战争与和平(上)-第100部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　as　you　reported　yourself　to　Count　Buxhevden　yesterday；　you　must　think　of　retreat　to　our　frontier；　and　so　do　today。’
“　‘All　my　expeditions　on　horseback；’　he　writes　to　the　Emperor；　‘have　given　me　a　saddle　sore；　which；　after　my　former　journeys；　quite　prevents　my　sitting　a　horse；　and　commanding　an　army　so　widely　scattered；　and　therefore　I　have　handed　over　the　said　command　to　the　general　next　in　seniority　to　me；　Count　Buxhevden；　having　despatched　to　him　all　my　suite　and　appurtenances　of　the　same；　advising　him；　if　bread　should　run　short；　to　retreat　further　into　the　interior　of　Prussia；　seeing　that　bread　for　one　day’s　rations　only　is　left；　and　some　regiments　have　none；　as　the　commanders　Osterman　and　Sedmoretsky　have　reported；　and　the　peasantry　of　the　country　have　had　everything　eaten　up。　I　shall　myself　remain　in　the　hospital　at　Ostrolenka　till　I　am　cured。　In　regard　to　which　I　must　humbly　submit　the　report　that　if　the　army　remains　another　fortnight　in　its　present　bivouac；　by　spring　not　a　man　will　be　left　in　health。
“　‘Graciously　discharge　from　his　duty　an　old　man　who　is　sufficiently　disgraced　by　his　inability　to　perform　the　great　and　glorious　task　for　which　he　was　chosen。　I　shall　await　here　in　the　hospital　your　most　gracious　acceptance　of　my　retirement；　that　I　may　not　have　to　act　the　part　of　a　secretary　rather　than　a　commander。　My　removal　is　not　producing　the　slightest　sensation—a　blind　man　is　leaving　the　army；　that　is　all。　More　like　me　can　be　found　in　Russia　by　thousands！’
“The　marshal　is　angry　with　the　Emperor　and　punishes　all　of　us；　isn’t　it　logical！
“That　is　the　first　act。　In　the　next　the　interest　and　the　absurdity　rise；　as　they　ought。　After　the　marshal　has　departed　it　appears　that　we　are　within　sight　of　the　enemy　and　shall　have　to　give　battle。　Buxhevden　is　commanding　officer　by　right　of　seniority；　but　General　Bennigsen　is　not　of　that　opinion；　the　rather　that　it　is　he　and　his　corps　who　face　the　enemy；　and　he　wants　to　seize　the　opportunity　to　fight　a　battle　‘on　his　own　hand；’　as　the　Germans　say。　He　fights　it。　It　is　the　battle　of　Pultusk；　which　is　counted　a　great　victory；　but　which　in　my　opinion　is　nothing　of　the　kind。　We　civilians；　you　know；　have　a　very　ugly　way　of　deciding　whether　battles　are　lost　or　won。　The　side　that　retreats　after　the　battle　has　lost；　that　is　what　we　say；　and　according　to　that　we　lost　the　battle　of　Pultusk。　In　short；　we　retreat　after　the　battle；　but　we　send　a　message　to　Petersburg　with　news　of　a　victory；　and　the　general　does　not　give　up　the　command　to　Buxhevden；　hoping　to　receive　from　Petersburg　the　title　of　commander…in…chief　in　return　for　his　victory。　During　this　interregnum　we　begin　an　excessively　interesting　and　original　scheme　of　man？uvres。　The　aim　does　not；　as　it　should；　consist　in　avoiding　or　attacking　the　enemy；　but　solely　in　avoiding　General　Buxhevden；　who　by　right　of　seniority　should　be　our　commanding　officer。　We　pursue　this　object　with　so　much　energy　that　even　when　we　cross　a　river　which　is　not　fordable　we　burn　the　bridges　in　order　to　separate　ourselves　from　our　enemy；　who；　at　the　moment；　is　not　Bonaparte　but　Buxhevden。　General　Buxhevden　was　nearly　attacked　and　taken　by　a　superior　force　of　the　enemy；　in　consequence　of　one　of　our　fine　man？uvres　which　saved　us　from　him。　Buxhevden　pursues　us；　we　scuttle。　No　sooner　does　he　cross　to　our　side　of　the　river　than　we　cross　back　to　the　other。　At　last　our　enemy　Buxhevden　catches　us　and　attacks　us。　The　two　generals　quarrel。　There　is　even　a　challenge　on　Buxhevden’s　part　and　an　epileptic　fit　on　Bennigsen’s。　But　at　the　critical　moment　the　messenger　who　carried　the　news　of　our　Pultusk　victory　brings　us　from　Petersburg　our　appointment　as　commander…in…chief；　and　the　first　enemy；　Buxhevden；　being　overthrown；　we　are　able　to　think　of　the　second；　Bonaparte。　But　what　should　happen　at　that　very　moment　but　the　rising　against　us　of　a　third　enemy；　which　is　the　‘holy　armament’　fiercely　crying　out　for　bread；　meat；　biscuits；　hay；　and　I　don’t　know　what　else！　The　storehouses　are　empty；　the　roads　impassable。　The　‘holy　armament’　sets　itself　to　pillage；　and　that　in　a　way　of　which　the　last　campaign　can　give　you　no　notion。　Half　the　regiments　have　turned　themselves　into　free　companies；　and　are　overrunning　the　country　with　fire　and　sword。　The　inhabitants　are　totally　ruined；　the　hospitals　are　overflowing　with　sick；　and　famine　is　everywhere。　Twice　over　the　headquarters　have　been　attacked　by　bands　of　marauders；　and　the　commander…in…chief　himself　has　had　to　ask　for　a　battalion　to　drive　them　off。　In　one　of　these　attacks　my　empty　trunk　and　my　dressing…gown　were　carried　off。　The　Emperor　proposes　to　give　authority　to　all　the　commanders　of　divisions　to　shoot　marauders；　but　I　greatly　fear　this　will　oblige　one　half　of　the　army　to　shoot　the　other。”
Prince　Andrey　at　first　read　only　with　his　eyes；　but　unconsciously　what　he　read　（though　he　knew　how　much　faith　to　put　in　Bilibin）　began　to　interest　him　more　and　more。　When　he　reached　this　passage；　he　crumpled　up　the　letter　and　threw　it　away。　It　was　not　what　he　read　that　angered　him；　he　was　angry　that　the　far…away　life　out　there—in　which　he　had　no　part—could　trouble　him。　He　closed　his　eyes；　rubbed　his　forehead　with　his　hand；　as　though　to　drive　out　all　interest　in　what　he　had　been　reading；　and　listened　to　what　was　passing　in　the　nursery。　Suddenly　he　fancied　a　strange　sound　through　the　door。　A　panic　seized　him；　he　was　afraid　something　might　have　happened　to　the　baby　while　he　was　reading　the　letter。　He　went　on　tiptoe　to　the　door　of　the　nursery　and　opened　it。
At　the　instant　that　he　went　in；　he　saw　that　the　nurse　was　hiding　something　from　him　with　a　scared　face；　and　Princess　Marya　was　no　longer　beside　the　crib。
“My　dear；”　he　heard　behind　him　Princess　Marya　whisper—in　a　tone　of　despair　it　seemed　to　him。　As　so　often　happens　after　prolonged　sleeplessness　and　anxiety；　he　was　seized　by　a　groundless　panic；　the　idea　came　into　his　mind　that　the　baby　was　dead。　All　he　saw　and　heard　seemed　a　confirmation　of　his　terror。
“All　is　over；”　he　thought；　and　a　cold　sweat　came　out　on　his　forehead。　He　went　to　the　crib；　beside　himself；　believing　that　he　would　find　it　empty；　that　the　nurse　had　been　hiding　the　dead　baby。　He　opened　the　curtains；　and　for　a　long　while　his　hurrying；　frightened　eyes　could　not　find　the　baby。　At　last　he　saw　him。　The　red…cheeked　child　lay　stretched　across　the　crib；　with　its　head　lower　than　the　pillow；　and　it　was　making　a　smacking　sound　with　its　lips　in　its　sleep　and　breathing　evenly。
Prince　Andrey　rejoiced　at　seeing　the　child；　as　though　he　had　already　lost　him。　He　bent　down　and　tried　with　his　lips　whether　the　baby　was　feverish；　as　his　sister　had　shown　him。　The　soft　forehead　was　moist；　he　touched　the　head　with　his　hand—even　the　hair　was　wet：　the　child　was　in　such　a　thorough　perspiration。　He　was　not　dead；　on　the　contrary；　it　was　evident　that　the　crisis　was　over　and　he　was　better。　Prince　Andrey　longed　to　snatch　up；　to　squeeze；　to　press　to　his　heart　that　little　helpless　creature；　he　did　not　dare　to　do　so。　He　stood　over　him；　gazing　at　his　head　and　his　little　arms　and　legs　that　showed　beneath　the　quilt。　He　heard　a　rustle　beside　him；　and　a　shadow　seemed　to　come　under　the　canopy　of　the　crib。　He　did　not　look　round；　and　still　gazing　at　the　baby’s　face；　listened　to　his　regular　breathing。　The　dark　shadow　was　Princess　Marya；　who　with　noiseless　steps　had　approached　the　crib；　lifted　the　canopy；　and　let　it　fall　again　behind　her。　Prince　Andrey　knew　it　was　she　without　looking　round；　and　held　out　his　hand　to　her。　She　squeezed　his　hand。
“He　is　in　a　perspiration；”　said　Prince　Andrey。
“I　was　coming　to　tell　you　so。”
The　baby　faintly　stirred　in　its　sleep；　smiled　and　rubbed　its　forehead　against　the　pillow。
Prince　Andrey　looked　at　his　sister。　In　the　even　half　light　under　the　hanging　of　the　crib；　Princess　Marya’s　luminous　eyes　shone　more　than　usual　with　the　happy　tears　that　stood　in　them。　She　bent　forward　to　her　brother　and　kissed　him；　her　head　catching　in　the　canopy　of　the　crib。　They　shook　their　fingers　at　one　another；　and　still　stood　in　the　twilight　of　the　canopy；　as　though　unwilling　to　leave　that　seclusion　where　they　three　were　alone；　shut　off　from　all　the　world。　Prince　Andrey；　ruffling　his　hair　against　the　muslin　hangings；　was　the　first　to　move　away。　“Yes；　that　is　the　one　thing　left　me　now；”　he　said　with　a　sigh。


Chapter　10
SHORTLY　after　his　reception　into　the　brotherhood　of　the　freemasons；　Pierre　set　off　to　the　Kiev　province；　where　were　the　greater　number　of　his　peasants；　with　full　instructions　written　for　his　guidance　in　doing　his　duty　on　his　estates。
On　reaching　Kiev；　Pierre　sent　for　all　his　stewards　to　his　head　counting…house；　and　explained　to　them　his　intentions　and　his　desires。　He　told　them　that　steps　would　very　shortly　be　taken　for　the　complete　liberation　of　his　peasants　from　serfdom；　that　till　that　time　his　peasants　were　not　to　be　overburdened　with　labour；　that　the　women　with　children　were　not　to　be　sent　out　to　work；　that　assistance　was　to　be　given　to　the　peasants；　that　wrong…doing　was　to　be　met　with　admonishment；　and　not　with　corporal　punishment；　and　that　on　every　estate　there　must　be　founded　hospitals；　almshouses；　and　schools。　Several　of　the　stewards　（among　them　were　some　bailiffs　barely　able　to　read　and　write）　listened　in　dismay；　supposing　the　upshot　of　the　young　count’s　remarks　to　be　that　he　was　dissatisfied　with　their　management　and　embezzlement　of　his　money。　Others；　after　the　first　shock　of　alarm；　derived　amusement　from　Pierre’s　lisp　and　the　new　words　he　used　that　they　had　not　heard　before。　Others　again　found　a　simple　satisfaction　in　hearing　the　sound　of　their　master’s　voice。　But　some；　among　them　the　head　steward；　divined　from　this　speech　how　to　deal　with　their　master　for　the　attainment　of　their　own　ends。
The　head　steward　expressed　great　sympathy　with　Pierre’s　projects；　but　observed　that；　apart　from　these　innovations；　matters　were　in　a　bad　way　and　needed　thoroughly　going　into。
In　spite　of　Count　Bezuhov’s　enormous　wealth；　Pierre　ever　since　he　had　inherited　it；　and　had　been；　as　people　said；　in　receipt　of　an　annual　income　of　five　hundred　thousand；　had　felt　much　less　rich　than　when　he　had　been　receiving　an　allowance　of　ten　thousand　from　his　father。　In　general　outlines　he　was　vaguely　aware　of　the　following　budget。　About　eighty