战争与和平(上)-第340章

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l　discussion　with　M。　Fenn；　proves　that　the　composition　of　this　work　of　genius　is　to　be　referred；　not　to　the　4th；　but　to　the　15th　of　October—that　plan　never　was　and　never　could　be　put　into　execution；　because　it　had　nothing　in　common　with　the　actual　facts　of　the　position。　The　fortification　of　the　Kremlin；　for　which　it　was　necessary　to　pull　down　la　Mosquée　（as　Napoleon　called　the　church　of　Vassily　the　Blessed）　turned　out　to　be　perfectly　useless。　The　mining　of　the　Kremlin　was　only　of　use　for　carrying　out　the　desire　the　Emperor　expressed　on　leaving　Moscow；　to　blow　up　the　Kremlin；　like　a　child　that　beats　the　floor　against　which　it　has　hurt　itself。　The　pursuit　of　the　Russian　army；　on　which　Napoleon　laid　so　much　stress；　led　to　an　unheard…of　result。　The　French　generals　lost　sight　of　the　sixty　thousand　men　of　the　Russian　army；　and　it　was　only；　in　the　words　of　Thiers；　thanks　to　the　skill；　and　apparently　also　the　genius；　of　Murat　that　they　succeeded　at　last　in　finding；　like　a　lost　pin；　this　army　of　sixty　thousand　men。
On　the　diplomatic　side；　all　Napoleon’s　expositions　of　his　magnanimity　and　justice；　both　to　Tutolmin　and　to　Yakovlev　（the　latter　was　principally　interested　in　finding　himself　a　great…coat　and　a　conveyance　for　travelling）　turned　out　to　be　fruitless。　Alexander　would　not　receive　these　envoys；　and　made　no　reply　to　the　message　they　brought。
On　the　side　of　law；　of　order；　after　the　execution　of　the　supposed　incendiaries；　the　other　half　of　Moscow　was　burnt　down。
The　establishment　of　a　municipal　council　did　not　check　pillage；　and　was　no　benefit　to　any　one　but　the　few　persons；　who　were　members　of　it；　and　were　able　on　the　pretext　of　preserving　order　to　plunder　Moscow　on　their　own　account；　or　to　save　their　own　property　from　being　plundered。
On　the　religious　side；　the　difficulty　had　so　easily　been　settled　by　Napoleon’s　visit　to　a　mosque　in　Egypt；　but　here　similar　measures　led　to　no　results　whatever。　Two　or　three　priests；　picked　up　in　Moscow；　did　attempt　to　carry　out　Napoleon’s　desire；　but　one　of　them　was　slapped　in　the　face　by　a　French　soldier　during　the　service；　and　in　regard　to　the　other；　the　following　report　was　made　by　a　French　official：　“The　priest；　whom　I　had　discovered　and　invited　to　resume　saying　the　Mass；　cleaned　and　closed　the　church。　In　the　night　they　came　again　to　break　in　the　doors；　break　the　padlocks；　tear　the　books；　and　commit　other　disorders。”
As　for　the　encouragement　of　commerce；　the　proclamation　to　“industrious　artisans　and　peasants；”　met　with　no　response　at　all。　Industrious　artisans　there　were　none　in　Moscow；　and　the　peasants　set　upon　the　messengers　who　ventured　too　far　from　the　town　with　this　proclamation　and　killed　them。
The　attempts　to　entertain　the　people　and　the　troops　with　theatres　were　equally　unsuccessful。　The　theatres　set　up　in　the　Kremlin　and　Poznyakov’s　house　were　closed　again　immediately；　because　the　actors　and　actresses　were　stripped　of　their　belongings　by　the　soldiers。
Even　philanthropy　did　not　bring　the　desired　results。　Moscow　was　full　of　paper　money；　genuine　and　counterfeit；　and　the　notes　had　no　value。　The　French；　accumulating　booty；　cared　for　nothing　but　gold。　The　counterfeit　notes；　which　Napoleon　so　generously　bestowed　on　the　unfortunate；　were　of　no　value；　and　even　silver　fell　below　its　standard　value　in　relation　to　gold。
But　the　most　striking　example　of　the　ineffectiveness　of　all　efforts　made　by　the　authorities　was　Napoleon’s　vain　endeavour　to　check　plunder；　and　to　maintain　discipline。
Here　are　reports　sent　in　by　the　military　authorities：
“Pillage　continues　in　the　city；　in　spite　of　the　orders　to　stop　it。　Order　is　not　yet　restored；　and　there　is　not　a　single　merchant　carrying　on　trade　in　a　lawful　fashion。　But　the　canteen…keepers　permit　themselves　to　sell　the　fruits　of　pillage。
“Part　of　my　district　continues　to　be　a　prey　to　the　pillaging　of　the　soldiers　of　the　3rd　corps　who；　not　satisfied　with　tearing　from　the　poor　wretches；　who　have　taken　refuge　in　the　underground　cellars；　the　little　they　have　left；　have　even　the　ferocity　to　wound　them　with　sword…cuts；　as　I　have　seen　in　several　instances。
“Nothing　new；　but　that　the　soldiers　give　themselves　up　to　robbery　and　plunder。　October　9th。
“Robbery　and　pillage　continue。　There　is　a　band　of　robbers　in　our　district；　which　would　need　strong　guards　to　arrest　it。　October　11th。
“The　Emperor　is　exceedingly　displeased　that；　in　spite　of　the　strict　orders　to　stop　pillage；　bands　of　marauders　from　the　guards　are　continually　returning　to　the　Kremlin。　In　the　Old　Guards；　the　disorder　and　pillaging　have　been　more　violent　than　ever　last　night　and　to…day。　The　Emperor　sees；　with　regret；　that　the　picked　soldiers；　appointed　to　guard　his　person；　who　should　set　an　example　to　the　rest；　are　losing　discipline　to　such　a　degree　as　to　break　into　the　cellars　and　stores　prepared　for　the　army。　Others　are　so　degraded　that　they　refuse　to　obey　sentinels　and　officers　on　guard；　abuse　them；　and　strike　them。
“The　chief　marshal　of　the　palace　complains　bitterly　that；　in　spite　of　repeated　prohibitions；　the　soldiers　continue　to　commit　nuisances　in　all　the　courtyards；　and　even　before　the　Emperor’s　own　windows。”
The　army；　like　a　herd　of　cattle　run　wild；　and　trampling　underfoot　the　fodder　that　might　have　saved　them　from　starvation；　was　falling　to　pieces；　and　getting　nearer　to　its　ruin　with　every　day　it　remained　in　Moscow。
But　it　did　not　move。
It　only　started　running　when　it　was　seized　by　panic　fear　at　the　capture　of　a　transport　on　the　Smolensk　road　and　the　battle　of　Tarutino。　The　news　of　the　battle　of　Tarutino　reached　Napoleon　unexpectedly　in　the　middle　of　a　review；　and　aroused　in　him—so　Thiers　tells　us—a　desire　to　punish　the　Russians；　and　he　gave　the　order　for　departure　that　all　the　army　was　clamouring　for。
In　their　flight　from　Moscow；　the　soldiers　carried　with　them　all　the　plunder　they　had　collected。　Napoleon；　too；　carried　off　his　own　private　trésor。　Seeing　the　great　train　of　waggons；　loaded　with　the　booty　of　the　army；　Napoleon　was　alarmed　（as　Thiers　tells　us）。　But　with　his　military　experience；　he　did　not　order　all　unnecessary　waggons　of　goods　to　be　burnt；　as　he　had　done　with　a　marshal’s　baggage　on　the　way　to　Moscow。　He　gazed　at　those　carts　and　carriages；　filled　with　soldiers；　and　said　that　it　was　very　well；　that　those　conveyances　would　come　in　useful　for　provisions；　the　sick；　and　the　wounded。
The　plight　of　the　army　was　like　the　plight　of　a　wounded　beast；　that　feels　its　death　at　hand；　and　knows　not　what　it　is　doing。　Studying　the　intricate　man？uvres　and　schemes　of　Napoleon　and　his　army　from　the　time　of　entering　Moscow　up　to　the　time　of　the　destruction　of　that　army　is　much　like　watching　the　death　struggles　and　convulsions　of　a　beast　mortally　wounded。　Very　often　the　wounded　creature；　hearing　a　stir；　rushes　to　meet　the　hunter’s　shot；　runs　forward　and　back　again；　and　itself　hastens　its　end。　Napoleon　under　the　pressure　of　his　army　did　likewise。　Panic…stricken　at　the　rumour　of　the　battle　of　Tarutino；　like　a　wild　beast；　the　army　made　a　rush　towards　the　shot；　reached　the　hunter；　and　ran　back　again；　and　at　last；　like　every　wild　creature　took　the　old　familiar　track；　that　was　the　worst　and　most　disastrous　way　for　it。
Napoleon　is　represented　to　us　as　the　leader　in　all　this　movement；　just　as　the　figurehead　in　the　prow　of　a　ship　to　the　savage　seems　the　force　that　guides　the　ship　on　its　course。　Napoleon　in　his　activity　all　this　time　was　like　a　child；　sitting　in　a　carriage；　pulling　the　straps　within　it；　and　fancying　he　is　moving　it　along。


Chapter　11
EARLY　in　the　morning　of　the　6th　of　October；　Pierre　came　out　of　the　shed；　and　when　he　went　back；　he　stood　in　the　doorway；　playing　with　the　long　bandy…legged；　purplish…grey　dog；　that　jumped　about　him。　This　dog　lived　in　their　shed；　sleeping　with　Karataev；　though　it　sometimes　went　off　on　its　own　account　into　the　town；　and　came　back　again。　It　had　probably　never　belonged　to　any　one；　and　now　it　had　no　master；　and　no　name。　The　French　called　it　Azor；　the　soldier　who　told　stories　called　it　Femgalka；　Karataev　called　it　“Grey…coat；”　and　sometimes　“Floppy。”　The　lack　of　a　master；　of　a　name；　of　any　particular　breed；　and　even　of　a　definite　colour；　by　no　means　troubled　the　purplish…grey　dog。　Its　fluffy　tail　stood　up　firm　and　round　like　a　plume；　its　b