战争与和平(上)-第52章

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ect　his　ideas。　The　Russian　ambassador　took　him　by　the　shoulder；　led　him　away　to　a　window；　and　began　to　talk　to　him。
Contrary　to　Bilibin’s　prognostications；　the　news　he　brought　was　received　with　rejoicing。　A　thanksgiving　service　was　arranged。　Kutuzov　was　decorated　with　the　great　cross　of　Maria　Theresa；　and　rewards　were　bestowed　on　the　whole　army。　Bolkonsky　received　invitations　on　all　hands；　and　had　to　spend　the　whole　morning　paying　visits　to　the　principal　personages　in　the　Austrian　Government。　After　paying　his　visits；　Prince　Andrey；　at　five　o’clock　in　the　evening；　was　returning　homewards　to　Bilibin’s；　mentally　composing　a　letter　to　his　father　about　the　battle　and　his　reception　at　Br？nn。　At　the　steps　of　Bilibin’s　house　stood　a　cart　packed　half　full　of　things；　and　Franz；　Bilibin’s　servant；　came　out　of　the　doorway；　with　difficulty　dragging　a　travelling…trunk。
Before　going　back　to　Bilibin’s　Prince　Andrey　had　driven　to　a　book…seller’s　to　lay　in　a　stock　of　books　for　the　campaign；　and　had　spent　some　time　in　the　shop。
“What　is　it？”　asked　Bolkonsky。
“Ah；　your　excellency！”　said　Franz；　with　some　exertion　rolling　the　trunk　on　the　cart。　“We　are　to　move　on　still　farther。　The　scoundrel　is　already　at　our　heels　again！”
“Eh？　what？”　queried　Prince　Andrey。
Bilibin　came　out　to　meet　Bolkonsky。　His　ordinarily　composed　face　looked　excited。
“No；　no；　confess　that　this　is　charming；”　he　said；　“this　story　of　the　bridge　of　Tabor。　They　have　crossed　it　without　striking　a　blow。”
Prince　Andrey　could　not　understand。
“Why；　where　do　you　come　from　not　to　know　what　every　coachman　in　the　town　knows　by　now？”
“I　come　from　the　archduchess。　I　heard　nothing　there。”
“And　didn’t　you　see　that　people　are　packing　up　everywhere？”
“I　have　seen　nothing　…　But　what’s　the　matter？”　Prince　Andrey　asked　impatiently。
“What’s　the　matter？　The　matter　is　that　the　French　have　crossed　the　bridge　that　Auersperg　was　defending；　and　they　haven’t　blown　up　the　bridge；　so　that　Murat　is　at　this　moment　running　along　the　road　to　Br？nn；　and　to…day　or　to…morrow　they’ll　be　here。”
“Here？　But　how　is　it　the　bridge　wasn’t　blown　up；　since　it　was　mined？”
“Why；　that’s　what　I　ask　you。　No　one—not　Bonaparte　himself—can　tell　why。”　Bolkonsky　shrugged　his　shoulders。
“But　if　they　have　crossed　the　bridge；　then　it　will　be　all　over　with　the　army；　it　will　be　cut　off；”　he　said。
“That’s　the　whole　point；”　answered　Bilibin。　“Listen。　The　French　enter　Vienna；　as　I　told　you。　Everything　is　satisfactory。　Next　day；　that　is　yesterday；　Messieurs　les　Maréchaux；　Murat；　Lannes；　and　Beliard　get　on　their　horses　and　ride　off　to　the　bridge。　（Remark　that　all　three　are　Gascons。）　‘Gentlemen；’　says　one；　‘you　know　that　the　Tabor　bridge　has　been　mined　and　countermined；　and　is　protected　by　a　formidable　fortification　and　fifteen　thousand　troops；　who　have　orders　to　blow　up　the　bridge　and　not　to　let　us　pass。　But　our　gracious　Emperor　Napoleon　will　be　pleased　if　we　take　the　bridge。　Let　us　go　us　there　and　take　it。’　‘Yes；　let　us　go；’　say　the　others；　and　they　start　off　and　take　the　bridge；　cross　it；　and　now　with　their　whole　army　on　this　side　of　the　Danube；　they　are　coming　straight　upon　us；　and　upon　you　and　your　communications。”
“Leave　off　jesting；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　with　mournful　seriousness。　The　news　grieved　Prince　Andrey；　and　yet　it　gave　him　pleasure。　As　soon　as　he　heard　that　the　Russian　army　was　in　such　a　hopeless　position；　the　idea　struck　him　that　he　was　the　very　man　destined　to　extricate　the　Russian　army　from　that　position；　and　that　it　had　come—the　Toulon—that　would　lift　him　for　ever　from　out　of　the　ranks　of　unknown　officers；　and　open　the　first　path　to　glory　for　him！　As　he　listened　to　Bilibin；　he　was　already　considering　how；　on　reaching　the　army；　he　would；　at　a　council　of　war；　give　the　opinion　that　alone　could　save　the　army；　and　how　he　would　be　entrusted　alone　to　execute　the　plan。
“Leave　off　joking；”　he　said。
“I’m　not　joking；”　Bilibin　went　on。　“Nothing　could　be　more　truthful　or　more　melancholy。　These　three　gentlemen　advance　to　the　bridge　alone　and　wave　white　handkerchiefs；　they　declare　that　it’s　a　truce；　and　that　they；　the　marshals；　are　come　for　a　parley　with　Prince　Auersperg。　The　officer　on　duty　lets　them　into　the　tête　du　pont。　They　tell　him　a　thousand　Gascon　absurdities；　say　that　the　war　is　over；　that　Emperor　Francis　has　arranged　a　meeting　with　Bonaparte；　that　they　desire　to　see　Prince　Auersperg；　and　so　on。　The　officer　sends　for　Auersperg。　These　Gascon　gentlemen　embrace　the　officers；　make　jokes；　and　sit　about　on　the　cannons；　while　a　French　battalion　meantime　advances　unnoticed　on　the　bridge；　flings　the　sacks　of　inflammable　material　into　the　river；　and　marches　up　to　the　tête　du　pont。　Finally　the　lieutenant…general　himself　appears；　our　dear　Prince　Auersperg　von　Mautern。　‘My　dear　enemy！　Flower　of　Austrian　chivalry！　hero　of　the　Turkish　war！　Hostility　is　at　end；　we　can　take　each　other’s　hands　…　the　Emperor　Napoleon　burns　with　impatience　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　Prince　Auersperg。’　In　a　word；　these　gentlemen—not　Gascons　for　nothing—so　bewilder　Auersperg　with　fair　words—he　is　so　flattered　at　this　speedy　intimacy　with　French　marshals；　so　dazzled　by　the　spectacle　of　their　cloaks；　and　of　the　ostrich　feathers　of　Murat—that　their　fire　gets　into　his　eyes　and　makes　him　forget　that　he　ought　to　be　firing　on　the　enemy”　（in　spite　of　the　interest　of　his　story；　Bilibin　did　not　omit　to　pause　after　this　mot；　to　give　time　for　its　appreciation）。　“A　French　battalion　runs　into　the　tête　du　pont；　spikes　the　cannons；　and　the　bridge　is　taken。　No；　but　really　the　best　part　of　the　whole　episode；”　he　went　on；　his　excitement　subsiding　under　the　interest　of　his　own　story；　“is　that　the　sergeant　in　charge　of　the　cannon　which　was　to　give　the　signal　for　firing　the　mines　and　blowing　up　the　bridge；　this　sergeant　seeing　the　French　troops　running　on　to　the　bridge　wanted　to　fire；　but　Lannes　pulled　his　arm　away。　The　sergeant；　who　seems　to　have　been　sharper　than　his　general；　goes　up　to　Auersperg　and　says：　‘Prince；　they’re　deceiving　you；　here　are　the　French！’　Murat　sees　the　game　is　up　if　he　lets　the　sergeant　have　his　say。　With　an　affectation　of　surprise　（a　true　Gascon！）　he　addresses　Auersperg：　‘Is　this　the　Austrian　discipline　so　highly　extolled　all　over　the　world；’　says　he；　‘do　you　let　a　man　of　low　rank　speak　to　you　like　this？’　It　was　a　stroke　of　genius。　The　Prince　of　Auersperg　is　touched　in　his　honour　and　has　the　sergeant　put　under　arrest。　No；　but　confess　that　all　this　story　of　the　bridge　of　Tabor　is　charming。　It　is　neither　stupidity；　nor　cowardice　…”
“It　is　treason；　perhaps；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　vividly　picturing　to　himself　grey　overcoats；　wounds；　the　smoke　and　sound　of　firing；　and　the　glory　awaiting　him。
“Not　that　either。　This　puts　the　court　into　a　pretty　pickle；”　pursued　Bilibin。　“It　is　not　treason；　nor　cowardice；　nor　stupidity；　it　is　just　as　it　was　at　Ulm　…”　He　seemed　to　ponder；　seeking　the　phrase；　“it　is　…　c’est　du　Mack。　Nous　sommes　mackés；”　he　said；　feeling　he　was　uttering　un　mot；　and　a　fresh　one；　one　that　would　be　repeated。　His　creased…up　brows　let　the　puckers　smooth　out　quickly　in　sign　of　satisfaction；　and　with　a　faint　smile　he　fell　to　scrutinizing　his　finger…nails。
“Where　are　you　off　to？”　he　said；　suddenly　turning　to　Prince　Andrey；　who　had　got　up　and　was　going　to　his　room。
“I　must　start。”
“Where　to？”
“To　the　army。”
“But　you　meant　to　stay　another　two　days？”
“But　now　I　am　going　at　once”；　and　Prince　Andrey；　after　a　few　words　arranging　about　his　journey；　went　to　his　room。
“Do　you　know；　my　dear　boy；”　said　Bilibin；　coming　into　his　room；　“I　have　been　thinking　about　you。　What　are　you　going　for？”　And　in　support　of　the　irrefutability　of　his　arguments　on　the　subject；　all　the　creases　ran　off　his　face。
Prince　Andrey　looked　inquiringly　at　him　and　made　no　reply。
“Why　are　you　going？　I　know　you　consider　that　it’s　your　duty　to　gallop　off　to　the　army　now　that　the　army　is　in　danger。　I　understand　that；　my　boy；　it’s　heroism。”
“Nothing　of　the　kind；”　said　Prince　Andrey。
“But　you　are　un　philosophe；　be　one　fully；　look　at　things　from　the　other　side；　and　you　will　see　that　it　is　your　duty；　on　the　contrary；　to　take　care　of　yourself。　Leave　that　to　others　who　are　n