战争与和平(上)-第69部分

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　us；　when　as　it　is　he’s　in　our　hands　for　certain。　No；　we　mustn’t　forget　Suvorov　and　his　rule—never　to　put　oneself　in　a　position　to　be　attacked；　but　to　make　the　attack　oneself。　Believe　me；　the　energy　of　young　men　is　often　a　safer　guide　in　warfare　than　all　the　experience　of　the　old　cunctators。”
“But　in　what　position　are　you　going　to　attack　him？　I　have　been　at　the　outposts　to…day；　and　there　was　no　making　out　where　his　chief　forces　are　concentrated；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　He　was　longing　to　explain　to　Dolgorukov　his　own　idea；　the　plan　of　attack　he　had　formed。
“Ah；　that’s　a　matter　of　no　consequence　whatever；”　Dolgorukov　said　quickly；　getting　up　and　unfolding　a　map　on　the　table。　“Every　contingency　has　been　provided　for；　if　he　is　concentrated　at　Brünn。…”　And　Prince　Dolgorukov　gave　a　rapid　and　vague　account　of　Weierother’s　plan　of　a　flank　movement。
Prince　Andrey　began　to　make　objections　and　to　explain　his　own　plan；　which　may　have　been　as　good　as　Weierother’s；　but　had　the　fatal　disadvantage　that　Weierother’s　plan　had　already　been　accepted。　As　soon　as　Prince　Andrey　began　to　enlarge　on　the　drawbacks　of　the　latter　and　the　advantages　of　his　own　scheme；　Prince　Dolgorukov　ceased　to　attend；　and　looked　without　interest　not　at　the　map；　but　at　Prince　Andrey’s　face。
“There　is　to　be　a　council　of　war　at　Kutuzov’s　to…night；　though；　you　can　explain　all　that　then；”　said　Dolgorukov。
“That’s　what　I　am　going　to　do；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　moving　away　from　the　map。
“And　what　are　you　worrying　yourselves　about；　gentlemen？”　said　Bilibin；　who　had　till　then　been　listening　to　their　talk　with　a　beaming　smile；　but　now　unmistakably　intended　to　make　a　joke。　“Whether　there　is　victory　or　defeat　to…morrow；　the　glory　of　the　Russian　arms　is　secure。　Except　your　Kutuzov；　there’s　not　a　single　Russian　in　command　of　a　column。　The　commanders　are：　Herr　General　Wimpfen；　le　comte　de　Langeron；　le　prince　de　Lichtenstein；　le　prince　de　Hohenlohe　and　Prishprshiprsh；　or　some　such　Polish　name。”
“Hold　your　tongue；　backbiter；”　said　Dolgorukov。　“It’s　not　true；　there　are　two　Russians：　Miloradovitch　and　Dohturov；　and　there　would　have　been　a　third；　Count　Araktcheev；　but　for　his　weak　nerves。”
“Mihail　Ilarionovitch　has　come　out；　I　think；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　“Good　luck　and　success　to　you；　gentlemen；”　he　added；　and　went　out；　after　shaking　hands　with　Dolgorukov　and　Bilibin。
On　returning　home　Prince　Andrey　could　not　refrain　from　asking　Kutuzov；　who　sat　near　him　in　silence；　what　he　thought　about　the　coming　battle。　Kutuzov　looked　sternly　at　his　adjutant；　and　after　a　pause；　answered：　“I　think　the　battle　will　be　lost；　and　I　said　so　to　Count　Tolstoy　and　asked　him　to　give　that　message　to　the　Tsar。　And　what　do　you　suppose　was　the　answer　he　gave　me？　‘Eh；　mon　cher　général；　je　me　mêle　de　riz　et　de　c？telettes；　mêlez…vous　des　affaires　de　la　guerre。’　Yes。…　That’s　the　answer　I　got！”


Chapter　12
AT　TEN　O’CLOCK　in　the　evening；　Weierother　with　his　plans　rode　over　to　Kutuzov’s　quarters；　where　the　council　of　war　was　to　take　place。　All　the　commanders　of　columns　were　summoned　to　the　commander…in…chief’s；　and　with　the　exception　of　Prince　Bagration；　who　declined　to　come；　all　of　them　arrived　at　the　hour　fixed。
Weierother；　who　was　entirely　responsible　for　all　the　arrangements　for　the　proposed　battle；　in　his　eagerness　and　hurry；　was　a　striking　contrast　to　the　ill…humoured　and　sleepy　Kutuzov；　who　reluctantly　played　the　part　of　president　and　chairman　of　the　council　of　war。　Weierother　obviously　felt　himself　at　the　head　of　the　movement　that　had　been　set　going　and　could　not　be　stopped。　He　was　like　a　horse　in　harness　running　downhill　with　a　heavy　load　behind　him。　Whether　he　were　pulling　it　or　it　were　pushing　him；　he　could　not　have　said；　but　he　was　flying　along　at　full　speed　with　no　time　to　consider　where　this　swift　motion　would　land　him。　Weierother　had　been　twice　that　evening　to　make　a　personal　inspection　up　to　the　enemy’s　line；　and　twice　he　had　been　with　the　Emperors；　Russian　and　Austrian；　to　report　and　explain；　and　to　his　office；　where　he　had　dictated　the　disposition　of　the　German　troops。　He　came　now；　exhausted；　to　Kutuzov’s。
He　was　evidently　so　much　engrossed　that　he　even　forgot　to　be　respectful　to　the　commander…in…chief。　He　interrupted　him；　talked　rapidly　and　indistinctly；　without　looking　at　the　person　he　was　addressing；　failed　to　answer　questions　that　were　put　to　him；　was　spattered　with　mud；　and　had　an　air　pitiful；　exhausted；　distracted；　and　at　the　same　time　self…confident　and　haughty。
Kutuzov　was　staying　in　a　small　nobleman’s　castle　near　Austerlitz。　In　the　drawing…room；　which　had　been　made　the　commander…in…chief’s　study；　were　gathered　together：　Kutuzov　himself；　Weierother；　and　the　members　of　the　council　of　war。　They　were　drinking　tea。　They　were　only　waiting　for　Prince　Bagration　to　open　the　council。　Presently　Bagration’s　orderly　officer　came　with　a　message　that　the　prince　could　not　be　present。　Prince　Andrey　came　in　to　inform　the　commander…in…chief　of　this；　and；　profiting　by　the　permission　previously　given　him　by　Kutuzov　to　be　present　at　the　council；　he　remained　in　the　room。
“Well；　since　Prince　Bagration　isn’t　coming；　we　can　begin；”　said　Weierother；　hastily　getting　up　from　his　place　and　approaching　the　table；　on　which　an　immense　map　of　the　environs　of　Brünn　lay　unfolded。
Kutuzov；　his　uniform　unbuttoned；　and　his　fat　neck　as　though　set　free　from　bondage；　bulging　over　the　collar；　was　sitting　in　a　low　chair　with　his　podgy　old　hands　laid　symmetrically　on　the　arms；　he　was　almost　asleep。
At　the　sound　of　Weierother’s　voice；　he　made　an　effort　and　opened　his　solitary　eye。
“Yes；　yes；　please；　it’s　late　as　it　is；”　he　assented；　and　nodding　his　head；　he　let　it　droop　and　closed　his　eyes　again。
If　the　members　of　the　council　had　at　first　believed　Kutuzov　to　be　shamming　sleep；　the　nasal　sounds　to　which　he　gave　vent　during　the　reading　that　followed；　proved　that　the　commander…in…chief　was　concerned　with　something　of　far　greater　consequence　than　the　desire　to　show　his　contempt　for　their　disposition　of　the　troops　or　anything　else　whatever；　he　was　concerned　with　the　satisfaction　of　an　irresistible　human　necessity—sleep。　He　was　really　asleep。　Weierother；　with　the　gesture　of　a　man　too　busy　to　lose　even　a　minute　of　his　time；　glanced　at　Kutuzov　and　satisfying　himself　that　he　was　asleep；　he　took　up　a　paper　and　in　a　loud；　monotonous　tone　began　reading　the　disposition　of　the　troops　in　the　approaching　battle　under　a　heading；　which　he　also　read。
“Disposition　for　the　attack　of　the　enemy’s　position　behind　Kobelnitz　and　Sokolnitz；　November　20；　1805。”
The　disposition　was　very　complicated　and　intricate。
“As　the　enemy’s　left　wing　lies　against　the　wooded　hills　and　their　right　wing　is　advancing　by　way　of　Kobelnitz　and　Sokolnitz　behind　the　swamps　that　lie　there；　while　on　the　other　hand　our　left　wing　stretches　far　beyond　their　right；　it　will　be　advantageous　to　attack　this　last…named　wing；　especially　if　we　have　possession　of　the　villages　of　Sokolnitz　and　Kobelnitz；　by　which　means　we　can　at　once　fall　on　them　in　the　rear　and　pursue　them　in　the　open　between　Schlapanitz　and　the　Thuerassa…Wald；　thereby　avoiding　the　defiles　of　Schlapanitz　and　Bellowitz；　which　are　covered　by　the　enemy’s　front。　With　this　ultimate　aim　it　will　be　necessary　…　The　first　column　marches　…　The　second　column　marches　…　The　third　column　marches”　…　read　Weierother。
The　generals　seemed　to　listen　reluctantly　to　the　intricate　account　of　the　disposition　of　the　troops。　The　tall；　fair…haired　general；　Buxhevden；　stood　leaning　his　back　against　the　wall；　and　fixing　his　eyes　on　a　burning　candle；　he　seemed　not　to　be　listening；　not　even　to　wish　to　be　thought　to　be　listening。　Exactly　opposite　to　Weierother；　with　his　bright；　wide…open　eyes　fixed　upon　him；　was　Miloradovitch；　a　ruddy　man；　with　whiskers　and　shoulders　turned　upwards；　sitting　in　a　military　pose　with　his　hands　on　his　knees　and　his　elbows　bent　outwards。　He　sat　in　obstinate　silence；　staring　into　Weierother’s　face；　and　only　taking　his　eyes　off　him　when　the　Austrian　staff…commander　ceased　speaking。　Then　Miloradovitch　looked　round　significantly　at　the　other　generals。　But　from　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　Weiero