War and Peace

Chapter 7

The old Duke began to analyze, saying that Napoleon had made very serious mistakes in military affairs and even in politics.Duke Andrele listened patiently, trying not to interrupt his father, and at the same time he couldn't help being very surprised that this old man, who had never had contact with the outside world all these years in the countryside, analyzed the current political and military situation in Europe so well. So thorough, so well commented.

[25]

Duke Andrele was to leave before dark the next day.He wore a camouflage uniform without epaulets and was packing with a servant in his own room.After inspecting the carriage and the suitcases on it, he ordered the driver to harness the horses.Only things remained in the room that he always carried with him: a small bag, a small box, two revolvers and a sword, a gift from his father from the Russo-Turkish war. brought back from the battlefield.

People who are good at deep thinking always have a different mood when they are about to travel far and change their way of life.At this time, everyone generally looks back on the past and looks forward to the future.Duke Andrele had complicated thoughts, but there was a gentle expression on his face.With his hands behind his back, he paced back and forth in the room, looking around, shaking his head thoughtfully from time to time.It was not known whether he was timid to go to war, or whether he was sad about leaving his wife at home, or perhaps both.However, he obviously didn't want others to see his inner fluctuations. As soon as he heard footsteps in the corridor, he quickly dropped his hands, returned to normal, pretended to pack his things, and put on his usual calm and peaceful expression. Unfathomable demeanor.At this moment Princess Molière came in with heavy steps.

The beautiful Molière came to see her brother off. She blushed and took out a beautifully decorated icon of the Redeemer, begging him to wear it on her chest.

Six sets of carriages have been set up.It was getting dark outside.Servants busied themselves in the passages with lanterns.The whole family was waiting for Andre in the lobby.He was called to the study by his father, and the old man wanted to say goodbye to his son alone.

When Andret came to the study, the old prince put on reading glasses and was sitting at the table writing.

"Are you leaving right away?" He didn't stop writing. "I came to say goodbye to you." "Kiss me here," he passed his cheek, "thank you!" "Why do you thank me?" "Because you are strong-willed and not caught by a woman's skirt. Determined to serve the country. So thank you!" He continued writing, only to hear the nib rustle on the paper. "If you have anything to say, just say it. I can do two things at the same time."

"About my lover...I'm really sorry for leaving her here to cause you trouble..."

"What are you thinking! Tell me what you want to say." "When my wife is going to give birth, please send someone to Moscow to bring a good doctor... let him get ready here." "Uh... hmm ..." The old prince replied while writing, "You can rest assured."

He stopped his pen, signed, then turned to his son and laughed.

"It's a little trouble, isn't it?" "What trouble, papa?" "Your wife!" said the old prince simply. "I don't quite understand," said Duke Andrée.

"Son, tell me as you go," said the old prince. "They're all alike, and you can't divorce. Don't worry about it. I won't tell anyone, and you know that."

André didn't answer: his father understood him, which made him both happy and unhappy.The old man stood up and handed the letter to his son.

"Listen," he said, "don't worry about my wife, I'll do what I can. Now listen, and give this letter to Kotusov. I've said it in the letter." , ask him to use you in the right place, don't keep being an adjutant! I told him, I miss him very much and like him. Write to me later and tell me how he arranges you. If he treats you well, you should Work hard. Malal Balkonski's son doesn't need constant attention."

The old prince handed over to Maral his memoirs, securities, and the prize money to be awarded to the author of the "History of Suvorov Wars", thinking that he would die before his son.

"Okay, let's say goodbye now!" He put his hand in front of his son, and hugged him, "Remember, Duke André, if you die in battle, I will be sad..." After a pause, suddenly, He said again in a high-pitched voice, "If I learn that you don't behave like Malal Balkonski's son, I'll be . . . ashamed!"

They stood for a while in silence.The old man's sharp eyes looked directly into his son's eyes.The old prince shuddered.

"It's time for you to go...you go!" he said suddenly. "Go!" he opened the door and shouted angrily.

Andre walked towards the door. "Andrew, are you really going?" said the petite princess, looking pale at her husband in horror.He hastily hugged her.With a cry she fell fainting on his shoulder.Carefully he lifted the shoulder on which she rested, and lowered her into the armchair. "Goodbye. Good sister." He whispered to his sister, held hands with her and kissed her on the cheek, then walked out of the room quickly.The Duchess was lying in an arm-chair, and Miss Pollyeye was rubbing her temples.Princess Molière supported her sister-in-law, her beautiful eyes were full of tears, she kept looking at the door where her husband walked out, and then crossed herself in the direction of his departure.From time to time, the sound of the old prince coughing angrily could be heard in the study.As soon as Duke Andrele walked out, the door of the study opened again, and the old man in white pajamas poked his head out to take a look.

"Let's go? It's good to go!" He said, looking at the unconscious petite duchess angrily, sighed reproachfully, and closed the door again.

Part Two

[One]

In October, [-], Russian troops moved into many villages and towns in the Austrian state, and new troops from Russia were arriving one after another and stationed near Bugat.Kotusov's headquarters was located in Bugat.

On October [-], an infantry regiment that had just arrived in Bugat stationed in a camp half a mile from the city, waiting to be inspected by the commander-in-chief.

The commander was an old, steady, stout general.After receiving the order to accept the inspection, he ordered the whole regiment of soldiers to dress up, and the whole regiment of soldiers tidied up and washed overnight to make them clean and tidy.But the adjutant from the headquarters issued an order, requiring the soldiers to wear coats and carry bags exactly as they did when they were marching, and not to make any changes.

Yesterday, a senator from the Austrian Military Senate came to see Kotusov from the capital, and suggested and asked the Russian army to join the army of Archduke McKim and Mark to join the battle, but Kotusov thought that doing so would not cause too much trouble Therefore, after citing many other reasons, he also planned to ask the Austrian general to witness the horrors of the newly arrived troops from Russia to prove the correctness of his opinion.That's what he meant by asking for a troop review, so the worse off the regiment was, the happier the Commander-in-Chief would be.Although the adjutant didn't understand the situation, he still conveyed the commander-in-chief's firm request to his subordinates, requiring soldiers to wear overcoats and carry backpacks, otherwise the commander-in-chief would be dissatisfied.The head of the regiment conveyed the order to restore the previous attire, and the soldiers were busy again.Three or 10 minutes later, everything was back to the way it was before, except that the uniforms of the troops changed from black to gray.The head of the group walked to the front of the phalanx and looked at the team from a distance.

"How on earth did this happen?" He discovered the problem, "Pass to the third company commander!"

When the elderly third company commander ran up to him, he asked sternly, "Who's that guy over there dressed like a city?" He was referring to a man in a woolen coat in the queue .

"My lord, that's officer Rucourt who was just demoted to be a soldier..." "What, is he being demoted to be a chief or a soldier? If he is a soldier, he should dress the same as his comrades." "My lord , It was you who approved him to be able to dress like this during the march." "I approved it?" The head of the regiment turned his head to look at the adjutant, and tremblingly walked towards the team. "You must stand still! Where are your legs?" When there were still five people away from Rukot in the blue coat, the regiment leader reprimanded a soldier loudly.

Reuckout slowly straightened his bent legs and cast a casual glance at the general's face.

"Who told you to wear a woolen coat, change it quickly..." Before the head of the group could finish speaking, Rucourt said:

"General, I fully implement the orders of my superiors, but I can't stand it..."

"Who's talking in the line?" "I can't take the insult." Reukaut finished his sentence aloud.

The eyes of the general and the private met.The general was silent, and pulled down his belt angrily. "Hurry up and replace it for me, please." He said before leaving.

[two]

"Here we come!" The signalman shouted loudly at this moment.The head of the regiment was flushed, and quickly ran to his horse, grabbed the stirrup with trembling hands, turned over and jumped on the horse, straightened his posture, drew out his command knife, put on a serious and firm expression, and moved the corner of his mouth, ready to shout a password .There was a rustling sound in the whole group, like a bird preening its feathers, and then it returned to calm.

"Stand at attention!" The head of the group shouted in a thick and clear voice, which sounded comfortable to himself, expressed majesty to the team, and welcomed the arrival of the superior.

A tall dark gray Panama-style carriage galloped along the wide avenue.The entourage on horseback and the Croat guard followed at a gallop.Beside Kotusov sat an Austrian general whose green uniform stood out against the black Russians.The carriage stopped in front of the troops.Kotusov was talking softly with the Austrian general, and a slight smile appeared on Kotusov's face.He lifted his heavy feet off the steps of the carriage, as if there were not thousands of soldiers staring at him silently.

After a password, the troops shook again, and the soldiers raised their guns in salute with a swish.In the utter silence, only the hoarse voice of the Commander-in-Chief can be heard.

Kotusov passed each rank, sometimes stopping to exchange greetings with officers he had known in the Russo-Turkish war, and sometimes with soldiers.He inspected their battered boots, sighed sadly several times, and pointed them out to the Austrian general, as if he blamed no one for the attire, but could not fail to realize how bad the situation was.Kotusov was followed by about twenty attendants, who talked among themselves and occasionally laughed.The handsome adjutant closest to the commander-in-chief was Duke André Bolkonski.Beside him is his colleague Amici, a tall and massive staff officer with a kindly face and piercing eyes.

Kotusov walked slowly and very seriously under the gaze of a thousand eyes.Walking in front of Sanlian, he stopped.

"Ah, Timoxin!" The commander-in-chief recognized the tall captain and company commander at a glance. When the commander-in-chief spoke, the captain straightened his body, as if if the commander-in-chief stood here for a while longer, his body would collapse. Like snapping.Kotusov obviously saw this and wished him well, so he turned hastily.An imperceptible smile flashed across Kotusov's fat, scarred face. "He is a comrade in the battle of Izmail," said Kotusov, "very brave officer! Are you satisfied?" Kotusov asked the regimental commander.The head of the regiment trembled, and hurried forward to answer: "Very satisfied, Commander!"

The third company was the last company. Kotusov hesitated for a while before the queue, obviously thinking of something again.Duke Andrele stepped forward and said softly:
"Just to remind you, the demoted officer Rukot is in this regiment." "Where is he?" asked Kotusov.Rucourt, who had already put on a gray overcoat, stood out from the queue. He was a burly soldier with blue eyes.He walked up to the commander-in-chief and raised his gun in salute.

"This is Reucault," said Duke Andrée. "Oh, if you have any requests, just ask." Kotusov asked, "I hope you can learn from this lesson and correct yourself. The emperor is kind. As long as you work hard, I will remember you. "

Lookout's bright blue eyes were fixed on the Commander-in-Chief as boldly as they had been on the Commander-in-Chief just now. "I ask only one thing, my lord," he said in a loud, firm, deliberate voice, "that I be given a chance to reform myself, and to prove my allegiance to His Majesty the Emperor and the Russian people."

Kotusov turned his face away and frowned, as if to say that he had already expected what Rucourt said to him, and everything Rucourt might say to him, and was tired of hearing it. , are completely unnecessary nonsense.He walked quickly to the carriage.

[three]

Kotusov came back from the review and went into his room with the Austrian general.He called the Duke of Andrele, and asked him to produce several documents, including a letter from the Archduke McKim of Austria, in which the Archduke boasted of the Austrian army's successive victories and its favorable terrain.Kotusov asked Ondry to write a report based on these materials, explaining the superiority of the Austrian army and the rationale for the Russian army not rushing to join it.Although the Austrian general appeared displeased, he did not attack.

Although Duke Andrele has not been away from his hometown for a long time, he has changed a lot.In his expression and actions, it seems that his former figure is no longer visible.He seems to have lost his mind on what kind of impression he will leave in the minds of others, and has been busy with work and meaningful things. His smile and eyes are more excited and more eye-catching.

He met Kotusov in Poland, who received him very warmly, promised to take good care of him, took him to Austria, and entrusted him with some difficult tasks.In Austria, Kotusov wrote a long letter to his old comrade-in-arms, the father of the Duke d'Andrele.

"Your son," he wrote, "has a good chance of becoming a distinguished officer because of his diligence, steadfastness, and reliability. I feel very fortunate to have such an assistant at my side."

With Kotusov, as in the upper class of Petersburg, Prince Andrey reacted in two quite different ways.A few people thought that the Duke d'Andrew was very different from himself or from everyone else. He was easy to approach and expected a great future for him. They listened to him, respected him, and admired him.Getting along with these people, Duke Andrele was approachable and happy.There are many people who don't like Duke Andrele, who think he is arrogant, cold, and unpleasant.When dealing with such people, Duke Andrele would give them a wink, and even make them afraid of himself.

Prince Andrey, carrying the papers, went from Kotusov's room into the drawing-room.At this moment, an Austrian general hurried in and slammed the door behind him.The man was wearing a military uniform with a black scarf tied around his head and a medal around his neck.He had obviously just arrived here from out of town.

"Where is Commander Kotusov?" The general who had just entered the door said hurriedly, walking towards the door without stopping.

"The commander is busy," the adjutant Kozlovski hurried forward and approached the strange general, blocking his way, "What is the general's name, please?"

The new general cast a contemptuous look at the adjutants, as if surprised that they didn't recognize him.This is the famous Austrian general Mark, the supreme commander of the Austrian army on the Ulm front.

The adjutant went in to report.The door opened, and Kotusov came to the door.As if avoiding danger, the Austrian general stooped and strode up to Kotusov.

"Your Excellency, I am Mark." He said hoarsely.

(End of this chapter)