战争与和平(上)-第91章

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mind　in　which　everything　seems　possible　and　everything　succeeds；　he　got　on　his　horse　and　rode　out。　He　stood　without　stirring；　looking　at　the　heights　that　rose　out　of　the　fog；　and　his　cold　face　wore　that　peculiar　shade　of　confident；　self…complacent　happiness；　seen　on　the　face　of　a　happy　boy　in　love。　The　marshals　stood　behind　him；　and　did　not　venture　to　distract　his　attention。　He　looked　at　the　heights　of　Pratzen；　then　at　the　sun　floating　up　out　of　the　mist。
When　the　sun　had　completely　emerged　from　the　fog；　and　was　glittering　with　dazzling　brilliance　over　the　fields　and　the　mist　（as　though　he　had　been　waiting　for　that　to　begin　the　battle）；　he　took　his　glove　off　his　handsome　white　hand；　made　a　signal　with　it　to　his　marshals；　and　gave　orders　for　the　battle　to　begin。　The　marshals；　accompanied　by　adjutants；　galloped　in　various　directions；　and　in　a　few　minutes　the　chief　forces　of　the　French　army　were　moving　towards　those　heights　of　Pratzen；　which　were　left　more　and　more　exposed　by　the　Russian　troops　as　the　latter　kept　moving　to　the　left　towards　the　valley。


Chapter　15
AT　EIGHT　O’CLOCK　Kutuzov　rode　out　to　Pratzen　at　the　head　of　Miloradovitch’s　fourth　column；　the　one　which　was　to　occupy　the　place　left　vacant　by　the　columns　of　Przhebyshevsky　and　Langeron；　who　had　by　this　time　gone　down　to　the　plain。　He　greeted　the　men　of　the　foremost　regiment；　and　gave　them　the　command　to　march；　showing　thereby　that　he　meant　to　lead　that　column　himself。　On　reaching　the　village　of　Pratzen　he　halted。　Prince　Andrey　was　behind　among　the　immense　number　of　persons　who　made　up　the　commander…in…chief’s　suite。　Prince　Andrey　was　in　a　state　of　excitement；　of　irritation；　and　at　the　same　time　of　repressed　calm；　as　a　man　often　is　on　attaining　a　long…desired　moment。　He　was　firmly　convinced　that　to…day　would　be　the　day　of　his　Toulon　or　his　bridge　of　Arcola。　How　it　would　come　to　pass　he　knew　not；　but　he　was　firmly　convinced　that　it　would　be　so。　The　locality　and　the　position　of　our　troops　he　had　mastered　to　the　minutest　detail；　so　far　as　they　could　be　known　to　any　one　in　our　army。　His　own　strategic　plan；　which　obviously　could　not　conceivably　be　carried　out　now；　was　forgotten　by　him。　Throwing　himself　into　Weierother’s　plan；　Prince　Andrey　was　now　deliberating　over　the　contingencies　that　might　arise；　and　inventing　new　combinations；　in　which　his　rapidity　of　resource　and　decision　might　be　called　for。
On　the　left；　below　in　the　fog；　could　be　heard　firing　between　unseen　forces。　There；　it　seemed　to　Prince　Andrey；　the　battle　would　be　concentrated；　there　“the　difficulty　would　arise；　and　there　I　shall　be　sent；”　he　thought；　“with　a　brigade　or　a　division；　and　there；　flag　in　hand；　I　shall　march　forward　and　shatter　all　before　me。”
Prince　Andrey　could　not　look　unmoved　upon　the　flags　of　the　passing　battalions。　Looking　at　the　flag；　he　kept　thinking：　perhaps　it　is　that　very　flag　with　which　I　shall　have　to　lead　the　men。　Towards　morning　nothing　was　left　of　the　fog　on　the　heights　but　a　hoar　frost　passing　into　dew；　but　in　the　valleys　the　fog　still　lay　in　a　milky…white　sea。　Nothing　could　be　seen　in　the　valley　to　the　left　into　which　our　troops　had　vanished；　and　from　which　sounds　of　firing　were　coming。　Above　the　heights　stood　a　clear；　dark　blue　sky；　and　on　the　right　the　vast　orb　of　the　sun。　In　the　distance　in　front；　on　the　coast　of　that　sea　of　mist；　rose　up　the　wooded　hills；　on　which　the　enemy’s　army　should　have　been；　and　something　could　be　descried　there。　On　the　right　there　was　the　tramp　of　hoofs　and　rumble　of　wheels；　with　now　and　then　the　gleam　of　bayonets；　as　the　guards　plunged　into　the　region　of　mist；　on　the　left；　behind　the　village；　similar　masses　of　cavalry　were　moving　and　disappearing　into　the　sea　of　fog。　In　front　and　behind　were　the　marching　infantry。　The　commander…in…chief　was　standing　at　the　end　of　the　village；　letting　the　troops　pass　before　him。　Kutuzov　seemed　exhausted　and　irritable　that　morning。　The　infantry　marching　by　him　halted　without　any　command　being　given；　apparently　because　something　in　front　blocked　up　the　way。
“Do　tell　the　men　to　form　in　battalion　columns　and　go　round　the　village；”　said　Kutuzov　angrily　to　a　general　who　rode　up。　“How　is　it　you　don’t　understand；　my　dear　sir；　that　it’s　out　of　the　question　to　let　them　file　through　the　defile　of　the　village　street；　when　we　are　advancing　to　meet　the　enemy。”
“I　had　proposed　forming　beyond　the　village；　your　most　high　excellency；”　replied　the　general。
Kutuzov　laughed　bitterly。
“A　nice　position　you’ll　be　in；　deploying　your　front　in　sight　of　the　enemy—very　nice。”
“The　enemy　is　a　long　way　off　yet；　your　most　high　excellency。　According　to　the　disposition。　…”
“The　disposition！”　Kutuzov　cried　with　bitter　spleen；　“but　who　told　you　so？　…　Kindly　do　as　you　are　commanded。”
“Yes；　sir。”
“My　dear　boy；”　Nesvitsky　whispered　to　Prince　Andrey；　“the　old　fellow　is　in　a　vile　temper。”
An　Austrian　officer　wearing　a　white　uniform　and　green　plumes　in　his　hat；　galloped　up　to　Kutuzov　and　asked　him　in　the　Emperor’s　name：　Had　the　fourth　column　started？
Kutuzov　turned　away　without　answering；　and　his　eye　fell　casually　on　Prince　Andrey；　who　was　standing　near　him。　Seeing　Bolkonsky；　Kutuzov　let　his　vindictive　and　bitter　expression　soften；　as　though　recognising　that　his　adjutant　was　not　to　blame　for　what　was　being　done。　And　still　not　answering　the　Austrian　adjutant；　he　addressed　Bolkonsky。
“Go　and　see；　my　dear　fellow；　whether　the　third　division　has　passed　the　village。　Tell　them　to　stop　and　wait　for　my　orders。”
Prince　Andrey　had　scarcely　started　when　he　stopped　him。
“And　ask　whether　the　sharpshooters　are　posted；”　he　added。　“What　they　are　doing；　what　they　are　doing！”　he　murmured　to　himself；　still　making　no　reply　to　the　Austrian。
Prince　Andrey　galloped　off　to　do　his　bidding。　Overtaking　all　the　advancing　battalions；　he　stopped　the　third　division　and　ascertained　that　there　actually　was　no　line　of　sharpshooters　in　advance　of　our　columns。　The　officer　in　command　of　the　foremost　regiment　was　greatly　astounded　on　the　order　being　brought　him　from　the　commander…in…chief　to　send　a　flying　line　of　sharpshooters　in　advance。　The　officer　had　been　resting　in　the　full　conviction　that　there　were　other　troops　in　front　of　him；　and　that　the　enemy　could　not　be　less　than　ten　versts　away。　In　reality　there　was　nothing　in　front　of　him　but　an　empty　stretch　of　ground；　sloping　downhill　and　covered　with　fog。　Giving　him　the　commander…in…chief’s　order　to　rectify　the　omission；　Prince　Andrey　galloped　back。　Kutuzov　was　still　at　the　same　spot；　his　bulky　frame　drooped　in　the　saddle　with　the　lassitude　of　old　age；　and　he　was　yawning　wearily　with　closed　eyes。　The　troops　had　not　yet　moved　on；　but　were　standing　at　attention。
“Good；　good；”　he　said　to　Prince　Andrey；　and　he　turned　to　the　general　who；　watch　in　hand；　was　saying　that　it　was　time　they　started；　as　all　the　columns　of　the　left　flank　had　gone　down　already。
“We　have　plenty　of　time　yet；　your　excellency；”　Kutuzov　interpolated　between　his　yawns。　“Plenty　of　time！”　he　repeated。
At　that　moment　in　the　distance　behind　Kutuzov　there　were　sounds　of　regiments　saluting；　the　shouts　came　rapidly　nearer　along　the　whole　drawn…out　line　of　the　advancing　Russian　columns。　Clearly　he　who　was　the　object　of　these　greetings　was　riding　quickly。　When　the　soldiers　of　the　regiment；　in　front　of　which　Kutuzov　was　standing；　began　to　shout；　he　rode　off　a　little　on　one　side；　and　wrinkling　up　his　face；　looked　round。　Along　the　road　from　Pratzen；　galloped　what　looked　like　a　whole　squadron　of　horsemen　of　different　colours。　Two　of　them　galloped　side　by　side　ahead　of　the　rest。　One　was　in　a　black　uniform　with　a　white　plume；　on　a　chestnut　English　thoroughbred；　the　other　in　a　white　uniform　on　a　black　horse。　These　were　the　two　Emperors　and　their　suites。　With　a　sort　of　affectation　of　the　manner　of　an　old　soldier　at　the　head　of　his　regiment；　Kutuzov　gave　the　command；　“Steady；”　to　the　standing　troops　and　rode　up　to　the　Emperors；　saluting。　His　whole　figure　and　manner　were　suddenly　transformed。　He　assumed　the　air　of　a　subordinate；　a　man　who　accepts　without　criticism。　With　an　affectation　of　respectfulness　which　unmistakably　made　an　unpleasant　impression　on　Alexander；　he　rode　up　and　saluted　him。
The　unpleasant　impression；　like　the　traces　of