　action　squeezed　his　arm　below　the　elbow。　The　Tsar’s　fine；　mild　face　was　flushed；　and　his　eyes　gleamed　with　energy　and　anger。　“Colonel　Michaud；　do　not　forget　what　I　say　to　you　here；　perhaps　one　day　we　shall　recall　it　with　pleasure。…Napoleon　or　me；”　he　said；　touching　his　breast；　“we　can　no　longer　reign　together。　I　have　learned　to　know　him。　He　will　not　deceive　me　again…”　And　the　Tsar　paused；　frowning。　Hearing　these　words；　seeing　the　look　of　firm　determination　in　the　Tsar’s　eyes；　Michaud；　though　a　foreigner；　Russian　in　heart　and　soul；　felt　（as　he　used　to　recount　later）　at　that　solemn　moment　moved　to　enthusiasm　by　what　he　had　just　heard；　and　in　the　following　phrase　he　sought　to　give　expression　to　his　own　feelings　and　those　of　the　Russian　people；　whose　representative　he　considered　himself　to　be。
“Sire！”　he　said；　“your　majesty　is　signing　at　this　moment　the　glory　of　the　nation　and　the　salvation　of　Europe！”
With　a　motion　of　his　head　the　Tsar　dismissed　Michaud。


Chapter　4
WHILE　HALF　of　Russia　was　conquered；　and　the　inhabitants　of　Moscow　were　fleeing　to　remote　provinces；　and　one　levy　of　militia　after　another　was　being　raised　for　the　defence　of　the　country；　we；　not　living　at　the　time；　cannot　help　imagining　that　all　the　people　in　Russia；　great　and　small　alike；　were　engaged　in　doing　nothing　else　but　making　sacrifices；　saving　their　country；　or　weeping　over　its　downfall。　The　tales　and　descriptions　of　that　period　without　exception　tell　us　of　nothing　but　the　self…sacrifice；　the　patriotism；　the　despair；　the　grief；　and　the　heroism　of　the　Russians。　In　reality；　it　was　not　at　all　like　that。　It　seems　so　to　us；　because　we　see　out　of　the　past　only　the　general　historical　interest　of　that　period；　and　we　do　not　see　all　the　personal　human　interests　of　the　men　of　that　time。　And　yet　in　reality　these　personal　interests　of　the　immediate　present　are　of　so　much　greater　importance　than　public　interests；　that　they　prevent　the　public　interest　from　ever　being　felt—from　being　noticed　at　all；　indeed。　The　majority　of　the　people　of　that　period　took　no　heed　of　the　general　progress　of　public　affairs；　and　were　only　influenced　by　their　immediate　personal　interests。　And　those　very　people　played　the　most　useful　part　in　the　work　of　the　time。
Those　who　were　striving　to　grasp　the　general　course　of　events；　and　trying　by　self…sacrifice　and　heroism　to　take　a　hand　in　it；　were　the　most　useless　members　of　society；　they　saw　everything　upside　down；　and　all　that　they　did　with　the　best　intentions　turned　out　to　be　useless　folly；　like　Pierre’s　regiment；　and　Mamonov’s；　that　spent　their　time　pillaging　the　Russian　villages；　like　the　lint　scraped　by　the　ladies；　that　never　reached　the　wounded；　and　so　on。　Even　those　who；　being　fond　of　talking　on　intellectual　subjects　and　expressing　their　feelings；　discussed　the　position　of　Russia；　unconsciously　imported　into　their　talk　a　shade　of　hypocrisy　or　falsity　or　else　of　useless　fault…finding　and　bitterness　against　persons；　whom　they　blamed　for　what　could　be　nobody’s　fault。
In　historical　events　we　see　more　plainly　than　ever　the　law　that　forbids　us　to　taste　of　the　fruit　of　the　Tree　of　Knowledge。　It　is　only　unselfconscious　activity　that　bears　fruit；　and　the　man　who　plays　a　part　in　an　historical　drama　never　understands　its　significance。　If　he　strives　to　comprehend　it；　he　is　stricken　with　barrenness
The　significance　of　the　drama　taking　place　in　Russia　at　that　time　was　the　less　easy　to　grasp；　the　closer　the　share　a　man　was　taking　in　it。　In　Petersburg；　and　in　the　provinces　remote　from　Moscow；　ladies　and　gentlemen　in　volunteer　uniforms　bewailed　the　fate　of　Russia　and　the　ancient　capital；　and　talked　of　self…sacrifice；　and　so　on。　But　in　the　army；　which　had　retreated　behind　Moscow；　men　scarcely　talked　or　thought　at　all　about　Moscow；　and；　gazing　at　the　burning　city；　no　one　swore　to　be　avenged　on　the　French；　but　every　one　was　thinking　of　the　next　quarter’s　pay　due　to　him；　of　the　next　halting…place；　of　Matryoshka　the　canteen…woman；　and　so　on。
Nikolay　Rostov；　without　any　idea　of　self…sacrifice；　simply　because　the　war　had　happened　to　break　out　before　he　left　the　service；　took　an　immediate　and　continuous　part　in　the　defence　of　his　country；　and　consequently　he　looked　upon　what　was　happening　in　Russia　without　despair　or　gloomy　prognostications。　If　he　had　been　asked　what　he　thought　of　the　present　position　of　Russia；　he　would　have　said　that　it　was　not　his　business　to　think　about　it；　that　that　was　what　Kutuzov　and　the　rest　of　them　were　for；　but　that　he　had　heard　that　the　regiments　were　being　filled　up　to　their　full　complements；　and　that　they　must　therefore　be　going　to　fight　for　a　good　time　longer；　and　that　under　the　present　circumstances　he　might　pretty　easily　obtain　the　command　of　a　regiment　within　a　couple　of　years。
Since　this　was　his　point　of　view；　it　was　with　no　regret　at　taking　no　part　in　the　approaching　battle；　but　with　the　greatest　satisfaction—which　he　did　not　conceal；　and　his　comrades　fully　understood—that　he　received　the　news　of　his　appointment　to　go　to　Voronezh　to　purchase　remounts　for　his　division。
A　few　days　before　the　battle　of　Borodino；　Nikolay　received　the　sums　of　money　and　official　warrants　required；　and；　sending　some　hussars　on　before　him；　he　drove　with　posting…horses　to　Voronezh。
Only　one　who　has　had　the　same　experience—that　is；　has　spent　several　months　continuously　in　the　atmosphere　of　an　army　in　the　field—can　imagine　the　delight　Nikolay　felt　when　he　got　out　of　the　region　overspread　by　the　troops　with　their　foraging　parties；　trains　of　provisions；　and　hospitals；　when　he　saw　no　more　soldiers；　army　waggons；　and　filthy　traces　of　the　camp；　but　villages　of　peasants　and　peasant　women；　gentlemen’s　country　houses；　fields　with　grazing　oxen；　and　station…houses　and　sleepy　overseers；　he　rejoiced　as　though　he　were　seeing　it　all　for　the　first　time。　What　in　particular　remained　for　a　long　while　a　wonder　and　a　joy　to　him　was　the　sight　of　women；　young　and　healthy；　without　dozens　of　officers　hanging　about　every　one　of　them；　and　women；　too；　who　were　pleased　and　flattered　at　an　officer’s　cracking　jokes　with　them。
In　the　happiest　frame　of　mind；　Nikolay　reached　the　hotel　at　Voronezh　at　night；　ordered　everything　of　which　he　had　so　long　been　deprived　in　the　army；　and　next　day；　after　shaving　with　special　care　and　putting　on　the　full…dress　uniform　he　had　not　worn　for　so　long　past；　he　drove　off　to　present　himself　to　the　authorities。
The　commander　of　the　militia　of　the　district　was　a　civilian　general；　an　old　gentleman；　who　evidently　found　amusement　in　his　military　duties　and　rank。　He　gave　Nikolay　a　brusque　reception　（supposing　that　this　was　the　military　manner）；　and　cross…examining　him　with　an　important　air；　as　though　he　had　a　right　to　do　so；　he　expressed　his　approval　and　disapproval；　as　though　called　upon　to　give　his　verdict　on　the　management　of　the　war。　Nikolay　was　in　such　high　spirits　that　this　only　amused　him。
From　the　commander　of　militia；　he　went　to　the　governor’s。　The　governor　was　a　brisk　little　man；　very　affable　and　unpretentious。　He　mentioned　to　Nikolay　the　stud…farms；　where　he　might　obtain　horses；　recommended　him　to　a　horse…dealer　in　the　town；　and　a　gentleman　living　twenty　versts　from　the　town；　who　had　the　best　horses；　and　promised　him　every　assistance。
“You　are　Count　Ilya　Andreitch’s　son？　My　wife　was　a　great　friend　of　your　mamma’s。　We　receive　on　Thursdays：　to…day　is　Thursday；　pray　come　in；　quite　without　ceremony；”　said　the　governor；　as　he　took　leave　of　him。
Nikolay　took　a　posting　carriage；　and　making　his　quartermaster　get　in　beside　him；　galloped　straight　off　from　the　governor’s　to　the　gentleman　with　the　stud　of　fine　horses　twenty　versts　away。
During　the　early　days　of　his　stay　in　Voronezh；　everything　seemed　easy　and　pleasant　to　Nikolay；　and；　as　is　always　the　case；　when　a　man　is　himself　in　a　happy　frame　of　mind；　everything　went　well　and　prospered　with　him。
The　country　gentleman