战争与和平(上)-第371章

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The　more　precipitate　the　flight　of　the　French；　and　the　more　wretched　the　plight　of　those　left　behind　（especially　after　Berezina；　on　which　great　hopes　had　been　set；　owing　to　the　Petersburg　plan）；　the　more　violent　were　the　attacks　made　by　the　Russian　generals　on　one　another；　and　still　more　on　Kutuzov。　Assuming　that　the　failure　of　the　Petersburg　plan　would　be　ascribed　to　him；　the　dissatisfaction　with　him；　contempt　of　him；　and　jeering　at　him　became　more　and　more　pronounced。　This　contempt　and　jeering　was　of　course　expressed　in　respectful　form—in　such　a　form　that　Kutuzov　could　not　even　ask　what　he　was　accused　of。　They　did　not　talk　to　him　seriously；　they　submitted　their　reports　and　asked　for　his　decisions　with　an　air　of　performing　a　melancholy　ceremony；　while　they　winked　behind　his　back；　and　at　every　step　tried　to　deceive　him。　It　was　accepted　as　a　recognised　thing　by　all　those　men　that　it　was　useless　talking　to　the　old　man；　simply　because　they　could　not　understand　him。　They　took　it　for　granted　that　he　could　never　comprehend　the　deep　significance　of　their　plans；　that　he　would　answer　them　with　his　phrases　（they　fancied　they　were　only　meaningless　phrases）　about　a　golden　bridge；　and　about　the　impossibility　of　going　beyond　the　frontier　with　a　crowd　of　barefoot　beggars。　And　everything　he　said—for　instance；　that　they　must　wait　for　provisions；　or　that　the　men　had　no　boots—all　was　so　simple；　while　everything　they　proposed　was　so　complicated　and　so　clever；　that　it　was　obvious　to　them　that　he　was　stupid　and　in　his　dotage；　while　they　were　military　officers　of　genius；　without　authority　to　take　the　lead。　The　dissatisfaction　and　malicious　gossip　of　the　staff　reached　its　utmost　limits　after　the　brilliant　admiral；　the　favourite　hero　of　Petersburg；　Wittgenstein；　had　joined　the　army。　Kutuzov　saw　it；　and　simply　sighed　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。　Only　once；　after　Berezina；　he　lost　his　temper　and　wrote　to　Bennigsen；　who　was　in　private　correspondence　with　the　Tsar；　the　following　note：
“I　beg　your　Most　High　Excellency　on　the　receipt　of　this　letter　to　retire　to　Kaluga；　on　account　of　your　attacks　of　ill…health；　and　there　to　await　the　further　commands　of　His　Majesty　the　Emperor。”
But　this　dismissal　of　Bennigsen　was　followed　by　the　arrival　on　the　scene　of　the　Grand　Duke　Konstantin　Pavlovitch；　who　had　received　a　command　at　the　beginning　of　the　campaign　and　had　been　removed　from　the　army　by　Kutuzov。　Now　the　Grand　Duke　on　rejoining　the　army　informed　Kutuzov　of　the　Tsar’s　dissatisfaction　at　the　poor　successes　of　our　troops；　and　the　slowness　of　their　progress。　The　Tsar　himself　intended　to　be　with　the　army　in　a　few　days。
The　old　man；　as　experienced　in　court　methods　as　in　warfare—who　in　the　August　of　that　year　had　been　chosen　commander…in…chief　against　the　Tsar’s　will；　who　had　dismissed　the　Grand　Duke　and　heir…apparent　from　the　army；　and　acting　on　his　own　authority；　in　opposition　to　the　Tsar’s　will；　had　decreed　the　abandonment　of　Moscow—understood　at　once　now　that　his　day　was　over；　that　his　part　was　played　out；　and　that　his　supposed　power　was　no　more。　And　not　only　from　the　attitude　of　the　court　did　he　see　this。　On　one　side　he　saw　the　war—that　war　in　which　he　had　played　his　part—was　over；　and　he　felt　that　his　work　was　done。　On　the　other　hand；　at　this　very　time；　he　began　to　be　sensible　of　the　physical　weariness　of　his　aged　frame；　and　the　necessity　of　physical　rest。
On　the　29th　of　November；　Kutuzov　reached　Vilna—his　dear　Vilna；　as　he　used　to　call　it。　Twice　during　his　military　career　he　had　been　governor　of　Vilna。
In　that　wealthy　town；　which　had　escaped　injury；　Kutuzov　found　old　friends　and　old　associations；　as　well　as　the　comforts　of　which　he　had　been　so　long　deprived。　And　at　once　turning　his　back　on　all　military　and　political　cares；　he　plunged　into　the　quiet　routine　of　his　accustomed　life；　so　far　as　the　passions　raging　all　round　him　would　permit。　It　was　as　though　all　that　was　being　done；　and　had　still　to　be　done；　in　the　world　of　history；　was　no　concern　of　his　now。
Tchitchagov　was　one　of　the　generals　most　zealous　in　advocating　attack　and　cutting　off　the　enemy’s　retreat；　he　had　at　first　suggested　making　a　diversion　in　Greece　and　then　in　Warsaw；　but　was　never　willing　to　go　where　he　was　commanded　to　go。　Tchitchagov；　who　was　notorious　for　the　boldness　of　his　remarks　to　the　Tsar；　considered　Kutuzov　was　under　an　obligation　to　him；　because　when　he　had　been　sent　in　1811　to　conclude　peace　with　Turkey　over　Kutuzov’s　head；　and　found　on　arriving　that　peace　had　already　been　concluded；　he　had　frankly　admitted　to　the　Tsar　that　the　credit　of　having　concluded　peace　belonged　to　Kutuzov。
This　Tchitchagov　was　the　first　to　meet　Kutuzov　at　Vilna；　at　the　castles　where　the　latter　was　to　stay。　Wearing　a　naval　uniform　with　a　dirk；　and　holding　his　forage　cap　under　his　arm；　he　handed　the　commander…in…chief　the　military　report　and　the　keys　of　the　town。　The　contemptuously　respectful　attitude　of　youth　to　old　age　in　its　dotage　was　expressed　in　the　most　marked　manner　in　all　the　behaviour　of　Tchitchagov；　who　was　aware　of　the　disfavour　into　which　Kutuzov　had　fallen。
In　conversation　with　Tchitchagov；　Kutuzov　happened　to　say　that　his　carriages；　packed　with　china；　that　had　been　carried　off　by　the　enemy　at　Borisovo；　had　been　recovered　unhurt；　and　would　be　restored　to　him。
“You　mean　to　say　I　have　nothing　to　eat　out　of？　On　the　contrary；　I　can　provide　everything　for　you；　even　if　you　want　to　give　dinner…parties；”　Tchitchagov　protested；　getting　hot。　Every　word　he　had　uttered　had　been　with　the　motive　of　proving　his　own　rectitude；　and　so　he　imagined　that　Kutuzov　too　was　preoccupied　with　the　same　desire。　Shrugging　his　shoulders　and　smiling　his　subtle；　penetrating　smile；　Kutuzov　answered：
“I　mean　to　say　to　you　what　I　do　say　to　you。　Nothing　more。”
In　opposition　to　the　Tsar’s　wishes；　Kutuzov　kept　the　greater　part　of　the　troops　in　Vilna。　He　was　said　by　all　the　persons　about　him　to　be　getting　much　weaker；　and　breaking　down　physically　during　his　stay　in　Vilna。　He　took　no　interest　in　the　business　of　the　army；　left　everything　to　his　generals；　and　spent　the　time　of　waiting　for　the　Tsar　in　social　dissipation。
The　Tsar；　with　his　suite—Count　Tolstoy；　Prince　Volkonsky；　Araktcheev；　and　the　rest—left　Petersburg　on　the　7th　of　December；　and　reached　Vilna　on　the　11th；　and　drove　straight　up　to　the　castle　in　his　travelling　sledge。　In　spite　of　the　intense　cold　there　were　some　hundred　generals　and　staff…officers　in　full　parade　uniform；　and　a　guard　of　honour　of　the　Semyonovsky　regiment　standing　before　the　castle。
A　courier；　galloping　up　to　the　castle　with　steaming　horses　in　advance　of　the　Tsar；　shouted：　“He　is　coming！”
Konovnitsyn　rushed　into　the　vestibule　to　inform　Kutuzov；　who　was　waiting　in　the　porter’s　little　room　within。
A　minute　later　the　big；　heavy　figure　of　the　old　man　in　full　parade　uniform；　his　breast　covered　with　orders；　and　a　scarf　drawn　tight　about　his　bulky　person；　walked　with　a　rolling　gait　on　to　the　steps。　He　put　his　cocked　hat　on；　with　the　flat　side　foremost；　took　his　gloves　in　his　hand；　and　going　sideways　with　difficulty　down　the　steps；　took　in　his　hand　the　report；　that　had　been　prepared　to　give　the　Tsar。
Bustle　and　hurry　and　whispering；　another　set　of　three　horses　dashing　furiously　up；　and　all　eyes　were　turned　on　the　approaching　sledge；　in　which　the　figures　of　the　Tsar　and　Volkonsky　could　already　be　distinguished。
From　the　habit　of　fifty　years；　all　this　had　a　physically　agitating　effect　on　the　old　man。　He　felt　himself　over　with　nervous　haste；　set　his　hat　straight；　and　pulling　himself　together　and　standing　erect　at　the　very　moment　when　the　Tsar　stepping　out　of　the　sledge；　turned　his　eyes　upon　him；　he　handed　him　the　report；　and　began　speaking　in　his　measured；　ingratiating　voice。
The　Tsar　scanned　Kutuzov　from　head　to　foot　in　a　rapid　glance；　frowned　for　an　instant；　but　at　once　overcoming　his　feelings；　went　up　to　him；　and　opening　his　arms；　embraced　the　old　general。　Again；　through　old　habitual　association　of　ideas；　arousing　some　deep　feeling　in　his　own　heart；　this　embrace　had　its　usual　effect　on　Kutuzov：　he　gave　a　sob。
The　Tsar　greeted　the　officers　and　the　Semyonovsky　guard　of　honour；　and　once　more　shaking　hands　with　the　old　man；　he　went　with　him　into　the　castle。
When　he　was　alone　with　the