战争与和平(上)-第55章

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he　succeeded　in　getting　on　the　road　in　advance　of　the　French；　he　was　to　delay　them　as　long　as　he　could。　Kutuzov　himself　with　all　the　transport　was　making　straight　for　Znaim。
Bagration　marched　forty…five　versts；　by　night　in　stormy　weather；　through　the　mountains；　with　no　road；　and　with　hungry；　barefoot　soldiers。　Leaving　a　third　of　his　men　straggling　behind　him；　Bagration　reached　Hollabrunn；　on　the　Vienna　and　Znaim　road；　a　few　hours　before　the　French；　who　marched　upon　Hollabrunn　from　Vienna。　Kutuzov　needed　fully　another　twenty…four　hours　to　get　to　Znaim　with　all　the　transport；　and　so　to　save　the　army　Bagration　would　have　had；　with　his　four　thousand　hungry　and　exhausted　soldiers；　to　have　kept　at　bay　the　whole　army　of　the　enemy　confronting　him　at　Hollabrunn　for　four…and…twenty　hours；　and　this　was　obviously　impossible。　But　a　freak　of　fate　made　the　impossible　possible。　The　success　of　the　trick　that　had　given　the　Vienna　bridge　into　the　hands　of　the　French　encouraged　Murat　to　try　and　take　in　Kutuzov　too。　Murat；　on　meeting　Bagration’s　weak　detachment　on　the　Znaim　road；　supposed　it　to　be　the　whole　army　of　Kutuzov。　To　give　this　army　a　final　and　crushing　defeat　he　waited　for　the　troops　still　on　the　road　from　Vienna；　and　to　that　end　he　proposed　a　truce　for　three　days；　on　the　condition　that　neither　army　should　change　its　position　nor　stir　from　where　it　was。　Murat　averred　that　negotiations　for　peace　were　now　proceeding；　and　that　he　proposed　a　truce　therefore　to　avoid　useless　bloodshed。　The　Austrian　general；　Nostits；　who　was　in　charge　of　the　advance　posts；　believed　the　statements　of　Murat’s　messengers　and　retired；　leaving　Bagration’s　detachment　unprotected。　The　other　messengers　rode　off　to　the　Russian　line　to　make　the　same　announcement　about　peace　negotiations；　and　to　propose　a　truce　of　three　days；　to　the　Russian　troops。　Bagration　replied　that　he　was　not　authorised　to　accept　or　to　decline　a　truce；　and　sent　his　adjutant　to　Kutuzov　with　a　report　of　the　proposition　made　to　him。
A　truce　gave　Kutuzov　the　only　possibility　of　gaining　time；　of　letting　Bagration’s　exhausted　forces　rest；　and　of　getting　the　transport　and　heavy　convoys　（the　movement　of　which　was　concealed　from　the　French）　a　further　stage　on　their　journey。　The　offer　of　a　truce　gave　the　one—and　totally　unexpected—chance　of　saving　the　army。　On　receiving　information　of　it；　Kutuzov　promptly　despatched　the　general…adjutant；　Winzengerode；　who　was　with　him；　to　the　enemy’s　camp。　Winzengerode　was　instructed　not　only　to　accept　the　truce；　but　to　propose　terms　of　capitulation；　while　Kutuzov　meanwhile　sent　his　adjutants　back　to　hasten　to　the　utmost　the　transport　of　the　luggage　of　the　whole　army　along　the　Krems　and　Znaim　road。　Bagration’s　hungry　and　exhausted　detachment　alone　was　to　cover　the　movements　of　the　transport　and　of　the　whole　army；　by　remaining　stationary　in　face　of　an　enemy　eight　times　stronger　numerically。
Kutuzov’s　anticipations　were　correct　both　as　to　the　proposals　of　capitulation；　which　bound　him　to　nothing；　giving　time　for　part　of　the　transport　to　reach　Znaim；　and　as　to　Murat’s　blunder　being　very　quickly　discovered。　As　soon　as　Bonaparte；　who　was　at　Sch？nbrunn；　only　twenty…five　versts　from　Hollabrunn；　received　Murat’s　despatch　and　projects　of　truce　and　capitulation；　he　detected　the　deception　and　despatched　the　following　letter　to　Murat：
To　Prince　Murat。
Sch？nbrunn；　25　Brumaire；　year　1805；　
at　8　o’clock　in　the　morning。
“It　is　impossible　to　find　terms　in　which　to　express　to　you　my　displeasure。　You　only　command　my　advance　guard　and　you　have　no　right　to　make　any　truce　without　my　order。　You　are　causing　me　to　lose　the　results　of　a　campaign。　Break　the　truce　immediately　and　march　upon　the　enemy。　You　must　make　a　declaration　to　them　that　the　general　who　signed　this　capitulation　had　no　right　to　do　so；　and　that　only　the　Emperor　of　Russia　has　that　right。
“Whenever　the　Emperor　of　Russia　ratifies　the　aforesaid　convention；　however；　I　will　ratify　it；　but　it　is　only　a　stratagem。　March　on；　destroy　the　Russian　army　…　you　are　in　a　position　to　take　its　baggage　and　artillery。
“The　Emperor　of　Russia’s　aide…de…camp　is　a　…　Officers　are　nothing　when　they　have　not　powers；　this　one　had　none。　…　The　Austrians　let　themselves　be　tricked　about　the　crossing　of　the　bridge　of　Vienna；　you　are　letting　yourself　be　tricked　by　one　of　the　Emperor’s　aides…de…camp。
“NAPOLEON。”
Bonaparte’s　adjutant　dashed　off　at　full　gallop　with　this　menacing　letter　to　Murat。　Not　trusting　his　generals；　Bonaparte　himself　advanced　to　the　field　of　battle　with　his　whole　guard；　fearful　of　letting　the　snared　victim　slip　through　his　fingers。　Meanwhile　the　four　thousand　men　of　Bagration’s　detachment；　merrily　lighting　camp…fires；　dried　and　warmed　themselves；　and　cooked　their　porridge　for　the　first　time　for　three　days；　and　not　one　among　them　knew　or　dreamed　of　what　was　in　store　for　them。


Chapter　15
BEFORE　FOUR　O’CLOCK　in　the　afternoon　Prince　Andrey；　who　had　persisted　in　his　petition　to　Kutuzov；　reached　Grunte；　and　joined　Bagration。　Bonaparte’s　adjutant　had　not　yet　reached　Murat’s　division；　and　the　battle　had　not　yet　begun。　In　Bagration’s　detachment；　they　knew　nothing　of　the　progress　of　events。　They　talked　about　peace；　but　did　not　believe　in　its　possibility。　They　talked　of　a　battle；　but　did　not　believe　in　a　battle’s　being　close　at　hand　either。
Knowing　Bolkonsky　to　be　a　favourite　and　trusted　adjutant；　Bagration　received　him　with　a　commanding　officer’s　special　graciousness　and　condescension。　He　informed　him　that　there　would　probably　be　an　engagement　that　day　or　the　next　day；　and　gave　him　full　liberty　to　remain　in　attendance　on　him　during　the　battle；　or　to　retire　to　the　rear…guard　to　watch　over　the　order　of　the　retreat；　also　a　matter　of　great　importance。
“To…day；　though；　there　will　most　likely　be　no　action；”　said　Bagration；　as　though　to　reassure　Prince　Andrey。
“If　this　is　one　of　the　common　run　of　little　staff　dandies；　sent　here　to　win　a　cross；　he　can　do　that　in　the　rear…guard；　but　if　he　wants　to　be　with　me；　let　him　…　he’ll　be　of　use；　if　he’s　a　brave　officer；”　thought　Bagration。　Prince　Andrey；　without　replying；　asked　the　prince’s　permission　to　ride　round　the　position　and　find　out　the　disposition　of　the　forces；　so　that；　in　case　of　a　message；　he　might　know　where　to　take　it。　An　officer　on　duty；　a　handsome　and　elegantly　dressed　man；　with　a　diamond　ring　on　his　forefinger；　who　spoke　French　badly；　but　with　assurance；　was　summoned　to　conduct　Prince　Andrey。
On　all　sides　they　saw　officers　drenched　through；　with　dejected　faces；　apparently　looking　for　something；　and　soldiers　dragging　doors；　benches；　and　fences　from　the　village。
“Here　we　can’t　put　a　stop　to　these　people；”　said　the　staff…officer；　pointing　to　them。　“Their　commanders　let　their　companies　get　out　of　hand。　And　look　here；”　he　pointed　to　a　canteen…keeper’s　booth；　“they　gather　here；　and　here　they　sit。　I　drove　them　all　out　this　morning；　and　look；　it’s　full　again。　I　must　go　and　scare　them；　prince。　One　moment。”
“Let　us　go　together；　and　I’ll　get　some　bread　and　cheese　there；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　who　had　not　yet　had　time　for　a　meal。
“Why　didn’t　you　mention　it；　prince？　I　would　have　offered　you　something。”
They　got　off　their　horses　and　went　into　the　canteen…keeper’s　booth。　Several　officers；　with　flushed　and　exhausted　faces；　were　sitting　at　the　tables；　eating　and　drinking。
“Now　what　does　this　mean；　gentlemen？”　said　the　staff…officer；　in　the　reproachful　tone　of　a　man　who　has　repeated　the　same　thing　several　times。　“You　mustn’t　absent　yourselves　like　this。　The　prince　gave　orders　that　no　one　was　to　leave　his　post。　Come；　really；　captain；”　he　remonstrated　with　a　muddy；　thin　little　artillery　officer；　who　in　his　stockings　（he　had　given　his　boots　to　the　canteen…keeper　to　dry）　stood　up　at　their　entrance；　smiling　not　quite　naturally。
“Now　aren’t　you　ashamed；　Captain　Tushin？”　pursued　the　staff…officer。　“I　should　have　thought　you　as　an　artillery　officer　ought　to　set　an　example；　and　you　have　no　boots　on。　They’ll　sound　the　alarm；　and　you’ll　be　in　a　pretty　position　without　your　boots　on。”　（The　staff…officer　smiled。）　“Kindly　return　to　your　posts；　gentlemen；　all；　all；”　he　added　in　a　tone　of　authority。
Prince　Andrey　could　not　help　smiling　as　he　glanced　at　Capta