战争与和平(上)-第42部分

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day　or　to…morrow　they’ll　be　here。”
“Here？　But　how　is　it　the　bridge　wasn’t　blown　up；　since　it　was　mined？”
“Why；　that’s　what　I　ask　you。　No　one—not　Bonaparte　himself—can　tell　why。”　Bolkonsky　shrugged　his　shoulders。
“But　if　they　have　crossed　the　bridge；　then　it　will　be　all　over　with　the　army；　it　will　be　cut　off；”　he　said。
“That’s　the　whole　point；”　answered　Bilibin。　“Listen。　The　French　enter　Vienna；　as　I　told　you。　Everything　is　satisfactory。　Next　day；　that　is　yesterday；　Messieurs　les　Maréchaux；　Murat；　Lannes；　and　Beliard　get　on　their　horses　and　ride　off　to　the　bridge。　（Remark　that　all　three　are　Gascons。）　‘Gentlemen；’　says　one；　‘you　know　that　the　Tabor　bridge　has　been　mined　and　countermined；　and　is　protected　by　a　formidable　fortification　and　fifteen　thousand　troops；　who　have　orders　to　blow　up　the　bridge　and　not　to　let　us　pass。　But　our　gracious　Emperor　Napoleon　will　be　pleased　if　we　take　the　bridge。　Let　us　go　us　there　and　take　it。’　‘Yes；　let　us　go；’　say　the　others；　and　they　start　off　and　take　the　bridge；　cross　it；　and　now　with　their　whole　army　on　this　side　of　the　Danube；　they　are　coming　straight　upon　us；　and　upon　you　and　your　communications。”
“Leave　off　jesting；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　with　mournful　seriousness。　The　news　grieved　Prince　Andrey；　and　yet　it　gave　him　pleasure。　As　soon　as　he　heard　that　the　Russian　army　was　in　such　a　hopeless　position；　the　idea　struck　him　that　he　was　the　very　man　destined　to　extricate　the　Russian　army　from　that　position；　and　that　it　had　come—the　Toulon—that　would　lift　him　for　ever　from　out　of　the　ranks　of　unknown　officers；　and　open　the　first　path　to　glory　for　him！　As　he　listened　to　Bilibin；　he　was　already　considering　how；　on　reaching　the　army；　he　would；　at　a　council　of　war；　give　the　opinion　that　alone　could　save　the　army；　and　how　he　would　be　entrusted　alone　to　execute　the　plan。
“Leave　off　joking；”　he　said。
“I’m　not　joking；”　Bilibin　went　on。　“Nothing　could　be　more　truthful　or　more　melancholy。　These　three　gentlemen　advance　to　the　bridge　alone　and　wave　white　handkerchiefs；　they　declare　that　it’s　a　truce；　and　that　they；　the　marshals；　are　come　for　a　parley　with　Prince　Auersperg。　The　officer　on　duty　lets　them　into　the　tête　du　pont。　They　tell　him　a　thousand　Gascon　absurdities；　say　that　the　war　is　over；　that　Emperor　Francis　has　arranged　a　meeting　with　Bonaparte；　that　they　desire　to　see　Prince　Auersperg；　and　so　on。　The　officer　sends　for　Auersperg。　These　Gascon　gentlemen　embrace　the　officers；　make　jokes；　and　sit　about　on　the　cannons；　while　a　French　battalion　meantime　advances　unnoticed　on　the　bridge；　flings　the　sacks　of　inflammable　material　into　the　river；　and　marches　up　to　the　tête　du　pont。　Finally　the　lieutenant…general　himself　appears；　our　dear　Prince　Auersperg　von　Mautern。　‘My　dear　enemy！　Flower　of　Austrian　chivalry！　hero　of　the　Turkish　war！　Hostility　is　at　end；　we　can　take　each　other’s　hands　…　the　Emperor　Napoleon　burns　with　impatience　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　Prince　Auersperg。’　In　a　word；　these　gentlemen—not　Gascons　for　nothing—so　bewilder　Auersperg　with　fair　words—he　is　so　flattered　at　this　speedy　intimacy　with　French　marshals；　so　dazzled　by　the　spectacle　of　their　cloaks；　and　of　the　ostrich　feathers　of　Murat—that　their　fire　gets　into　his　eyes　and　makes　him　forget　that　he　ought　to　be　firing　on　the　enemy”　（in　spite　of　the　interest　of　his　story；　Bilibin　did　not　omit　to　pause　after　this　mot；　to　give　time　for　its　appreciation）。　“A　French　battalion　runs　into　the　tête　du　pont；　spikes　the　cannons；　and　the　bridge　is　taken。　No；　but　really　the　best　part　of　the　whole　episode；”　he　went　on；　his　excitement　subsiding　under　the　interest　of　his　own　story；　“is　that　the　sergeant　in　charge　of　the　cannon　which　was　to　give　the　signal　for　firing　the　mines　and　blowing　up　the　bridge；　this　sergeant　seeing　the　French　troops　running　on　to　the　bridge　wanted　to　fire；　but　Lannes　pulled　his　arm　away。　The　sergeant；　who　seems　to　have　been　sharper　than　his　general；　goes　up　to　Auersperg　and　says：　‘Prince；　they’re　deceiving　you；　here　are　the　French！’　Murat　sees　the　game　is　up　if　he　lets　the　sergeant　have　his　say。　With　an　affectation　of　surprise　（a　true　Gascon！）　he　addresses　Auersperg：　‘Is　this　the　Austrian　discipline　so　highly　extolled　all　over　the　world；’　says　he；　‘do　you　let　a　man　of　low　rank　speak　to　you　like　this？’　It　was　a　stroke　of　genius。　The　Prince　of　Auersperg　is　touched　in　his　honour　and　has　the　sergeant　put　under　arrest。　No；　but　confess　that　all　this　story　of　the　bridge　of　Tabor　is　charming。　It　is　neither　stupidity；　nor　cowardice　…”
“It　is　treason；　perhaps；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　vividly　picturing　to　himself　grey　overcoats；　wounds；　the　smoke　and　sound　of　firing；　and　the　glory　awaiting　him。
“Not　that　either。　This　puts　the　court　into　a　pretty　pickle；”　pursued　Bilibin。　“It　is　not　treason；　nor　cowardice；　nor　stupidity；　it　is　just　as　it　was　at　Ulm　…”　He　seemed　to　ponder；　seeking　the　phrase；　“it　is　…　c’est　du　Mack。　Nous　sommes　mackés；”　he　said；　feeling　he　was　uttering　un　mot；　and　a　fresh　one；　one　that　would　be　repeated。　His　creased…up　brows　let　the　puckers　smooth　out　quickly　in　sign　of　satisfaction；　and　with　a　faint　smile　he　fell　to　scrutinizing　his　finger…nails。
“Where　are　you　off　to？”　he　said；　suddenly　turning　to　Prince　Andrey；　who　had　got　up　and　was　going　to　his　room。
“I　must　start。”
“Where　to？”
“To　the　army。”
“But　you　meant　to　stay　another　two　days？”
“But　now　I　am　going　at　once”；　and　Prince　Andrey；　after　a　few　words　arranging　about　his　journey；　went　to　his　room。
“Do　you　know；　my　dear　boy；”　said　Bilibin；　coming　into　his　room；　“I　have　been　thinking　about　you。　What　are　you　going　for？”　And　in　support　of　the　irrefutability　of　his　arguments　on　the　subject；　all　the　creases　ran　off　his　face。
Prince　Andrey　looked　inquiringly　at　him　and　made　no　reply。
“Why　are　you　going？　I　know　you　consider　that　it’s　your　duty　to　gallop　off　to　the　army　now　that　the　army　is　in　danger。　I　understand　that；　my　boy；　it’s　heroism。”
“Nothing　of　the　kind；”　said　Prince　Andrey。
“But　you　are　un　philosophe；　be　one　fully；　look　at　things　from　the　other　side；　and　you　will　see　that　it　is　your　duty；　on　the　contrary；　to　take　care　of　yourself。　Leave　that　to　others　who　are　no　good　for　anything　else　…　You　have　received　no　orders　to　go　back；　and　you　are　not　dismissed　from　here；　so　that　you　can　remain　and　go　with　us；　where　our　ill…luck　takes　us。　They　say　they　are　going　to　Olm？tz。　And　Olm？tz　is　a　very　charming　town。　And　we　can　travel　there　comfortably　together　in　my　carriage。”
“That’s　enough　joking；　Bilibin；”　said　Bolkonsky。
“I　am　speaking　to　you　sincerely　as　a　friend。　Consider　where　are　you　going　and　with　what　object　now；　when　you　can　stay　here。　You　have　two　alternatives　before　you”　（he　puckered　up　the　skin　of　his　left　temple）　“either　you　won’t　reach　the　army　before　peace　will　be　concluded；　or　you　will　share　the　defeat　and　disgrace　with　Kutuzov’s　whole　army。”　And　Bilibin　let　his　brow　go　smooth　again；　feeling　that　his　dilemma　was　beyond　attack。
“That　I　can’t　enter　into；”　said　Prince　Andrey　coldly；　but　he　thought：　“I　am　going　to　save　the　army。”
“My　dear　fellow；　you　are　a　hero；”　said　Bilibin


Chapter　13
THE　SAME　NIGHT；　after　taking　leave　of　the　minister　of　war；　Bolkonsky　set　off　to　join　the　army；　not　knowing　where　he　should　find　it；　at　the　risk　of　being　caught　by　the　French　on　the　way　to　Krems。
At　Br？nn　all　the　court　and　every　one　connected　with　it　was　packing　up；　and　the　heavy　baggage　was　already　being　despatched　to　Olm？tz。　Near　Esselsdorf；　Prince　Andrey　came　out　on　the　road　along　which　the　Russian　army　was　moving　in　the　utmost　haste　and　in　the　greatest　disorder。　The　road　was　so　obstructed　with　baggage…waggons　that　it　was　impossible　to　get　by　in　a　carriage。　Prince　Andrey　procured　a　horse　and　a　Cossack　from　the　officer　in　command　of　the　Cossacks；　and　hungry　and　weary　he　threaded　his　way　in　and　out　between　the　waggons　and　rode　in　search　of　the　commander…in…chief　and　his　own　luggage。　The　most　sinister　rumours　as　to　the　position　of　the　army　reached　him　on　the　road；　and　the　appearance　of　the　army　fleeing　in　disorder　confirmed　these　rumours。
“As　for　that　Russian　army　which　English　gold　has　brought　from　the　ends　of　the　universe；　we　are　going　to　inflict　upon　it　the　same　fate　（the　fate　of　the　army　of　Ulm）”；　he　remembered　the　words　of　Bonaparte’s　address　to　his　army　at　the　beginning　of　the　campaign；　and　these　words　aroused　in　him　simultaneously　admiration　for　the　genius　of　his　hero；　a　feeling　of　mortified　pride；　and　the　hope　of　glory。　“And　if　there’s　nothing　left　but　to　die？”　he　thought。　“Well；　if　it　must　be！　I　will　do　it　no　worse　than　others。”
Prince　Andrey　looked　disdainfully　at　the　endless；　confused　mass　of　companies；　of　baggage…waggons；　parks　of　artillery；　and　again　store…waggons；　carts；　and　waggons　of　every　possible　form；　pursuing　one　another　and　obstructing　the　muddy　road　three　and　four　abreast。　On　every　side；　behind　and　before；　as　far　as　the　ear　could　reach　in　every　direction　there　was　the　rumble　of　wheels；　the　rattle　of　carts；　of　waggons；　and　of　gun…carriages；　the　tramp　of　horses；　the　crack　of　whips；　the　shouts　of　drivers；　the　swearing　of　soldiers；　of　orderlies；　and　officers。　At　the　sides　of　the　roads　he　saw　fallen　horses；　and　sometimes　their　skinned　carcases；　broken…down　waggons；　with　solitary　soldiers　sitting　on　them；　waiting　for　something；　detached　groups　of　soldiers　strayed　from　their　companies；　starting　off　to　neighbouring　villages；　or　dragging　back　from　them　fowls；　sheep；　hay；　or　sacks　of　stores　of　some　sort。　Where　the　road　went　uphill　or　downhill　the　crush　became　greater；　and　there　was　an　uninterrupted　roar　of　shouts。　The　soldiers　floundering　knee…deep　in　the　mud　clutched　the　guns　and　clung　to　the　waggons　in　the　midst　of　cracking　whips；　slipping　hoofs；　breaking　traces　and　throat…splitting　yells。　The　officers　superintending　their　movements　rode　to　and　fro　in　front　and　behind　the　convoys。　Their　voices　were　faintly　audible　in　the　midst　of　the　general　uproar；　their　faces　betrayed　that　they　despaired　of　the　possibility　of　checking　the　disorder。
“Voilà　le　cher　holy　armament；”　thought　Bolkonsky；　recalling　Bilibin’s　words。
He　rode　up　to　a　convoy；　intending　to　ask　of　some　one　of　these　men　where　he　could　find　the　commander…in…chief。　Directly　opposite　to　him