战争与和平(上)-第54章

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“Here　in　this　house；”　answered　the　adjutant。
“Well；　is　it　true；　about　the　peace　and　capitulation？”　asked　Nesvitsky。
“I　ask　you。　I　know　nothing　except　that　I　have　had　great　difficulty　in　getting　through　to　you。”
“And　the　things　that　have　been　going　on；　my　boy！　Awful！　I　was　wrong　to　laugh　at　Mack；　there’s　worse　in　store　for　us；”　said　Nesvitsky。　“But　sit　down；　have　something　to　eat。”
“You　won’t　find　your　baggage　or　anything　now；　prince；　and　God　knows　what’s　become　of　your　Pyotr；”　said　the　other　adjutant。
“Where　are　the　headquarters？”
“We　shall　spend　the　night　in　Znaim。”
“Well；　I　got　everything　I　wanted　packed　up　on　two　horses；”　said　Nesvitsky；　“and　capital　packs　they　made　for　me；　fit　to　scamper　as　far　as　the　Bohemian　mountains　at　least。　Things　are　in　a　bad　way；　my　boy。　But；　I　say；　you　must　be　ill；　shivering　like　that？”　Nesvitsky　queried；　noticing　how　Prince　Andrey　shuddered；　as　though　in　contact　with　a　galvanic　battery。
“No；　I’m　all　right；”　answered　Prince　Andrey。　He　had　recalled　at　that　instant　the　incident　with　the　doctor’s　wife　and　the　transport　officer。
“What　is　the　commander…in…chief　doing　here？”　he　asked。
“I　can’t　make　out　anything；”　said　Nesvitsky。
“I　know　one　thing；　that　it’s　all　loathsome；　loathsome；　loathsome；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　and　he　went　into　the　house　where　the　commander…in…chief　was　stopping。
Passing　by　Kutuzov’s　carriage；　the　exhausted　saddle…horses　of　his　suite；　and　the　Cossacks　talking　loudly　together；　Prince　Andrey　went　into　the　outer　room。　Kutuzov　himself　was；　as　Prince　Andrey　had　been　told；　in　the　inner　room　of　the　hut　with　Prince　Bagration　and　Weierother。　The　latter　was　the　Austrian　general；　who　had　taken　Schmidt’s　place。　In　the　outer　room　little　Kozlovsky　was　squatting　on　his　heels　in　front　of　a　copying…clerk。　The　latter　was　sitting　on　a　tub　turned　upside　down；　he　was　writing　rapidly　with　the　cuffs　of　his　uniform　tucked　up。　Kozlovsky’s　face　was　careworn；　he　too　looked　as　if　he　had　not　slept　all　night。　He　glanced　at　Prince　Andrey；　and　did　not　even　nod　to　him。
“The　second　line。…　Ready？”　he　went　on；　dictating　to　the　clerk：　“the　Kiev　Grenadiers；　the　Podolsky　…”
“Don’t　be　in　such　a　hurry；　your　honour；”　the　clerk　answered　rudely　and　angrily；　looking　at　Kozlovsky。　Through　the　door　he　heard　at　that　moment　Kutuzov’s　voice；　eager　and　dissatisfied；　and　other　unfamiliar　voices　interrupting　him。　The　sound　of　those　voices；　the　inattention　with　which　Kozlovsky　glanced　at　him；　the　churlishness　of　the　harassed　clerk；　the　fact　that　the　clerk　and　Kozlovsky　were　sitting　round　a　tub　on　the　floor　at　so　little　distance　from　the　commander…in…chief；　and　that　the　Cossacks　holding　the　horses　laughed　so　loudly　at　the　window—all　made　Prince　Andrey　feel　that　some　grave　calamity　was　hanging　over　them。
Prince　Andrey　turned　to　Kozlovsky　with　urgent　questions。
“In　a　minute；　prince；”　said　Kozlovsky。　“The　disposition　of　Bagration’s　troops…”
“What　about　capitulation？”
“Nothing　of　the　sort；　arrangements　have　been　made　for　a　battle！”
Prince　Andrey　went　towards　the　door　from　which　the　sound　of　voices　came。　But　at　the　moment　when　he　was　going　to　open　the　door；　the　voices　in　the　room　paused；　the　door　opened　of　itself；　and　Kutuzov　with　his　eagle　nose　and　podgy　face　appeared　in　the　doorway。　Prince　Andrey　was　standing　exactly　opposite　Kutuzov；　but　from　the　expression　of　the　commander…in…chief’s　one　seeing　eye　it　was　evident　that　thought　and　anxiety　so　engrossed　him　as　to　veil；　as　it　were；　his　vision。　He　looked　straight　into　his　adjutant’s　face　and　did　not　recognise　him。
“Well；　have　you　finished？”　he　addressed　Kozlovsky。
“In　a　second；　your　Excellency。”
Bagration；　a　short　lean　man；　not　yet　elderly；　with　a　resolute　and　impassive　face　of　oriental　type；　came　out　after　the　commander…in…chief。
“I　have　the　honour　to　report　myself；”　Prince　Andrey　said　for　the　second　time；　rather　loudly；　as　he　handed　Kutuzov　an　envelope。
“Ah；　from　Vienna？　Very　good！　Later；　later！”　Kutuzov　went　out　to　the　steps　with　Bagration。
“Well；　prince；　good…bye；”　he　said　to　Bagration。　“Christ　be　with　you！　May　my　blessing　bring　you　a　great　victory！”　Kutuzov’s　face　suddenly　softened；　and　there　were　tears　in　his　eyes。　With　his　left　arm　he　drew　Bagration　to　him；　while　with　his　right　hand；　on　which　he　wore　a　ring；　he　crossed　him　with　a　gesture　evidently　habitual。　He　offered　him　his　podgy　cheek；　but　Bagration　kissed　him　on　the　neck。　“Christ　be　with　you！”　repeated　Kutuzov；　and　he　went　towards　his　carriage。　“Get　in　with　me；”　he　said　to　Bolkonsky。
“Your　Most　High　Excellency；　I　should　have　liked　to　be　of　use　here。　Allow　me　to　remain　in　Prince　Bagration’s　detachment。”
“Get　in；”　said　Kutuzov；　and　noticing　that　Bolkonsky　still　delayed：　“I　have　need　of　good　officers　myself；　myself。”
They　took　their　seats　in　the　carriage　and　drove　for　some　minutes　in　silence。
“There　is　a　great　deal；　a　great　deal　of　everything　still　before　us；”　he　said；　with　an　expression　of　old…age　clairvoyance；　as　though　he　saw　all　that　was　passing　in　Bolkonsky’s　heart。　“If　one…tenth　part　of　his　detachment　comes　in；　I　shall　thank　God；”　added　Kutuzov；　as　though　talking　to　himself。
Prince　Andrey　glanced　at　Kutuzov；　and　unconsciously　his　eyes　were　caught　by　the　carefully　washed　seams　of　the　scar　on　his　temple；　where　the　bullet　had　gone　through　his　head　at　Ismail；　and　the　empty　eyesocket；　not　a　yard　from　him。　“Yes；　he　has　the　right　to　speak　so　calmly　of　the　destruction　of　these　men；”　thought　Bolkonsky。
“That’s　why　I　ask　you　to　send　me　to　that　detachment；”　he　said。
Kutuzov　made　no　reply。　He　seemed　to　have　forgotten　what　was　said　to　him；　and　sat　plunged　in　thought。　Five　minutes　later；　swaying　easily　in　the　soft　carriage　springs；　Kutuzov　addressed　Prince　Andrey。　There　was　no　trace　of　emotion　on　his　face　now。　With　delicate　irony　he　questioned　Prince　Andrey　about　the　details　of　his　interview　with　the　Emperor；　about　the　comments　he　had　heard　at　Court　on　the　Krems　engagement；　and　about　ladies　of　their　common　acquaintance。


Chapter　14
KUTUZOV　had；　on　the　1st　of　November；　received　from　one　of　his　spies　information　that　showed　the　army　he　commanded　to　be　in　an　almost　hopeless　position。　The　spy　reported　that　the　French；　after　crossing　the　bridge　at　Vienna；　were　moving　in　immense　force　on　Kutuzov’s　line　of　communications　with　the　reinforcements　marching　from　Russia。　If　Kutuzov　were　to　determine　to　remain　at　Krems；　Napoleon’s　army　of　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　men　would　cut　him　off　from　all　communications；　and　would　surround　his　exhausted　army　of　forty　thousand；　and　he　would　find　himself　in　the　position　of　Mack　before　Ulm。　If　Kutuzov　decided　to　leave　the　road　leading　to　a　junction　with　the　Russian　reinforcements；　he　would　have　to　make　his　way　with　no　road　through　unknown　country　to　the　mountains　of　Bohemia；　pursued　by　the　cream　of　the　enemy’s　forces；　and　to　give　up　all　hope　of　effecting　a　junction　with　Buxhevden。　If　Kutuzov　decided　to　march　by　the　road　from　Krems　to　Olm？tz　to　join　the　forces　from　Russia　he　ran　the　risk　of　finding　the　French；　who　had　crossed　the　Vienna　bridge；　in　advance　of　him　on　this　road；　and　so　being　forced　to　give　battle　on　the　march；　encumbered　with　all　his　stores　and　transport；　with　an　enemy　three　times　as　numerous　and　hemming　him　in　on　both　sides。　Kutuzov　chose　the　last　course。
The　French；　after　crossing　the　river；　had；　as　the　spy　reported；　set　off　at　a　quick　march　toward　Znaim；　which　lay　on　Kutuzov’s　line　of　routes　more　than　a　hundred　versts　in　front　of　him。　To　reach　Znaim　before　the　French　offered　the　best　hopes　of　saving　the　army。　To　allow　the　French　to　get　to　Znaim　before　him　would　mean　exposing　the　whole　army　to　a　disgrace　like　that　of　the　Austrians　at　Ulm；　or　to　complete　destruction。　But　to　arrive　there　before　the　French　with　the　whole　army　was　impossible。　The　road　of　the　French　army　from　Vienna　to　Znaim　was　shorter　and　better　than　the　Russians’　road　from　Krems　to　Znaim。
On　the　night　of　receiving　the　news　Kutuzov　sent　Bagration’s　advance　guard　of　four　thousand　soldiers　to　the　right　over　the　mountains　from　the　Krems…Znaim　road　to　the　Vienna　and　Znaim　road。　Bagration　was　to　make　a　forced　march；　to　halt　facing　towards　Vienna　and　with　his　back　to　Znaim；　and　if　he　succeeded　in　getting　on　the　roa