War and Peace

Chapter 32

Part One

[One]

At the end of [-], the European army began to expand collectively, approaching the Russian border from west to east.On June [-], tens of millions of European soldiers crossed the Russian border, and war broke out.Thousands of men have committed infinite crimes against one another, which cannot be summed up in the annals of the courts of the world for ages, but which have not been regarded as crimes by those who have committed them.How did this particular event come about?Its causality is infinite in the eyes of our descendants, who are not historians, and we are not seduced by the procedure of research and can therefore view events with undeceived common sense.The more deeply we investigate its causes, the more are known; and each individually derived cause, or all causes, seem to us to be equally true in nature; Doesn't matter, and from this they are equally clearly wrong.

If Napoleon had not been angry at asking him to retreat across the Vistula, and he had not ordered the troops to march, there would have been no war; but if all the soldiers had refused to do their second military service, there would have been no war.There would be no such thing without the British schemes, without the humiliation of the Duke of Oldenburg and Alexander, without the Russian dictatorship, without the French Revolution and subsequent dictatorships and empires, and even with all the conditions and causes that gave rise to the French Revolution. war.In the absence of one of these causes, nothing happens.So it's all these reasons, an infinite number of reasons, coming together to cause what happened.Thus no cause is the sole cause of an event, and an event happens only because it must happen.In order to explain irrational phenomena, determinism in history is inevitable.The more we try to explain these historical phenomena rationally, the more we feel that these phenomena are unreasonable and unexplainable.

A man lives thoughtfully for himself, but he is a thoughtless instrument for the historical purpose to which all mankind has arrived.The actions of people are irreversible, and the actions of one person and the countless actions of others have historical significance.The higher a person's social status, the more people he is related to, the greater his power over others, and the greater the agreement and inevitability of his every action.

The king's heart is in the hands of heaven.Emperors are the slaves of history.

History, that is, the thoughtless, identical, collective life of human beings, uses every minute of the emperor's life as a tool to achieve its own goals.In historical events, the so-called great people are only a kind of sign, which shows the names of the event. Like the sign, their relationship with the event itself is insignificant.Each of their actions, in their own eyes, is voluntary, but in the historical sense, they are involuntary, but related to the entire historical process, and are arranged by God.

[two]

On May 29, Napoleon left Dresden and the princes and dukes who surrounded him.Diplomats still believed in the possibility of peace and worked hard for it. Napoleon even called the emperor Alexander to assure him earnestly that he did not desire war and that he would always love and respect him.And he went to the troops, and from every post station gave orders to hasten the advance eastward.Surrounded by his subordinates, adjutants and guards, Napoleon sat in a six-horse sedan carriage and received a warm welcome from tens of thousands of people in the places he passed.

On June [-], Napoleon overtook his troops.The next day, he surpassed the troops and arrived at the Neman River to observe the crossing point.He saw the Cossacks and the vast grassland across the river, and almost saw the holy city of Moscow in the grassland.Unexpectedly, he ordered an advance against strategic and diplomatic considerations, and the next day his army began to cross the Neman River.

On the morning of the twelfth Napoleon stepped out of his tent on the steep left bank, and watched through a telescope his troops rushing from the Verkovsky Forest to the three bridges over the Nemen.When the troops saw a figure in a regular dress and a top hat in front of the tent on the mountain, they all threw up their military caps and shouted "Long live, long live, long live!" The troops crossed the bridge in four ways and arrived at the opposite bank. The shouts of the people are filled with the joy of the long-awaited war and the loyalty to those who stand on the mountain.On June [-]th, Napoleon rode a sweat horse from the Western Regions, galloped across a bridge amidst lively cheers, and stopped around the Polish Lancers stationed on the river bank.

"Long live!" shouted the Poles with joy, and they also fell into disorder, crowding around to look at him.

Napoleon looked at the river, then dismounted and sat down on a log on the bank.He scanned the opposite bank with the binoculars he had brought, and then focused his attention on the map spread out on the wood.Without looking up, he muttered to himself, and two of his adjutants rode off towards the Polish Lancers.

He gave orders to find a ford across the river.An old military officer who was over half a century old excitedly raised his command knife, shouted "long live", and ordered a group of cavalrymen to follow him, jumped into the water, and ran to the depths of the rapids.In the depths of the cold and treacherous rapids, the Lancers fell from their horses and struggled with each other.Some horses drowned, some men drowned, but what they were proud of was that they forced their way across the river in front of a man, and drowned in it.But this man is sitting on a log and doesn't care about them.When the adjutant picked the right time and boldly called the emperor's attention to the devotion of the Polish Lancers to him, the little man in the gray coat stood up, called Berthier, and walked with him on the bank of the river. Giving him orders, only sometimes to look unhappily at the drowned Polish Lancers who distracted him.

For him, people's belief in him and the crazy behavior of sacrificing his life are not new.He was not here at all when the colonel and some of the Lancers scrambled up to the bank, shouting "Long live" with great joy.At night, Napoleon issued two orders: one is to bring the printed Russian counterfeit money as soon as possible, and the other is to shoot a Russian because there is information about the British army in his intercepted letter; The Polish colonel who entered the river was included in the Legion of Honor, and Napoleon himself was the leader of this Legion of Honor.Whoever wants to be destroyed should first take away his wisdom.

[three]

The Russian emperor has now lived in Vilna for more than 40 days, and he often presides over military parades and exercises.He still did nothing about the war that everyone guessed.There is no unified strategic approach.Each of the three armies has a commander-in-chief, but the commander-in-chief of the three armies does not.The people around the emperor seemed to just want to make the emperor happy and forget about the looming war.

On the very day that Napoleon ordered the Nieman to be crossed, and his vanguard, repelling the Cossacks, entered the Russian frontier, the Emperor Alexander, at the great estate of the landowner Bennigsen in the province of Vilna, was in honor of his aide-de-camp. At the ball, he spent his happiest night.

It was a joyful and sumptuous banquet, and so many beauties were gathered in one place, such a thing was seldom ever seen.Countess Binzokhov also followed the emperor from Petersburg to Vilna among the Russian ladies, and her Russian beauty attracted special attention.

Although Britz Drubetsko was not a professional military attache, he paid a large sum of money for the ball, and he was already on an equal footing with the highest of his generation.In Vilna, he met Hanli.Hanley was enjoying the favor of a person of the highest rank, and Britz was about to marry, so they did not talk about the past, just as ordinary friends.

At twelve o'clock in the middle of the night, the emperor's most trusted person, the chief military attache, Blashev, came to the emperor and stood unreasonably close to the emperor.The emperor, who was talking to a Polish lady, obviously understood that he had a reason for doing so, so he nodded slightly to the lady, and then turned to Blashev.As soon as Blashev spoke, a look of surprise appeared on the emperor's face.Britz sensed that as the Emperor and Blashev passed by, Arakcheyev's face showed anxiety and jealousy.

Britto, who was dancing with Hanli, ran into the garden. When the emperor and Blashef passed by, he acted as if he hadn't had time to go away. He heard the emperor say excitedly to Blashef: "If you don't declare war, you will die." Attack Russia! As long as an armed enemy remains in my country, I will never make peace!" He was annoyed when Britz, who was beside him heard this, frowned and added: "It must not be leaked!"

Britz closed his eyes and slowly lowered his head, knowing that the words were addressed to him.But Blitz thus became the No.1 who knew the French army had crossed the Niemen River, and he had a chance to show himself.

The news of the French crossing of the Niemen was very shocking because it came at the ball after 30 days of silent waiting!Surprised and indignant, the emperor uttered the aphorism which so pleased him and which fully expressed his feelings.Returning from the ball, at two o'clock in the evening, he called his secretary Shishkov and told him to write an order to the army, and he also sent an oral order to Generalissimo Prince Saltykov, in which he added the motto.

The next day, he also wrote an upright letter to Napoleon in French, saying that if Napoleon did not retreat, he would be forced to fight.

[Four]

At one o'clock in the night on May [-]th, the Emperor received Blashev and asked him to deliver the letter to the Emperor of France in person and convey his maxim orally.

Accompanied by a trumpeter and two Cossacks, Blashev arrived at the village of Rekonte, a British outpost on the right bank of the Nieman River, at dawn.

A French officer frowned, said something dirty, held his saber, and shouted rudely to the Russian general who was advancing on the avenue.Blashev, who had always been close to the highest people of power and authority, and was used to the respect he received for his position, saw at this moment, on the territory of Russia, this hostile, even rude expression towards him. , I feel particularly weird.

The sun was out, and happily shining on the bright green meadows.Across the village of Reconte, a burly man on a black horse led a group of riders to meet him.The French colonel Yournier whispered respectfully to Blashev: "This is the King of Naples." This man is indeed Murat, who is currently called the King of Naples.Why is he the King of Naples? Even though everyone is confused, they still call him that, and he himself believes that he is the King of Naples.Thus, seeing the Russian general, like a king, solemnly throwing back his long-haired head on his shoulders, he looked questioningly at the accompanying British colonel.

Blashov said: "Your Majesty, the emperor does not want war, your Majesty is clear." When Murat listened to Blashev's words, a proud and complacent expression appeared on Murat's face.He felt that, as a subject of the emperor, he should talk to Alexander's diplomatic envoy about state affairs.The Emperor Napoleon, he said, was annoyed at ordering him to withdraw his troops from Prussia, especially when the order became known and discredited Britain.

Blashov said that there was nothing intrusive about this order, because... But Murat interrupted him.

"So you don't think Emperor Alexander is a preacher?" He said suddenly with a kind and honest smile.Blashev explained that he believed that the planner of the war was Napoleon.Murat almost remembered his reputation as a king, and suddenly straightened up solemnly, waving his right hand and said: "I will not disturb you anymore, General, I wish you success soon."

After listening to Murat's words, Blashev thought that he would see Napoleon soon.He did not see Napoleon at once, however, he saw only the sentinels of Davout's infantry corps, who, as if on a sentry post, were stopped in the next village and taken to Marshal Davout.

[five]

Davous was to Napoleon what Arakcheev was to Alexander.Even if he is not as careful as Arakcheyev, he is just as cruel, and he cannot express his loyalty to the emperor except cruelty.

These men are as necessary in government offices as are wolves in nature, they have always existed, they have always been present, and they have maintained their place, even though their presence and their proximity to the head of government were simply inappropriate.

Blashev saw Marshal Davu sitting on a small chair in a farmhouse hut, doing secretarial work.A better place could have been found, but Marshal Davous is the kind of person who deliberately puts himself in the most depressing living conditions in order to appear miserable in order to have power.They work hastily and persistently for the same reason.Davu was sharing in the fun when others brought Blashov in.Seeing the face of the Russian General, which had been animated by the clear morning and the conversation with Murat, he did not stand up, and even frowned even more without moving.

Blashev believes that he was treated in this way because Davu did not know that he was Alexander's special envoy, so he immediately revealed his rank and mission.Unexpectedly, Dawu became more serious and rude after hearing his words.

Blashev only said: "You can show respect to me or not, it's up to you." Dawu looked at Blashev silently, and he was obviously satisfied with the excited and restless look on his face.

"We will receive you properly." Davu walked out of the hut while pocketing the envelope Blashev handed him.

Blashev ate with the marshal that day on the wooden chair in the hut on the door panel.Later, he was left here, obeying the Marshal's adjutant de Castel, and followed the luggage cart to advance eastward.

After five days of loneliness, boredom, and a feeling of being subordinated and irrelevant, Blashev arrived in Vilna after several journeys with the marshal's luggage cart and the British troops who captured the whole area. The gate he walked out of five days ago has now been captured by the British army.

The next day, Blashev received news that Emperor Napoleon was summoning him.

In Vilna, in the same room where Alexander had sent Blashev, Napoleon summoned Blashev.

[six]

The extravagance and magnificence of Napoleon's palace amazed the well-informed Blashov.

The emperor's attendant, Count de Duren, took Blashev to the large living room where many generals, attendants, and Polish rich and nobles were waiting.

Blashev followed the attendant on duty into the small living room.After a burst of urgent footsteps, the two doors opened quickly, and Napoleon, dressed in riding clothes, appeared in front of Blashev with steady and firm steps.In his underjawed, youthful, fat face, there was the benevolent, serious expression of an emperor.

Evidently, Blashev himself did not interest him at all.Because he believes that everything in the world depends only on his own wishes.

"Hello, General! I saw the letter from Emperor Alexander you brought, and I am very glad to meet you." He looked at Blashev's face with big eyes, and then looked away immediately, "I am not currently Willing, never wanting war, yet I am compelled to go to war." Judging by the gentle, calm, and intimate tone of the emperor's speech, Blashev was sure that he wanted peace and intended to negotiate.

Blashov explained to the French emperor that Emperor Alexander did not think that Kuragin's request for a passport was the whole reason for the war. Kuragin did this because of his own ideas and did not get the emperor's opinion. Emperor Alexander did not want to fight , and has nothing to do with the United States.Finally, Blashev said the words that the Emperor Alexander asked him to convey to Napoleon.

(End of this chapter)