战争与和平(上)-第87章

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　that　significant　glance　it　was　impossible　to　tell　whether　he　agreed　or　disagreed；　was　pleased　or　displeased；　at　the　arrangements。　Next　to　Weierother　sat　Count　Langeron；　with　a　subtle　smile　that　never　left　his　Southern　French　face　during　the　reading；　he　gazed　at　his　delicate　fingers　as　he　twisted　round　a　golden　snuff…box　with　a　portrait　on　it。　In　the　middle　of　one　of　the　lengthy　paragraphs　he　stopped　the　rotatory　motion　of　the　snuff…box；　lifted　his　head；　and　with　hostile　courtesy　lurking　in　the　corners　of　his　thin　lips；　interrupted　Weierother　and　would　have　said　something。　But　the　Austrian　general；　continuing　to　read；　frowned　angrily　with　a　motion　of　the　elbows　that　seemed　to　say：　“Later；　later；　you　shall　give　your　opinion；　now　be　so　good　as　to　look　at　the　map　and　listen。”　Langeron　turned　up　his　eyes　with　a　look　of　bewilderment；　looked　round　at　Miloradovitch；　as　though　seeking　enlightenment；　but　meeting　the　significant　gaze　of　Miloradovitch；　that　signified　nothing；　he　dropped　his　eyes　dejectedly；　and　fell　to　twisting　his　snuff…box　again。
“A　geography　lesson；”　he　murmured　as　though　to　himself；　but　loud　enough　to　be　heard。
Przhebyshevsky；　with　respectful　but　dignified　courtesy；　put　his　hand　up　to　his　ear　on　the　side　nearest　Weierother；　with　the　air　of　a　man　absorbed　in　attention。　Dohturov；　a　little　man；　sat　opposite　Weierother　with　a　studious　and　modest　look　on　his　face。　Bending　over　the　map；　he　was　conscientiously　studying　the　arrangement　of　the　troops　and　the　unfamiliar　locality。　Several　times　he　asked　Weierother　to　repeat　words　and　difficult　names　of　villages　that　he　had　not　caught。　Weierother　did　so；　and　Dohturov　made　a　note　of　them。
When　the　reading；　which　lasted　more　than　an　hour；　was　over；　Langeron；　stopping　his　twisting　snuff…box；　began　to　speak　without　looking　at　Weierother　or　any　one　in　particular。　He　pointed　out　how　difficult　it　was　to　carry　out　such　a　disposition；　in　which　the　enemy’s　position　was　assumed　to　be　known；　when　it　might　well　be　uncertain　seeing　that　the　enemy　was　in　movement。　Langeron’s　objections　were　well　founded；　yet　it　was　evident　that　their　principal　object　was　to　make　Weierother；　who　had　read　his　plans　so　conceitedly；　as　though　to　a　lot　of　schoolboys；　feel　that　he　had　to　deal　not　with　fools；　but　with　men　who　could　teach　him　something　in　military　matters。
When　the　monotonous　sound　of　Weierother’s　voice　ceased；　Kutuzov　opened　his　eyes；　as　the　miller　wakes　up　at　any　interruption　in　the　droning　of　the　mill…wheels；　listened　to　what　Langeron　was　saying；　and　as　though　saying　to　himself：　“Oh；　you’re　still　at　the　same　nonsense！”　made　haste　to　close　his　eyes　again；　and　let　his　head　sink　still　lower。
Langeron；　trying　to　deal　the　most　malignant　thrusts　possible　at　Weierother’s　military　vanity　as　author　of　the　plan；　showed　that　Bonaparte　might　easily　become　the　attacking　party　instead　of　waiting　to　be　attacked；　and　so　render　all　this　plan　of　the　disposition　of　the　troops　utterly　futile。　Weierother　met　all　objections　with　a　confident　and　contemptuous　smile；　obviously　prepared　beforehand　for　every　objection；　regardless　of　what　they　might　say　to　him。
“If　he　could　have　attacked　us；　he　would　have　done　so　to…day；”　he　said。
“You　suppose　him；　then；　to　be　powerless？”　said　Langeron。
“I　doubt　if　he　has　as　much　as　forty　thousand　troops；”　answered　Weierother　with　the　smile　of　a　doctor　to　whom　the　sick…nurse　is　trying　to　expound　her　own　method　of　treatment。
“In　that　case；　he　is　going　to　meet　his　ruin　in　awaiting　our　attack；”　said　Langeron　with　a　subtle；　ironical　smile；　looking　round　again　for　support　to　Miloradovitch　near　him。　But　Miloradovitch　was　obviously　thinking　at　that　instant　of　anything　in　the　world　rather　than　the　matter　in　dispute　between　the　generals。
“Ma　foi；”　he　said；　“to…morrow　we　shall　see　all　that　on　the　field　of　battle。”
Weierother　smiled　again；　a　smile　that　said　that　it　was　comic　and　queer　for　him　to　meet　with　objections　from　Russian　generals　and　to　have　to　give　proofs　to　confirm　what　he　was　not　simply　himself　convinced　of；　but　had　thoroughly　convinced　their　majesties　the　Emperors　of　too。
“The　enemy　have　extinguished　their　fires　and　a　continual　noise　has　been　heard　in　their　camp；”　he　said。　“What　does　that　mean？　Either　they　are　retreating—the　only　thing　we　have　to　fear；　or　changing　their　position”　（he　smiled　ironically）。　“But　even　if　they　were　to　take　up　their　position　at　Turas；　it　would　only　be　saving　us　a　great　deal　of　trouble；　and　all　our　arrangements　will　remain　unchanged　in　the　smallest　detail。”
“How　can　that　be？…”　said　Prince　Andrey；　who　had　a　long　while　been　looking　out　for　an　opportunity　of　expressing　his　doubts。　Kutuzov　waked　up；　cleared　his　throat　huskily；　and　looked　round　at　the　generals。
“Gentlemen；　the　disposition　for　to…morrow；　for　to…day　indeed　（for　it’s　going　on　for　one　o’clock）；　can’t　be　altered　now；”　he　said。　“You　have　heard　it；　and　we　will　all　do　our　duty。　And　before　a　battle　nothing　is　of　so　much　importance…”　（he　paused）　“as　a　good　night’s　rest。”
He　made　a　show　of　rising　from　his　chair。　The　generals　bowed　themselves　out。　It　was　past　midnight。　Prince　Andrey　went　out。
The　council　of　war　at　which　Prince　Andrey　had　not　succeeded　in　expressing　his　opinion；　as　he　had　hoped　to　do；　had　left　on　him　an　impression　of　uncertainty　and　uneasiness。　Which　was　right—Dolgorukov　and　Weierother？　or　Kutuzov　and　Langeron　and　the　others；　who　did　not　approve　of　the　plan　of　attack—he　did　not　know。　But　had　it　really　been　impossible　for　Kutuzov　to　tell　the　Tsar　his　views　directly？　Could　it　not　have　been　managed　differently？　On　account　of　personal　and　court　considerations　were　tens　of　thousands　of　lives　to　be　risked—“and　my　life；　mine？”　he　thought。
“Yes；　it　may　well　be　that　I　shall　be　killed　to…morrow；”　he　thought。
And　all　at　once；　at　that　thought　of　death；　a　whole　chain　of　memories；　the　most　remote　and　closest　to　his　heart；　rose　up　in　his　imagination。　He　recalled　his　last　farewell　to　his　father　and　his　wife；　he　recalled　the　early　days　of　his　love　for　her；　thought　of　her　approaching　motherhood；　and　he　felt　sorry　for　her　and　for　himself；　and　in　a　nervously　overwrought　and　softened　mood　he　went　out　of　the　cottage　at　which　he　and　Nesvitsky　were　putting　up；　and　began　to　walk　to　and　fro　before　it。　The　night　was　foggy；　and　the　moonlight　glimmered　mysteriously　through　the　mist。　“Yes；　to…morrow；　to…morrow！”　he　thought。　“To…morrow；　maybe；　all　will　be　over　for　me；　all　these　memories　will　be　no　more；　all　these　memories　will　have　no　more　meaning　for　me。　To…morrow；　perhaps—for　certain；　indeed—to…morrow；　I　have　a　presentiment；　I　shall　have　for　the　first　time　to　show　all　I　can　do。”　And　he　pictured　the　engagement；　the　loss　of　it；　the　concentration　of　the　fighting　at　one　point；　and　the　hesitation　of　all　the　commanding　officers。　And　then　the　happy　moment—that　Toulon　he　had　been　waiting　for　so　long—at　last　comes　to　him。　Resolutely　and　clearly　he　speaks　his　opinion　to　Kutuzov　and　Weierother；　and　the　Emperors。　All　are　struck　by　the　justness　of　his　view；　but　no　one　undertakes　to　carry　it　into　execution；　and　behold；　he　leads　the　regiment；　only　making　it　a　condition　that　no　one　is　to　interfere　with　his　plans；　and　he　leads　his　division　to　the　critical　point　and　wins　the　victory　alone。　“And　death　and　agony！”　said　another　voice。　But　Prince　Andrey　did　not　answer　that　voice；　and　went　on　with　his　triumphs。　The　disposition　of　the　battle　that　ensues　is　all　his　work　alone。　Nominally；　he　is　an　adjutant　on　the　staff　of　Kutuzov；　but　he　does　everything　alone。　The　battle　is　gained　by　him　alone。　Kutuzov　is　replaced；　he　is　appointed。…　“Well；　and　then？”　said　the　other　voice　again；　“what　then；　if　you　do　a　dozen　times　over　escape　being　wounded；　killed；　or　deceived　before　that；　well；　what　then？”　“Why；　then…”　Prince　Andrey　answered　himself；　“I　don’t　know　what　will　come　then；　I　can’t　know；　and　don’t　want　to；　but　if　I　want　that；　if　I　want　glory；　want　to　be　known　to　men；　want　to　be　loved　by　them；　it’s　not　my　fault　that　I　want　it；　that　it’s　the　only　thing　I　care　for；　the　only　thing　I　live　for。　Yes；　the　only　thing！　I　shall　never　say　to　any　one；　but；　my　God！　what　am　I　to　do；　if　I　care　for　nothing　but　glory；　but　men’s　love？　Death；　wounds；　the　loss　of　my　family—nothing　has　terrors　fo