战争与和平(上)-第85章

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痵　how　I　feel；　and　you　do　too。　To　the　health　of　Alexander　the　First！　Hurrah！”
“Hurrah！”　rang　out　the　cheery　voices　of　the　officers。　And　the　old　captain　Kirsten　shouted　no　less　heartily　and　sincerely　than　Rostov；　the　boy　of　twenty。
When　the　officers　had　drunk　the　toast　and　smashed　their　glasses；　Kirsten　filled　some　fresh　ones；　and　in　his　shirt…sleeves　and　riding…breeches　went　out　to　the　soldiers’　camp…fires；　glass　in　hand；　and　waving　his　hand　in　the　air　stood　in　a　majestic　pose；　with　his　long　grey　whiskers　and　his　white　chest　visible　through　the　open　shirt　in　the　light　of　the　camp…fire。
“Lads；　to　the　health　of　our　Sovereign　the　Emperor；　to　victory　over　our　enemies；　hurrah！”　he　roared　in　his　stalwart　old　soldier’s　baritone。　The　hussars　thronged　about　him　and　responded　by　a　loud　shout　in　unison。
Late　at　night；　when　they　had　all　separated；　Denisov　clapped　his　short　hand　on　the　shoulder　of　his　favourite　Rostov。　“To　be　sure　he’d　no　one　to　fall　in　love　with　in　the　field；　so　he’s　fallen　in　love　with　the　Tsar；”　he　said。
“Denisov；　don’t　joke　about　that；”　cried　Rostov；　“it’s　such　a　lofty；　such　a　sublime　feeling；　so…”
“I　believe　you；　I　believe　you；　my　dear；　and　I　share　the　feeling　and　approve…”
“No；　you　don’t　understand！”　And　Rostov　got　up　and　went　out　to　wander　about　among　the　camp…fires；　dreaming　of　what　happiness　it　would　be　to　die—not　saving　the　Emperor’s　life—（of　that　he　did　not　even　dare　to　dream）；　but　simply　to　die　before　the　Emperor’s　eyes。　He　really　was　in　love　with　the　Tsar　and　the　glory　of　the　Russian　arms　and　the　hope　of　coming　victory。　And　he　was　not　the　only　man　who　felt　thus　in　those　memorable　days　that　preceded　the　battle　of　Austerlitz：　nine…tenths　of　the　men　in　the　Russian　army　were　at　that　moment　in　love；　though　less　ecstatically；　with　their　Tsar　and　the　glory　of　the　Russian　arms。


Chapter　11
THE　FOLLOWING　DAY　the　Tsar　stayed　in　Vishau。　His　medical　attendant；　Villier；　was　several　times　summoned　to　him。　At　headquarters　and　among　the　troops　that　were　nearer；　the　news　circulated　that　the　Tsar　was　unwell。　He　was　eating　nothing　and　had　slept　badly　that　night；　so　those　about　him　reported。　The　cause　of　this　indisposition　was　the　too　violent　shock　given　to　the　sensitive　soul　of　the　Tsar　by　the　sight　of　the　killed　and　wounded。
At　dawn　on　the　17th；　a　French　officer　was　conducted　from　our　outposts　into　Vishau。　He　came　under　a　flag　of　truce　to　ask　for　an　interview　with　the　Russian　Emperor。　This　officer　was　Savary。　The　Tsar　had　only　just　fallen　asleep；　and　so　Savary　had　to　wait。　At　midday　he　was　admitted　to　the　Emperor；　and　an　hour　later　he　rode　away　accompanied　by　Prince　Dolgorukov　to　the　outposts　of　the　French　army。　Savary’s　mission　was；　so　it　was　rumoured；　to　propose　a　meeting　between　Alexander　and　Napolean。　A　personal　interview　was；　to　the　pride　and　rejoicing　of　the　whole　army；　refused；　and　instead　of　the　Tsar；　Prince　Dolgorukov；　the　general　victorious　in　the　action　at　Vishau；　was　despatched　with　Savary　to　undertake　negotiations　with　Napoleon；　if　these　negotiations—contrary　to　expectation—were　founded　on　a　real　desire　for　peace。　In　the　evening　Dolgorukov　came　back；　went　straight　to　the　Tsar　and　remained　a　long　while　alone　with　him。
On　the　18th　and　19th　the　troops　moved　forward　two　days’　march；　and　the　enemy’s　outposts；　after　a　brief　interchange　of　shots；　retired。　In　the　higher　departments　of　the　army　an　intense；　bustling　excitement　and　activity　prevailed　from　midday　of　the　19th　till　the　morning　of　the　following　day；　the　20th　of　November；　on　which　was　fought　the　memorable　battle　of　Austerlitz。　Up　to　midday　of　the　19th　the　activity；　the　eager　talk；　the　bustle；　and　the　despatching　of　adjutants　was　confined　to　the　headquarters　of　the　Emperors；　after　midday　the　activity　had　reached　the　headquarters　of　Kutuzov　and　the　staff　of　the　commanding　officers　of　the　columns。　By　evening　this　activity　had　been　carried　by　the　adjutants　in　all　directions　into　every　part　of　the　army；　and　in　the　night　of　the　19th　the　multitude　of　the　eighty　thousands　of　the　allied　army　rose　from　its　halting…place；　and　with　a　hum　of　talk　moved　on；　a　heaving　mass　nine　versts　long。
The　intense　activity　that　had　begun　in　the　morning　in　the　headquarters　of　the　Emperors；　and　had　given　the　impetus　to　all　the　activity　in　remoter　parts；　was　like　the　first　action　in　the　centre　wheel　of　a　great　tower　clock。　Slowly　one　wheel　began　moving；　another　began　turning；　and　a　third；　and　more　and　more　rapidly；　levers；　wheels；　and　blocks　began　to　revolve；　chimes　began　playing；　figures　began　to　pop　out；　and　the　hands　began　moving　rhythmically；　as　a　result　of　that　activity。
Just　as　in　the　mechanism　of　the　clock；　in　the　mechanism　of　the　military　machine　too；　once　the　impetus　was　given；　it　was　carried　on　to　the　last　results；　and　just　as　unsympathetically　stationary　were　the　parts　of　the　machinery　which　the　impulse　had　not　yet　reached。　Wheels　creak　on　their　axles；　and　teeth　bite　into　cogs；　and　blocks　whir　in　rapid　motion；　while　the　next　wheel　stands　as　apathetic　and　motionless　as　though　it　were　ready　to　stand　so　for　a　hundred　years。　But　the　momentum　reaches　it—the　lever　catches；　and　the　wheel；　obeying　the　impulse；　creaks　and　takes　its　share　in　the　common　movement；　the　result　and　aim　of　which　are　beyond　its　ken。
Just　as　in　the　clock；　the　result　of　the　complex　action　of　countless　different　wheels　and　blocks　is　only　the　slow；　regular　movement　of　the　hand　marking　the　time；　so　the　result　of　all　the　complex　human　movement　of　those　160；000　Russians　and　Frenchmen—of　all　the　passions；　hopes；　regrets；　humiliations；　sufferings；　impulses　of　pride；　of　fear；　and　of　enthusiasm　of　those　men—was　only　the　loss　of　the　battle　of　Austerlitz；　the　so…called　battle　of　the　three　Emperors；　that　is；　the　slow　shifting　of　the　registering　hand　on　the　dial　of　the　history　of　mankind。
Prince　Andrey　was　on　duty　that　day；　and　in　close　attendance　on　the　commander…in…chief。　At　six　o’clock　in　the　evening　Kutuzov　visited　the　headquarters　of　the　Emperors；　and　after　a　brief　interview　with　the　Tsar；　went　in　to　see　the　Ober…Hofmarschall　Count　Tolstoy。
Bolkonsky　took　advantage　of　this　interval　to　go　in　to　Dolgorukov　to　try　and　learn　details　about　the　coming　action。　Prince　Andrey　felt　that　Kutuzov　was　disturbed　and　displeased　about　something；　and　that　they　were　displeased　with　him　at　headquarters；　and　that　all　the　persons　at　the　Emperor’s　headquarters　took　the　tone　with　him　of　people　who　knew　something　other　people　are　not　aware　of；　and　for　that　reason　he　wanted　to　have　some　talk　with　Dolgorukov。
“Oh；　good　evening；　my　dear　boy；”　said　Dolgorukov；　who　was　sitting　at　tea　with　Bilibin。　“The　fête’s　for　to…morrow。　How’s　your　old　fellow？　out　of　humour？”
“I　won’t　say　he’s　out　of　humour；　but　I　fancy　he　would　like　to　get　a　hearing。”
“But　he　did　get　a　hearing　at　the　council　of　war；　and　he　will　get　a　hearing　when　he　begins　to　talk　sense。　But　to　delay　and　wait　about　now　when　Bonaparte　fears　a　general　engagement　more　than　anything—is　out　of　the　question。”
“Oh　yes；　you　have　seen　him；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　“Well；　what　did　you　think　of　Bonaparte？　What　impression　did　he　make　on　you？”
“Yes；　I　saw　him；　and　I’m　persuaded　he　fears　a　general　engagement　more　than　anything　in　the　world；”　repeated　Dolgorukov；　who　evidently　attached　great　value　to　this　general　deduction　he　had　made　from　his　interview　with　Napoleon。　“If　he　weren’t　afraid　of　an　engagement　what　reason　has　he　to　ask　for　this　interview；　to　open　negotiations；　and；　above　all；　to　retreat；　when　retreat　is　contrary　to　his　whole　method　of　conducting　warfare？　Believe　me；　he’s　afraid；　afraid　of　a　general　engagement；　his　hour　has　come；　mark　my　words。”
“But　tell　me　what　was　he　like；　how　did　he　behave？”　Prince　Andrey　still　insisted。
“He’s　a　man　in　a　grey　overcoat；　very　anxious　to　be　called　‘your　majesty；’　but　disappointed　at　not　getting　a　title　of　any　kind　out　of　me。　That’s　the　sort　of　man　he　is；　that’s　all；”　answered　Dolgorukov；　looking　round　with　a　smile　at　Bilibin。
“In　spite　of　my　profound　respect　for　old　Kutuzov；”　he　pursued；　“a　pretty　set　of　fools　we　should　be　to　wait　about　and　let　him　have　a　chance　to　get　away　or　cheat　us；　when　as　it　is　he’s　in　our　hands　for　certain。　No；　we　mustn’t　forget　Suvorov　and　his　rule—neve