 Napoleon began war with Russia, because he could not resist going to Justin, could not help having his head turned but the homage he received, could not help donning a Polish uniform and yearning to the stimulating influence of a June morning, and could not refrain from buzz of anger in the presence of Kurokin and then of Balashev. Alexander refused negotiations because he felt himself to be personally exalted. Vakleid Tolly tried to command the army in the best way, because he wished to fulfill his duty and unfame as a great commander. Rostov charged the French, because he could not restrain his wish for a gallop across a level field, and in the same way the innumerable people who took part in the war acted in accord with their personal characteristics, habits, circumstances, and aims. They were moved by fear of vanity, rejoiced, or were indignant, reasoned, imagining that they knew what they were doing and did it of their own free will, but they all were involuntary tours of history, carrying on a work conceived from them, but comprehensible to us, such as the inevitable fate of men of action, and the higher they stand in the social hierarchy, the less are they free. The actors of 1812 have long since left the stage, their personal interests have vanished, leaving no trace, and nothing remains of their time but its historic results. Providence compelled all these men, striving to attain personal aims, to further the accomplishment of a stupendous result no one of them had expected, neither Napoleon, nor Alexander, nor still as any of those who did the actual fighting. The cause of the destruction of the French army in 1812 is clear to us now. No one would deny that that cause was, on the one hand, its advance into the heart of Russia late in the season without any preparation for a winter campaign, and on the other, the character given to the war by the burning of Russian towns and the hatred of the foe disavowsed among the Russian people. When no one at the time foresaw, it would now seem so evident that this was the only way an army of 800,000 men, the best in the world and led by the best general, could be destroyed in conflict with a raw army of half its numerical strength, and led by inexperienced commanders as the Russian army was. Not only did no one see this, but on the Russian side, every effort was made to hinder the only thing that could save Russia, while on the French side, despite Napoleon's experience, and so-called military genius. Every effort was directed to pushing on to Moscow at the end of the summer, that is, to doing the very thing that was bound to lead to destruction. In historical works on the year 1812, French writers were very fond of saying that Napoleon felt the danger of extending his line, that he sought a battle and that his marshals advised him to stop at Smolensk, and of making similar statements to show that the danger of campaign was even there understood. Russian authors are still fond of telling us that from the commencement of the campaign, a seasonal plan was adopted to lure Napoleon into the depths of Russia, and this plan some of them attributed to Fuhr, others to a certain Frenchman, others to Tau, and others, again, to the extender himself, pointing to notes, projects, and letters which contains hints of such a line of action. But all these hints, at what happened, both from the French side and the Russian, are advanced only because they fit in with the event. As that event not occurred, these hints would have been forgotten, as we have forgotten the thousands and millions of hints and expectations to the country which were current then, but have now been forgotten because the event falsified them. There are always so many conjectures as to the issue of any event, that however it may end, there will always be people to say, I said then, that it would be so. Quite forgetting that amid their innumerable conjectures, many were to quite the country effect. Conjectures as to Napoleon's awareness of the danger of extending his line, and on the Russian side, as to leering the enemy into the depths of Russia, are evidently of that kind, and only by much straining can historians attribute such conceptions to Napoleon and his marshals, or such planes to the Russian commanders. All the facts are in flat contradiction to such conjectures. During the whole period of the war, not only was there no wish on the Russian side to draw the French into the heart of the country, but from their first entry into Russia, everything was done to stop them. And not only was Napoleon not afraid to extend his line, but he welcomed every step forward as a triumph, and did not seek battle as eagerly as in former campaigns, but very lazily. At the very beginning of the war, our armies were divided, and our sole aim was to unite them, though uniting the armies was no advantage if we meant to retire and lure the enemy into the depths of the country. Our emperor joined the army to encourage it to defend every inch of Russian soil and not retreat. The enormous Joseph camp was formed on first plane, and there was no intention of retiring father. The emperor reproached the commanders in chief for every step they retired. He could not bear the idea of letting the enemy even reach Smolensk, still less could he contemplate the burning of Moscow, and when our armies did unite, he was displeased that Smolensk was abandoned and burned without a general engagement having been fought under its walls. So thought the emperor, and the Russian commanders and people were still more provoked and thought that our forces were retreating into the depths of the country. Napoleon, having cut our armies apart, advanced far into the country, and missed several chances of forcing engagement. In August, he was at Smolensk and thought only of how to advance father, though as we now see, that advance was evidently ruinous to him. The facts clearly show that Napoleon did not foresee the danger of the advance on Moscow, noted Alexander and the Russian commanders then think of leering Napoleon on, but quite the contrary. The leering of Napoleon into the depths of the country was not the result of any play, for no one believed it to be possible. It resulted from a most complex interplay of intrigues, aims and wishes among those who took part in the war and had no perception whatever of the inevitable or of the one way of saving Russia. Everything came about fortuitously. The armies were divided at the commencement of the campaign. We tried to unite them, with the evident intention of giving battle and checking the enemies advance, and by this effort to unite them while avoiding battle was a much stronger enemy, and necessarily withdrawing the armies at an acute angle. We lead the French on to Smolensk, but we withdraw at an acute angle, not only because the French advance between our two armies. The angle became still more acute, and we withdraw with Father, because Barclay de Tolly was an unpopular foreigner, disliked by Barclay's command, and Barclay's command, and Barclay's command of the Second Army, tried to postpone joining up and coming under Barclay's command as long as he could. Barclay's command was slowly affecting the junction, so that was the chief aim of all at headquarters, because, as he alleged, he exposed his army to danger on this march, and it was best for him to attire more to the left and more to the south, wearing the enemy from flank and rear, and securing for the European recruits for his army. And it looks as if he planned this in order not to come under the command of the detested foreigner Barclay, whose rank was inferior to his own. The emperor was with the army to encourage it, but his presence and ignorance of what steps to take, and the enormous number of advisors and plans destroyed the First Army's energy and it retired. The intention was to make a stand at the Dresden camp, but Pallucci, aiming at becoming commander-in-chief, then expected lay employed his energy to influence Alexander, and for his whole plane was abandoned, and the command entrusted to Barclay. But as Barclay did not inspire confidence, his power was limited, the armies were divided, there was no unity of command, and Barclay was unpopular. But from this confusion, division, and the unpopularity of the foreign commander-in-chief, there resulted on the one hand indecision and the avoidance of a battle, which we could not have refrained from, had the armies been united and had someone else, instead of Barclay, being in command, and on the other, an ever-increasing indignation against the foreignness, and an increase in patriotic zeal. At last, the emperor left the army, and as the most convenient and indeed the only pretext for his departure, it was decided that it was necessary for him to inspire the people in the capitals, and arouse the nation in general to a patriotic war, and by this visit of the emperor to Moscow, the stress of the Russian army was troubled. He left in order not to obstruct the commander-in-chief's undivided control of the army, and hoping that more decisive action would then be taken, but the command of the armies became still more confused and enfeebled. Benikson, the Zaravish, and the swarm of the gestants general remained with the army to keep the commander-in-chief under observation and arouse his energy, and Barclay, feeling less free than ever, under the observation of all these eyes of the emperor, became still more cautious of undertaking any decisive action and avoided giving battle. Barclay stood for caution. The Zaravish hinted at treachery and demanded a general engagement. Lubomirsky, Bronitsky, Vlosky, and the others of that group stood up so much trouble that Barclay and the pretext of sending papers to the emperor dispatched this polished gestants general to Petersburg and plunged into an open struggle with Benikson and Zaravish. At Smolensk, the armies at last reunited, much as Barclay disliked it. Barclay drove up in a carriage to the house occupied by Barclay. Barclay donned his sash and came out to meet and report to his senior officer Barclay. Despite his seniority in rank Barclay, in this context of magnanimity, took his orders from Barclay, but having submitted, agreed with him less than ever. By the emperor's orders Barclay reported direct to him. He wrote to our chief, the emperor's confidant, It must be as my sovereign pleases, but I cannot work with the minister, meaning Barclay. For God's sake, send me somewhere else if only in command of a regiment. I cannot stand it here. Headquartered herself of Germans, that a Russian cannot exist, and there is no sensing anything. I thought I was rarely serving my sovereign and the fatherland, but it turns out that I am serving Barclay. I confess, I do not want to. The swarm of Bronitskis and Winston Gerardas, and their lack there further, embedded the relations between the commanders in chief, and even less unity resulted. Preparations were made to fight the French before Smolensk. A general was sent to survey the position. This general, hitting Barclay, wrote to visit a friend of his own, a co-commander, and, having spent a day with him, returned to Barclay and condemned, as insutable from every point of view, the battleground he had not seen. While disputes and intrigues were going on about the future field of battle, and while we were looking for the French, having lost touch with them, the French stumbled upon Nevorosky's division and reached the balls of Smolensk. It was necessary to fight an unexpected battle at Smolensk to save our lives of communication. The battle was fought, and thousands were killed on both sides. Smolensk was abandoned contrary to the wishes of the Emperor and of the whole people, but Smolensk was burned by its own inhabitants, who had been misled by their governor. And this ruined the inhabitants, setting an example to other versions, went to Moscow, thinking only of their own losses, but kindling hatred of the foe. Napoleon advanced further and we were tired, the surviving adverse result, which caused his destruction. End of chapter 1, recorded October 4th, 2008 by Geneva. For more information or to a volunteer, please visit lippewalks.org. The day after his son had left, Prince Nicholas sent for Princess Mary to come to his study. Well, are you satisfied now, said he? You've made me quarrel with my son. Satisfied, aren't you? That is all you wanted. Satisfied? It hurts me, it hurts. I'm old and weak, and this is what you wanted. Well then, gloat over it, gloat over it. After that, Princess Mary did not see her father for a whole week. He was ill and did not leave his study. Princess Mary noticed to her surprise that during this illness, the old prince not only excluded her from his realm, but did not admit Madame Ocel Borean either. Técon, alone, attended him. At the end of the week, the prince reappeared and resumed his former way of life. Devoting himself with special activity to building operations and the arrangements of the gardens, and completely breaking off his relationships with Madame Ocel Borean. His looks and cold tone to his daughter seemed to say, There you see, you plotted against me. You lied to Prince Andrew about my relations with that French woman and made me quarrel with him. But you see, I need neither her nor you. Princess Mary spent half of every day with little Nicholas, watching his lessons, teaching him Russian and music herself, and talking to the solace. The rest of the day she spent over her books with her old nurse or with God's folk who sometimes came by the back door to see her. Of the war, Princess Mary thought as women do think about wars. She feared for her brother who was in it, was horrified by and amazed at the strange cruelty that impels men to kill one another. But she did not understand the significance of this war, which seemed to her like all previous wars. She did not realize the significance of this war, though the solace with whom she constantly conversed was passionately interested in his progress and tried to explain his own conception of it to her. And though the God's folk who came to see her reported, in their own way, the rumors current among the people of an invasion by Antichrist. And though Julie, now Princess Jobuskaya, who had resumed correspondence with her, wrote patriotic letters from Moscow. I write to you in Russian, my good friend, wrote Julie in her Frenchified Russian, because I have a detestation for all the French and the same for the language which I cannot support to hear spoken. We in Moscow are elated by enthusiasm for our adored emperor. My poor husband is enduring pains and hunger in Jewish taverns, but the news which I have inspires me yet more. You heard properly of the heroic exploit of Ryazki, embracing his two sons and saying, I will perish with them, but we will not be shaken. And truly, though the enemy was twice stronger than we, we were unshakable. We passed the time as we can, but in war as in war. The princess Arlene and Sophie sit whole days with me, and we, unhappy widows of life men, made beautiful conversations over our chappy, only you, my friend, are missing, and so on. The chief reason Princess Mary did not realize the full significance of this war was that the old prince never spoke of it, did not recognize it, and laughed at the silence when he mentioned it at dinner. The princess tone was so calm and confident that Princess Mary, unhesitantly, believed him. All that July, the old prince was existently active and even animated. He planned another garden and began a new building for the domestic serves. The only thing that made Princess Mary anxious about him was that he slept very little, and instead of sleeping in his study as usual, changed his sleeping place every day. One day, he would order his camp bed to be set up in the grass gallery. Another day, he remained in the couch or on the lounge chair in the drawing room, and dosed there without undressing, while instead of Mademoiselle Borean, a served boy read to him. Then again, he would spend a night in the dining room. On August 1st, a second letter was received from Prince Andrew. In his first letter, which came soon after he left home, Prince Andrew had dutifully asked his father's forgiveness for what he had allowed himself to say and beg to be resorted to his favor. To this letter, the old Prince had replied affectionately, and from that time had kept the French woman at a distance. Prince Andrew's second letter, written near the depths after the French had occupied the town, gave a brief account of the whole campaign, enclosed for them a plan he had drawn and forecast as to the further progress of the war. In this letter, Prince Andrew pointed out to his father the danger of staying at Bowed Hills, so near the theater of war, and on the army's direct line of march, and advised him to move to Moscow. At dinner that day, on Desales mentioning that the French were said to have already entered with tasks, the old Prince remembered his son's letter. There was a letter from Prince Andrew today, he said to Princess Mary, haven't you read it? No father, she replied in a frightened voice. She could not have read the letter as she did not even know it had arrived. He writes about this war, said the Prince, with the ironic smile that had become habitual to him in speaking of the present war. That must be very interesting, said Desales. Prince Andrew isn't positioned to know. Oh, very interesting, said Mademoiselle Borean. Go and get it for me, said the old Prince, to Mademoiselle Borean. You know, under the paperweight on the little table. Mademoiselle Borean jumped up eagerly. No, don't, he exclaimed with a frown. You go, Michael Ivanovich. Michael Ivanovich rose and went to the study. But as soon as he had left the room, the old Prince, looking uneasily around, threw down his napkin and went himself. They can't do anything. Always make some muddle, he muddled. While he was away, Princess Mary, Desales, Mademoiselle Borean, and even little Nicholas exchanged looks in silence. The old Prince returned with quick steps accompanied by Michael Ivanovich, bringing the letter and a plan. These he put down beside him, not letting anyone read them at dinner. On moving to the drawing room, he handed the letter to Princess Mary and spreading out before him the plan of the new building and fixing his eyes upon it, told her to read the letter aloud. When she had done so, Princess Mary looked inquiringly at her father. He was examining the plan evidently and grossed in his own ideas. What do you think of it, Prince? Desales went to ask, said the Prince, as if unprecedentedly awakened, and not taking eyes from the plan of the building. Very possibly, the theater wall will move so near to us that the theater wall, said the Prince, I have said and still say that the theater wall is Poland and the enemy will never get beyond the Niermann. Desales looked in amazement at the Prince, who was talking of the Niermann when the enemy was already at the Dipper. But Princess Mary, forgetting the geographical position of the Niermann, thought that what her father was saying was correct. When the snow melts, they will sink in the Polish swarms. Only they could fail to see it. The Prince continued, evidently thinking of the campaign of 1807, which seemed to him so recent. Venice should have advanced into Prussia sooner, then things would have taken a different turn. But Prince Desales began timidly. The letter mentions Wittes. Ah, the letter, yes, replied the Prince, previously. Yes, yes, his face suddenly took on a moral expression. He paused. Yes, he writes that the French were beaten at what river is it? Desales dropped his eyes. The Prince says nothing about that. He remarked gently. Doesn't he? But I didn't invent it myself. No one spoke for a long time. Yes, yes. Well, Michael Ivanovich, he suddenly went on, raising his head and pointing to the plan of the building. Tell me how you mean to alter it. Michael Ivanovich went up to the plan and the Prince, after speaking to him about the building, looked angrily at Prince Mary and Desales and went to his own room. Prince Mary saw Desales' embarrassment and astonished look fixed on her father. Noticed his silence and was struck by the fact that her father had forgotten his son's letter on the drawing room table. But she was not only afraid to speak of it and ask Desales the reason of his confusion and silence, but was afraid even to think about it. In the evening, Michael Ivanovich, sent by the Prince, came to Princess Mary for Prince Andrew's letter, which had been forgotten in the drawing room. She gave it to him and, and present as it was to her to do so, ventured to ask him what her father was doing. Always busy, replied Michael Ivanovich, with a respectfully ironic smile, which caused Princess Mary to turn pale. He's worrying very much about the new building. He has been reading a little, but now Michael Ivanovich went on, lowering his voice. Now he's at his desk, busy with his will, I expect, open blacked. One of the Prince's favorite occupations of late had been the preparation of some papers he meant to leave at his death, and which he called his will, close blacked. And a partage is being sent to Smolensk, asked Princess Mary. Oh yes, he has been wanting to start for some time. End of Chapter 2, War and Peace, Book 10, Chapter 2, Read for LibriVox.org by NDU, Mrs. Agar, Canada. War and Peace, Book 10, Chapter 3, Read for LibriVox.org by David Anton. When Michael Ivanovich returned to the study with the letter, the old Prince, with spectacles on and a shade over his eyes, was sitting at his open bureau with screened candles, holding a paper in his outstretched hand, and in a somewhat dramatic attitude was reading his manuscript, his remarks as he termed it, which was to be transmitted to the Emperor after his death. When Michael Ivanovich went in, there were tears in the Prince's eyes, evoked by the memory of the time when the paper he was now reading had been written. He took the letter from Michael Ivanovich's hand, put it in his pocket, folded up his papers, and called in Alpatish, who had long been waiting. The Prince had a list of things to be bought in Smolensk, and walking up and down the room past Alpatish, who stood by the door, he gave his instructions. First note paper. Do you hear? It inquires, like this sample guilt-edged. It must be exactly like the sample. Varnish, sealing wax, as in Michael Ivanovich's list. He paced up and down for a while and glanced at his notes. Then hand to the Governor in person a letter about the deed. Next, bolts for the doors of the new building were wanted, and had to be of a special shape the Prince had himself designed, and a leather case had to be ordered to keep the will in. The instructions to Alpatish took over two hours, and still the Prince did not let him go. He sat down, sank into thought, closed his eyes, and dozed off. Alpatish made a slight movement. Well, go, go! If anything more is wanted, I'll send after you. Alpatish went out. The Prince again went to his bureau, glanced into it, fingered his papers, closed the bureau again, and sat down at the table to write to the Governor. It was already late when he rose after sealing the letter. He wished to sleep, but he knew he would not be able to, and that most depressing thoughts came to him in bed. So he called Tikon and went through the rooms with him to show him where to set up the bed for that night. He went about looking at every corner. Every place seemed unsatisfactory, but worst of all was his customary couch in the study. That couch was dreadful to him. Probably because of the oppressive thoughts he had had while lying there. It was unsatisfactory everywhere, but the corner behind the piano in the sitting room was better than the other places. He had never slept there yet. With the help of a footman Tikon brought in the bedstead and began putting it up. That's not right, that's not right, cried the Prince, and himself pushed it a few inches from the corner, and then closer in again. Well, at last I've finished. Now I'll rest, thought the Prince, and let Tikon undress him. Frowning with vexation at the effort necessary to divest himself of his coat and trousers, the Prince undressed, sat down heavily on the bed, and appeared to be meditating as he looked contemptuously at his withered yellow legs. He was not meditating, but only deferring the moment of making the effort to lift those legs up and turn over on the bed. Ugh, how hard it is. Oh, that this toil might end and you would release me, thought he. Pressing his lips together, he made that effort for the twenty thousandth time and lay down. But hardly had he done so before he felt the bed rocking backwards and forwards beneath him, as if it were breathing heavily and jolting. This happened to him almost every night. He opened his eyes as they were closing. No peace damned them, he muttered. Angry he knew not with whom. Ah, yes, there was something else important, very important, that I was keeping till I should be in bed. The bolts? No, I told him about them. No, it was something. Something in the drawing room. Princess Mary talked some nonsense. DeSalle's, that fool, said something. Something in my pocket can't remember. Tikon, what did we talk about at dinner? About Prince Michael. Be quiet, quiet. The prince slapped his hand on the table. Yes, I know. Prince Andrew's letter, Princess Mary read it. DeSalle said something about Vitebsk. Now I'll read it. He had the letter taken from his pocket and the table, on which stood a glass of lemonade and a spiral wax candle, moved close to the bed, and putting on his spectacles he began reading. Only now, in the stillness of the night, reading it by faint light under the green shade, did he grasp its meaning for a moment. The French at Vitebsk. In four days' march, they may be at Smoliansk. Perhaps are already there. Tikon. Tikon jumped up. No, no, I don't want anything, he shouted. He put the letter under the candlestick and closed his eyes. And there rose before him the Danube, at bright noon day. Reads. The Russian camp. And himself, a young general without a wrinkle on his ruddy face. Rigorous and alert. Entering Potemkin's gaily colored tent. And a burning sense of jealousy of the favorite agitated him now as strongly as it had done then. He recalled all the words spoken at that first meeting with Potemkin. And he saw before him a plump, rather sallow-faced, short, stout woman. The empress mother, with her smile and her words at her first gracious reception of him. And then that same face on the catafalque, and the encounter he had with Zubav over her coffin, about his right to kiss her hand. Oh, quicker, quicker. To get back to that time and have done with all the present. Quicker, quicker. And that they should leave me in peace. End of chapter 3. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. Translated by Eilmer and Louise Mao. Book 10. This is a LibriVolks recording. All LibriVolks recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVolks.org. Recording by Andy Yu. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. Book 10. Chapter 4. Bout Hills. Prince Nicholas Bokonsky's estate lay 40 miles east from Svalensk, and two miles from the main road to Moscow. The same evening that the prince gave his instructions to our patage. The solace, having asked to see Princess Mary, told her that as the prince was not very well and was taking no steps to secure his safety, though from Prince Andrew's letter, it was evident that to remain at Bout Hills might be dangerous. He respectfully advised her to send a letter by our patage to the provincial governor at Svalensk, asking him to let her know the state of affairs and the extent of the danger to which Bout Hills was exposed. The solace wrote this letter to the governor for Princess Mary. She signed it and it was given to a patage with instructions to hand it to the governor and to come back as quickly as possible if there was danger. Having received all his orders, our patage, wearing a white beaver hat, a present from the prince and carrying a stick as the prince did, went out accompanied by his family. Three well-fed rooms stood ready harness to a small conveyance with a leather hood. The larger bell was muffled and the little bells on the harness stuffed with paper. The prince allowed no one at Bout Hills to drive ringing bells, but on a long journey our patage liked to have them. He set the lights, the senior clerk, a counting house clerk, a scholarly maid, a cook, two old women, a little page boy, the coachman, and various domestic chefs were seeing him off. His daughter praised chins covered down cushions for him to sit on and behind his back. His old sister-in-law popped in a small bundle and one of the coachmen helped him into the vehicle. There, there, women's fuss, women, women, said our patage, putting and squeaking rapidly just as the prince did and he climbed into the trap. After giving the clerk orders about the work to be done, our patage, not trying to imitate the prince, now lifted the hat from his bald head and crossed himself three times. If there's anything, come back, Yaakov Apatich. For Christ's sake, thing of us cried his wife, referring to the rumors of war and the enemy. Women, women, women's fuss, murdered our patage himself and started on his journey, looking round at the fields of Yellow Rye and the still green, thickly growing oats and at other quite back fields, just being piled a second time. As he went along, he looked with pressure at the ear's splendid crop of corn, scrutinized the strips of rye field, which here and there were already being reaped, made his calculations as to the sowing and harvest and asked himself whether he had not gotten any of the prince's orders. Having baited the horses twice on the way, he arrived at the town towards evening on the Fourth of August. Apatich kept meeting and overtaking baggage trains and troops on the road. As he approached small lands, he heard the sounds of distant firing, but these did not impress him. What struck him most was the sight of a splendid field of oats in which a camp had been pitched and which was being mown down by the soldiers, evidently for fodder. This fact impressed Apatich, but in thinking about his own business, he soon forgot it. All the interests of his life for more than 30 years had been bounded by the will of the prince and he never went beyond that limit. Everything not connected with the execution of the prince's orders did not interest and did not even exist for Apatich. On reaching small lands, on the evening of the Fourth of August, he put up in the Garchena suburb across the Nidbha at the end kept by Furupontov where he had been in the habit of putting up for the last 30 years. Some 30 years ago, Furupontov by Apatich advice had bought a wood from the prince, had begun to trade and now had a house, an inn and a corn dealer's shop in that province. He was a stout, dark, red-faced peasant in the 40s. With thick lips, broad norvable nose, similar knobs over his black frowning brows and around the belly, wearing a waistcoat over his cotton shirt, Furupontov was standing before his shop, which opened onto the street. On seeing Apatich, he went up to him. You're welcome, Yaako Apatich. Folks are leaving the town, but you have come to it, said he. Why are they leaving the town, asked Apatich. That's what I say. Folks are foolish, always afraid of the French. Women's fuss, women's fuss, said Apatich. Just what I think, Yaako Apatich, what I say is orders have been given not to let them in, so that must be right, and the peasants are asking three rebels for carting isn't Christian. Yaako Apatich heard without hearing. He asked for a semova and for hay for his horses, and when he had had his tea, he went to bed. All night long, troops were moving past in. Next morning, Apatich donned a jacket he wore only in town and went out on business. It was a sunny morning, and by eight o'clock it was already hot. A good day for harvesting, thought Apatich. From beyond the town, firing had been heard since early morning. At eight o'clock, the booming of cannon was added to the sound of musketry. Many people were herring through the streets, and there were many soldiers, but caps were still driving about. Tracements stood at the shops, and service was being held in the churches as usual. Apatich went to the shops, to government offices, to the post office, and to the governors. In the offices and shops and the post office, everyone was talking about army and about enemy who was already attacking the town. Everybody was asking what should be done, and all were trying to calm one another. In front of the governor's house, Apatich found a large number of people, cross-ex and a traveling carriage of the governor. At the porch, he met two of the lander gentry, one of whom he knew. This man, an ex-captain of police, was saying angrily. It's no joke, you know, it's all very well if you're single. One man, though undone, is but one, as the proverb says, but with fifteen in your family and all the property, they brought us to utter ruin. What sort of governors are they to do that? They ought to be hanged, the brigands. Oh, calm, that's enough, said the other. What do I care? Let him hear. We're not dogs, said the ex-captain of police, and looking around, he noticed Apatich. Oh, yak of Apatich, what have you come for? To see the governor, by his excellency's order, answered Apatich, lifting his head and plowley, thrusting his hand into the bosom of his coat, as he always did when he mentioned the prince. He has ordered me to inquire into the position of affairs, he added. Yes, go and find out, shouted the angry gentleman. They've bought things to such a pass that there are no carts or anything. There it is again you hear, said he, pointing in the direction whence came the sounds of firing. They've bought us all to ruin the brigands, he repeated, and descended the porch steps. Apatich swayed his head and went upstairs. In the waiting room were tracemen, women, and officials, looking silently at one another. The door of the governor's room opened, and they all rose and moved forward. An official ran out, said some words to a merchant called a stout official with a cross hanging on his neck to follow him, and vanished again, evidently wishing to avoid the inquiring looks and questions addressed to him. Apatich moved forward, and next time the official came out addressed him. One hand placed in the breast of his button coat, and handed him two letters. To his honor Baron Ash, from General-in-chief Prince Bokonsky, he announced with such solemnity and significance that the official turned to him. And took the letters. Few minutes later the governor received Apatich and hurriedly said to him, inform the prince and princess that I knew nothing. I acted on the highest instructions here, and he handed a paper to Apatich. Still as the prince is unwell, my advice is that they should go to Moscow. I'm just starting myself, inform them, but the governor did not finish. Thus the perspiring officer ran into the room and began to say something in French. The governor's face expressed terror. Goal, he said, nodding his head to Apatich and began questioning the officer. Eager, frightened, helpless grances were turned on Apatich when he came out of the governor's room. In voluntary listening now to the firing would had drawn nearer and was increasing in strength, Apatich hurried to his inn. The paper handed him by the governor said this. I assure you that the town of Solence is not in the slightest danger as yet, and it is unlikely that it will be threatened with any. I from the one side and Prince Bregatian from the other are marching to unite our forces before Smolensk, which junction will be effected on the 22nd instant, and both armies with their united forces will defend our compatriots of the province and entrusted to your care till our efforts shall have beaten back the enemies of our fatherland or till the last warrior in our valiant ranks has perished. From this you will see that you have a perfect right to reassure the inhabitants of Smolensk. For those defended by two such brave armies may feel assured on victory. In brackets, instructions from Barclay the Tolly to Baron Ash, the civil governor of Smolensk, 1812. People were anxiously roaming about the streets, cars piled high with household utensils, chairs, and cupboards kept emerging from the gates of the yards and moving along the streets. Loaded cars stood at the house next to Fylva Pontovs and women were wailing and lamenting as they said goodbye. A small watchdog ran around parking in front of the harnessed horses. Our partage entered the innyard at a quicker pace than usual and went straight to the shed where his horses and trap were. The coachman was asleep. He woke him up, told him to harness and went in the passage. From the horse room came the sounds of a child crying. The despairing sobs of a woman and the horse angry shouting of Fylva Pontov. The cook began running hither and thither in the passage like a frightened hand just as our partage entered. He stunned her to death, killed them mistress, beat her, dragged her about so. What for? asked our partage. She kept backing to go away. She is a woman. Take me away, says she. Don't let me perish with my little children. Folks, she says, are all gone. So why, she says, don't we go? And he began beating and pulling her about so. These words our partage nodded as if in approval and not wishing to hear more went to the door of the room opposite the innkeepers where he had left his purchases. You brute, you murderer scrimped thin pale woman who with a baby in her arms and her kerchief torn from her head burst through the door at that moment and down the steps into the yard. Fylva Pontov came out after her but on seeing a partage adjusted his waistcoat smooth his hair yawn and followed a partage into the opposite room. Going already said he. Partage without answering or looking at his host sorted his packages and asked how much he owe will reckoned up. Well, have you been to the governor's asks for a point of what has been decided a partage replied that the governor had not told him anything definite with our business. How can we get away said for a point of we'd have to pay seven rubles a cartel to Doragobos and I tell them they're not Christians to ask it. Selim Wendorf now did a good stroke last Thursday sold flour to the army at nine rubles a sack. Will you have some tea yet? While the horses were being harnessed a partage and Fylva Pontov over the tea talked of the price of corn the crops and the good weather for harvesting. Well it seems to be getting quieter remarked for a point of finishing his third cup of tea and getting up ours must have got the best of it the orders were not to let them in so we're in force it seems they say the other day Matthew Ivan Age Platov drove them into the river Manor and drowned some 18,000 in one day. Our partage collected its parcels handed them to the coachmen who had come in and settled up with the innkeeper. The noise of wheels, hooves and bells was heard from the gateway as the little trap passed out it was by now late in the afternoon half the street was in shadow the other half brightly lit by the sun our partage looked out of the window and went to the door suddenly the strange sound of a far off whistling and thud was heard followed by a boom of cannon branding into a dull roar that set the windows rattling he went out into the street two men were running past towards bridge from different sides came whistling sounds and the thud of cannon balls and bursting shells falling on the town but these sounds were hardly heard in comparison with the noise of the firing outside the town and attracted little attention from the inhabitants the town was being bombarded by 130 guns which Napoleon had ordered up after four o'clock the people did not at once realize the meaning of this bombardment at first the noise of the firing bombs and shells only aroused curiosity for a ponderous wife who till then had not ceased waiting under the shed became quiet and with the baby in her arms went to the gate listening to the sounds and looking in silence at the people the cook and a shop assistant came to the gate with lively curiosity everyone tried to get a glimpse of the projectiles as they flew over the heads several people came around the corner talking eagerly what force remarked one knocked the roof and sealing all two sprinters routed up the earth left pig said another that's grand a box one up left the first lucky you jumped aside or it will have wiped you out others joined those men and stopped and told how cannon balls had fallen on a house close to them meanwhile still more projectiles now with the swift sinister whistle of a cannon ball now with the agreeable intermittent whistle of a shell flew over people's head incessantly but not one fell close by they all flew over a partage was getting in his trap the innkeeper stood at the gate what are you staring at shouted to the cook who in her red skirt with sleeves rolled up swinging her bare elbows had stepped to the corner to listen to what was being said what marvels she screamed but hearing her master's voice she turned back putting down her tucked up skirt once more something whistled but this time quite close swapping downwards like a little bird a frame flashed in the middle of the street something exploded and the street was shrouded in smoke scoundrel what are you doing shouted the innkeeper rushing to the cook at that moment the pitiful waiting of women was heard from different sides the frightened baby began to cry and people crowded silently the pale faces round the cook the loudest sound in that crowd was her wailing oh dear souls dear kind souls don't let me die my good souls five minutes later no one remained in the street the cook with the thigh broken by a shelf sprinter had been carried into the kitchen a partage his coachman for a point of his wife and children and the house porter were all sitting in the cellar listening the roar of guns the whistling of projectiles and the pictures moaning of the cook which rose above the other sounds did not cease for a moment the mistress rocked and hushed her baby and when anyone came into the cellar asked in a pathetic whisper what had become of her husband who had remained in the street a short man who and told her her husband had gone with others to the cathedral whence they were fetching the wonder working icon of small ants toward dusk the cannonade began to subside a partage left the cellar and stopped in the doorway the evening sky that had been so clear was clouded with smoke though which high up the sickle of the new moon shone strangely now that the terrible thin of the guns had ceased a hush seems to rain over the town broken only by the rush of footsteps the moaning the distant cries and the crackle of fires which seemed widespread everywhere the cook's moans had now subsided on two sides black clearing clouds of smoke rose and spread from the fires through the streets soldiers in various uniforms walked or ran confusedly in different directions like ants from a ruined anthill several of them ran into further point of the yard before our partage's eye our partage went out to the gate a retreating regiment thronging and harrowing blocked the street noticing him an officer said the town is being abandoned get away get away and then turning to the soldiers shouted i'll teach you to run into the yards our partage went back to the house called the coachman and told him to set off for the point of whole household came out to following our partage and the coachman the women who had been silent till then suddenly began to wail as they looked at the fires the smoke and even the frames of which could be seen in the following twilight and as if in reply to the same kind of limitation was heard from other parts of the street inside the shed our partage and the coachman arranged the tangled reins and traces of their horses with trembling hands as a partage was driving out to the gate he saw some ten soldiers in for a point of open shop talking loudly and filling the bags and knapsacks with flower and sunflower seeds just then for a point of turned and entered his shop on seeing the soldiers he was about to shout at them but suddenly stopped and clutching at his hair burst into sobs and laughter lured everything last don't let those devils get he cried taking some bags of flower himself and throwing them into the street some of the soldiers were frightened and ran away others went on filling their bags on seeing a partage for a point of turned to him russia is done for he cried a partage i'll set the place on fire myself we're done for and for a point of ran into the yard soldiers were passing in a constant stream along the street blocking it completely so that our partage could not pass out and had to wait for a point of wife and children were also sitting in a cart waiting till it was possible to drive out night had come there were stars in the sky and the new moon shone out behind the smoke that screened it on the sloping descent to the nipper a partage cart and that of the in keeper's wife which was slowly moving amid the rows of soldiers and of other vehicles had to stop in a side street near the crossroads where the vehicles had stopped a house and some shops were on fire this fire was already burning itself out the frames now died down and were lost in the black smoke now suddenly fred up again brightly lighting up distinctness the faces of the people crowding at the crossroads black figures flirted about before the fire and through the incessant cracking of the frames talking and shouting could be heard seeing that his trap would not be able to move on for some time a partage got down and turned into the side street to look at the fire soldiers were continually rushing backwards and forwards near it and he saw two of them and a man in a fleece coat dragging burning beams into another yard across the street while others carried bundles of hay a partage went up to a large crowd standing before a high barn which was bracing bristly the walls were all on fire and the black wall had fallen in the wooden roof was collapsing and the rafters were alight the crowd was evidently watching for the roof to fall in and our partage watched for it too our partage a familiar voice suddenly hailed the old man musion asked your excellency answered our partage immediately recognizing the voice of his young prince prince andrew in his writing clock mounted on a black horse was looking at our partage from the back of the cloud why are you here he asked your your excellency stammered our partage and broke into sob are we really lost master why are you here prince andrew repeated at that moment the frames fared up and showed his young master's pale one face our partage told how had been sent there and how difficult it was to get away are we really quite lost your excellency he asked again prince andrew without replying took out a notebook and raising his knee began writing in a pencil on a page he tore out he wrote to his sister spolence is being abandoned bald hill will be occupied by the anime within a week set up immediately for moscow let me know at once when you will start sent by special messenger to use wash having written this and given the paper to our partage he told him how to arrange for departure of the prince the princess his son and the boys children and how and where to let him know immediately before he had had time to finish giving these instructions a chief of staff followed by a sweet galloped up to him you are a colonel shouted the chief of staff with a german accent and a voice familiar to prince andrew houses are set on fire in your presence and you stand by what does this mean you will answer for it shouted berg who was now assistant to the chief of staff of the commander of the left flank of the infantry of the first army place as berg said very agreeable and well on evidence prince andrew look at him and without replying went on speaking to our partage so tell them that i shall await a reply till the 10th and if by the 10th i don't receive news that they have all got away i shall have to throw up everything and come myself to bald hills prince said berg recognizing prince andrew i only spoke because i have to obey orders because i always do obey exactly you must please excuse me he went on epilogetically something cracked in the flames the fire died down for a moment and wreaths of black smoke rolled from under the roof there was another terrible crash and something huge collapsed all row row yelled the crowd echoing the collapsing roof of the barn the burning grain in which diffused a kicklight aroma all around the frames fared up again lighting the animated delighted exhaust the faces of the spectators the man the freeze coat raises arms and shouted it's fine less now is raging is fine that's the owner himself cried several voices well then continued prince andrew to a partage report to them as i have told you and not replying a word to berg who was now milked beside him he touched his horse and rolled down the side street end of chapter four war and peace book 10 chapter 2 read for liberfox.org by andy yu visasaga canada war and peace book 10 chapter 5 read for liberfox.org by anasimone from smolensk the troops continued to retreat followed by the enemy on the 10th of august the regiment prince andrew commanded was marching along the high road past the avenue leading to bald hills heat and drought had continued for more than three weeks each day fleecy clouds floated across the sky and occasionally veiled the sun but to an evening the sky cleared again and the sun set in reddish brown mist heavy nightdews alone refreshed the earth the unreaped corn was scorched and shed its grain the marshes dried up the cattle load from hunger finding no food on the sun-parted meadows only at night and in the forests while the dew lasted was there any freshness but on the road the high road along which the troops marched there was no such freshness even at night or when the road path through the forest the dew was imperceptible on the sandy dust churned up more than six inches deep as soon as they dawned the march began the artillery and baggage wagons moved noiselessly through the deep dust that rose to the very hubs of the wheels and the infantry sank ankle deep in that soft choking hot dust that never cooled even at night some of this dust was needed by the feet and wheels while the rest rose and hung like a cloud over the troops settling in eyes ears hair and nostrils and worst of all in the lungs of the man and beasts as they moved along that road the higher the sun rose the higher rose that cloud of dust and through the screen of its hot fine particles one could look with naked eye of the sun which showed like a huge crimson ball in the unclouded sky there was no wind and the men choked in that motionless atmosphere they marched with handkerchiefs tied over their noses and mouths when they path through a village they all rushed to the wells and fought for the water and drank it down to the mud prince andrew was in command of a regiment and the management of that regiment the welfare of the men and the necessity of receiving and giving orders and grossed him the burning of smolensk and its abandonment made an epoch in his life a novel feeling of anger against the foe made him forget his own sorrow he was entirely devoted to the affairs of his regiment and was considerate and kind to his men and officers in the regiment they called him our prince we're proud of him and loved him but he was kind and gentle only to those of his regiment to Timokin and alike people quite new to him belonging to a different world and who could not know and understand his past as soon as he came across a former acquaintance or anyone from the staff he bristled up immediately and grew spiteful ironical and contemptuous everything that reminded him of his past was repugnant to him and so in his relations with that former circle he can find himself trying to do his duty and not to be unfair in truth everything presented itself in a dark and gloomy light to prince andrew especially after the abandonment of smolensk on the 6th of august he considered that it could and should have been defended and after his sick father had had to flee to Moscow abandoning to pillage his daily beloved bold hills which he had built and peopled but despite this thanks to his regiment prince andrew had something to think about entirely apart from general questions two days previously he had received news that his father son and sister had left for Moscow and though there was nothing for him to do at bold hills prince andrew with a characteristic desire to ferment his own grief decided that he must write there he ordered his horse to be settled and leaving his regiment on the march rode to his father's estate where he'd been born and spent his childhood riding past a pond where they used always to be dozens of women chattering as they rinsed their linen or beaded with wooden beetles prince andrew noticed that there was not a soul about and that a little washing wolf torn from its place and half submerged was floating on its side in the middle of the pond he rode to the keeper's lodge no one at the stone entrance gates of the drive and the door stood open grass had already begun to grow on the garden paths and horses and calves was straying in the english park prince andrew rode up to the hot house some of the glass panes were broken and of the trees and tubs some were overturned and others dried up he called for taras the gardener but no one replied having gone round the corner of the hot house to the ornamental garden he saw that the carved garden fence was broken and branches of the plumbed trees had been torn off with the fruit an old peasant whom prince andrew in his childhood had often seen at the gate was sitting on a green garden seat plating a bashed shoe he was deaf and did not hear prince andrew ride up he was sitting on the seat the old prince used to like to sit on and beside him strips of bashed were hanging on the broken and withered branch of a magnolia prince andrew rode up to the house several limes in the old garden had been cut down and a piebald mare and her full were wandering in front of the house among the rose bushes the shutters were all closed except at one window which was open a little served boy seeing prince andrew ran into the house alpetech having sent his family away was alone at bald hills and was sitting in dolls reading the lives of the saints on hearing that prince andrew had come he went out with his spectacles on his nose butting his coat and hastily stepping up without a word began weeping and kissing prince andrew's knee then vexed at his own weakness he turned away and began to report on the position of affairs everything precious and valuable had been removed to bachukhaver seventy quarters of grain had also been cut away the hay and the spring corn of which alpetech said that been a remarkable crop that year had been commandeered by the troops and moaned down while still green the peasants were ruined some of them too had gone to bachukhaver only a few remained without waiting to hear mouth prince andrew asked when did my father and sister leave meaning when did they leave for muskau alpetech understanding the question to refer to their departure for bachukhaver replied they had left on the seventh and again went to the details concerning the estate management asking for instructions am i to let the troops have the oats and to take a receipt for them we have still six hundred quarters left he inquired what am i to say to him thought prince andrew looking down on the old man's bald head shining in the sun and seeing by the expression on his face that the old man himself understood how untimely such questions were and only asked them to allay his grief yes let them have it replied prince andrew if you noticed some disorder in the garden it was impossible to prevent it three regiments have been here and spent the night dragoons mostly i took down the name and rank of their commanding officer to hint in a complaint about it well and what are you going to do will you stay here if the enemy occupies the place asked prince andrew alpetech turned his face to prince andrew looked at him and suddenly with a solemn gesture raised his arm he is my refuge his will be done he exclaimed a group of bareheaded peasants was approaching across the meadow toward the prince well goodbye said prince andrew bending over to alpetech you must go away too take away what you can and tell the serfs to go to the riazan estate or to the one near moscow alpetech clung to prince andrew's leg and burst into sobs gently in his engaging himself the prince spurred his halls and rode down the avenue at a gallop the old man was still sitting in the ornamental garden like a fly impassive on the face of a loved one who is dead tapping the barst on which he was making the barst shoe and two little girls running out from the hot house carrying in their skirts plums they had plucked from the trees there came upon prince andrew on seeing the young master the elder one frightened clutched her younger companion by the hand and hit with her behind a birch tree not stopping to pick up some green plums they had dropped prince andrew turned away with startled haste unwilling to let them see that they had been observed he was sorry for the pretty frightened little girl was afraid of looking at her and yet felt an irresistible desire to do so a new sensation of comfort and relief came over him when seeing these girls he realized the existence of other human interests entirely aloof from his own and just as legitimate as those that occupied him evidently these girls passionately desired one thing to carry away and eat those green plums without being caught and prince andrew shared their wish for the success of their enterprise he could not resist looking at them once more believing their danger passed they sprang from their ambush and chirping something in their still little voices and holding up their skirts their bare little sunburned feet scampered merrily and quickly across the meadow grass prince andrew was somewhat refreshed by having ridden off the dusty high road along which the troops were moving but not far from bald hills he again came out on the road and overtook his regiment at its halting place by the dam of a small pond it was past one o'clock the sun a red ball through the dust burned and scorched his back intolerably through his black coat the dust always hung motionless above the buzz of torque that came from the resting troops there was no wind as he crossed the dam prince andrew smelt the ooze and freshness of the pond he longed to get into that water however dirty it might be and he glanced around at the pool from whence came sounds of shrieks and laughter the small muddy green pond had risen visibly more than a foot flooding the dam because it was full of the naked white bodies of soldiers with brick red hands necks and faces who were splashing about in it all this naked white human flesh laughing and shrieking floundered about in that dirty pool like carp stuffed into a watering can and the suggestion of merriment in that floundering mass rendered it especially pathetic one fair-haired young soldier of the third company whom prince andrew knew and who had a strap around the calf of one leg crossed himself stacked back to get a good run and plunged into the water another a dark non-commissioned officer who was always shaggy stood up to his waist in the water joyfully wriggling his muscular figure and snorted with satisfaction as he poured the water over his head with hands blackened to the wrists there were sounds of men slapping one another yelling and puffing everywhere on the bank on the dam and in the pond there was healthy white muscular flesh the officer Timokin with his red little nose standing on the dam wiping himself with a towel felt confused at seeing the prince but made up his mind to address him nevertheless it's very nice your excellency wouldn't you like to said he it's dirty replied prince andrew making a grimace we'll clear it out for you in a minute said Timokin and still undressed ran off to clear the man out of the pond the prince wants to bathe what prince ours said many voices and the man were in such haste to clear out that the prince could hardly stop them he decided that he would rather wash himself with water in the barn flesh bodies cannon father he thought and he looked at his own naked body and shut it not from cold but from a sense of disgust and horror he did not himself understand aroused by the sight of that immense number of bodies splashing about in the dirty pond on the 7th of august prince bagration wrote as follows from his quarters that michailovna on the smolensk road dear count alexis andreevich he was writing to arachiev but knew that his letter would be read by the emperor and therefore weighed every word in it to the best of his ability i expect the minister barclay the toy has already reported the abandonment of smolensk to the enemy it is pitiable and sad and the whole army is in despair that this most important place has been wantonly abandoned i for my part begged him personally most urgently and finally wrote him but nothing would induce him to consent i swear to you on my honor that napoleon was in such a fix as never before and might have lost half his army but could not have taken smolensk our troops fought and are fighting as never before with 15 000 men i held the enemy at bay for 35 hours and beat him but he would not hold out even for 14 hours it is disgraceful a stain on our army and as for him he ought it seems to me not to live if he reports that our losses were great it is not true perhaps about four thousand not more and not even that but even were they ten thousand that's war but the enemy has lost masses what would it have cost him to hold out for another two days they would have had to retire of their own accord for they had no water for men or horses he gave me his word he would not retreat but suddenly sent instructions that he was retiring that night we cannot fight in this way or we may soon bring the enemy to moscow there is a rumor that you are thinking of peace of peace god forbid that you should make peace after all our sacrifices and such insane retreats you would set all russia against you and every one of us would feel ashamed to wear the uniform if it has come to this we must fight as long as russia can and as long as there are men able to stand one man ought to be in command and not two your minister may perhaps be good as a minister but as a general he is not merely bad but executable yet to him is entrusted the fate of our whole country i'm really frantic with vexation forgive my writing boldly it is clear that the man who advocates the conclusion of a peace and that the minister should command the army does not love our sovereign and desires the ruin of us all so i write you frankly call out the militia for the minister is leading these visitors after him to moscow in a most masterly way the whole army feels great suspicion of the imperial aid camp wills again he is said to be more napoleon's men than ours and he is always advising the minister i am not merely civil to him but obey him like a corporal though i am his senior this is painful but loving my benefactor in sovereign i submit only i am sorry for the emperor that he entrusts our fine army to such as he consider that on our retreat we have lost by fatigue and left in the hospital more than 15 000 men and had we attacked this would not have happened tell me for god's sake what will russia our mother russia say to our being so frightened and why are we abandoning our good and gallant fatherland to such rebel and implanting feelings of hatred and shame in all our subjects what are we scared at and of whom are we afraid i am not to blame that the minister is vacillating a coward dense deletory and has all bad qualities the whole army bewails it and calls down curses upon him end of chapter five war and peace book 10 chapter six read for libervox dot org by david ream among the innumerable categories applicable to the phenomena of human life one may discriminate between those in which substance prevails and those in which form prevails to the latter as distinguished from village country provincial or even moscow life we may allot petersburg life and especially the life of its salons that life of the salons is unchanging since the year 1805 we had made peace and had again quarreled with bonaparte and had made constitutions and unmade them again but the salons of anna pavlovna hillene remained just as they had been the one seven years and the other five years before at anna pavlovna's they talked with perplexity of bonaparte successes just as before and saw in them and in the subservience shown to him by the european sovereign's a malicious conspiracy the sole object of which was to cause unpleasantness and anxiety to the court circle of which anna pavlovna was the representative and in hillene's salon which rumiansev himself honored with his visits regarding hillene as a remarkably intelligent woman they talked with the same ecstasy in 1812 as in 1808 of the great nation and the great man and regretted our rupture with france a rupture which according to them ought to be promptly terminated by peace of late since the emperors returned from the army there had been some excitement in these conflicting salon circles and some demonstrations of hostility to one another but each cap retained its own tendency in anna pavlovna's circle only those frenchmen were admitted who were deep rooted legitimists and patriotic views were expressed to the effect that one ought not to go to the french theater and that to maintain the french troop was costing the government as much as a whole army corps the progress of the war was eagerly followed and only the reports most flattering to our army were circulated in the french circle of hillene and rumiansev the reports of the cruelty of the enemy and of the war were contradicted and all napoleon's attempts at conciliation were discussed in that circle they discounted us those who advised hurried preparations for a removal to kazan of the court and the girl's educational establishments under the patronage of the dowager empress in hillene's circle the war in general was regarded as a series of formal demonstrations which would very soon end in peace and the view prevailed expressed by billabon who now in petersburg was quite at home in hillene's house which every clever man was obliged to visit that not by gunpowder but by those who invented it would matters be settled in that circle the moscow enthusiasm news of which had reached petersburg simultaneously with the emperor's return was ridiculed sarcastically and very cleverly though with much caution on pavlovna's circle on the contrary was enraptured by this enthusiasm and spoke of it as plutarch speaks of the deeds of the ancients prince of asili who still occupied his former important posts formed a connecting link between these two circles he visited his good friend on a pavlovna as well as his daughter's diplomatic salon and often in his constant comings and goings between the two camps became confused and said at hillene's what he should have said it on a pavlovna's and vice versa soon after the emperor's return prince of asili in a conversation about the war at on a pavlovna's severely condemned barkley did toly but was undecided as to who ought to be appointed commander in chief one of the visitors usually spoken of as a man of great merit having described how he had that day seen katoos off the newly chosen chief of the petersburg militia presiding over the enrollment of recruits at the treasury cautiously ventured to suggest that katoos off would be the man to satisfy all requirements on a pavlovna remarked with a melancholy smile that katoos off had done nothing but cause the emperor annoyance i have talked and talked at the assembly of the nobility prince of asili interrupted but they did not listen to me i told them his election as chief of the militia would not please the emperor they did not listen to me it's all this mania for opposition he went on and who for it is all because we want to ape the foolish enthusiasm of the muscovites prince of asili continued forgetting for a moment that though at helene's one had to ridicule the moscow enthusiasm it on a pavlovna's one had to be ecstatic about it but he retrieved his mistake at once now is it suitable that count katoos off the oldest general in russia should preside at that tribunal he will get nothing for his pains how could they make a man commander in chief who cannot mount a horse who drops asleep at council and has the very worst morals a good reputation he made for himself at book arrest i don't speak of this capacity as a general but at a time like this how they appoint a decrepit blind old man positively blind a fine idea to have a blind general he can't see anything to play blind man's bluff he can't see it all no one replied to his remarks this was quite correct on the 24th of july but on the 29th of july katoos off received the title of prince this might indicate a wish to get rid of him and therefore prince of asili's opinion continued to be correct though he was not now in any hurry to express it but on the 8th of august a committee consisting of field marshal saltikov arachiev vioz mitinov lupuchkin and kachubi met to consider the progress of the war this committee came to the conclusion that our failures were due to a want of unity in the command and though the members of the committee were aware of the emperor's dislike of katoos off after a short deliberation they agreed to advise his appointment as commander in chief that same day katoos off was appointed commander in chief with full powers over the armies and over the whole region occupied by them on the 9th of august prince of asili at anapavlovna's again met the man of great merit the latter was very attentive to anapavlovna because he wanted to be appointed director of one of the educational establishments for young ladies prince of asili entered the room with the air of a happy conqueror who has attained the object of his desires well have you heard the great news prince katoos off is field marshal all dissensions are at an end i am so glad so delighted at last we have a man and he glancing sternly and significantly round at everyone in the drawing room the man of great merit despite his desire to obtain the post of director could not refrain from reminding prince of asili of his former opinion though this was impolite to prince of asili and anapavlovna's drawing room and also to anapavlovna herself who had received the news with delight he could not resist the temptation but prince they say he is blind said he reminding prince of asili of his own words eh nonsense he sees well enough said prince of asili rapidly in a deep voice and with a slight cough the voice and cough with which he was want to dispose of all difficulties he sees well enough he had it and what i am so pleased about he went on is that our sovereign has given him full powers over all the armies in the whole region powers no commander in chief ever had before he's a second autocrat he concluded with a victorious smile god granted god granted said anapavlovna the man of great merit who was still a novice in court circles wishing to flatter anapavlovna by defending her former position on the question observed it is said that the emperor was reluctant to gift kutuzov those powers they say he blushed like a girl to whom jakand is read when he said to kutuzov your emperor and the fatherland award you this honor perhaps the heart took no part in that speech said anapavlovna oh no no warmly rejoined prince of asili who would not now yield kutuzov to anyone in his opinion kutuzov was not only admirable himself but was adored by everybody no that's impossible said he for our sovereign appreciated him so highly before god grant only that print kutuzov assumes real power and does not allow anyone to put a spoke in his wheel observed anapavlovna understanding it once to whom she alluded prince of asili said in a whisper i know for a fact that kutuzov made it an absolute condition that the tvarevich should not be with the army do you know what he said to the emperor and prince visele repeated the word supposed to have been spoken by kutuzov to the emperor i can neither punish him if he does wrong nor reward him if he does right oh a very wise man is prince kutuzov i have known him a long time they even say remark the man of great merit who did not yet possess courtly tact that his excellency made it an express condition that the sovereign himself should not be with the army as soon as he said that both prince of asili and anapavlovna turned away from him and glanced sadly at one another with a sigh at his naivete end of chapter six read by david f o u r t e a t o o dot blogspot dot com war and peace book ten chapter seven read for library box dot org by ava harnick while this was taking place in petersburg the french had already passed molensk and were drawing nearer and nearer to moscow napoleon's history years like other of his historians trying to justify his hero says that he was drawn to the walls of moscow against his will he is as right as other historians who look for the explanation of historic events in the will of one man he is as right as the russian historians who maintained that napoleon was drawn to moscow by the skill of the russian commanders here besides the law of retrospection which regards all the past as a preparation for events that subsequently occurred the law of reciprocity comes in confusing the whole matter a good chess player having lost the game is sincerely convinced that his loss resulted from a mistake he made and looks for that mistake in the opening but forgets that at each stage of the game there were similar mistakes and that none of his moves were perfect he only notices the mistake to which he pays attention because his opponent took advantage of it how much more complex than this is the game of war which occurs under certain limits of time and where it is not one will that manipulates the lifeless objects but everything results from innumerable conflicts of various wills after smolensk napoleon sought a battle beyond dorov guz at vizma and then at chareval zymitche but it happened that owing to a conjunction of innumerable circumstances the russians could not give battle till they reached borodino 70 miles from moscow from vizma napoleon ordered a direct advance on moscow moscow la capital asiatic the so-called ampere la ville sacré the purple d'alexandre moscow have existed innumerable at least unformed for gold chinoise asterik moscow the asiatic capital of this great empire the sacred city of alexander's people moscow visits innumerable churches shaped like chinese pagodas this moscow gave napoleon's imagination no rest on the march from vizma to chareval zymitche he wrote his lightweight bob teard embler accompanied by his guards his bodyguard his pages and edakon work here his chief of staff dropped behind to question a russian prisoner captured by the cavalry followed by le loin leader v an interpreter he overtook napoleon at the gallop and reigned in his horse with an unused expression well asked napoleon one of platov's cossacks says that platov's court is joining up with the main army and that kutuzov has been appointed commander in chief he's a very shrewd and garrulous fellow napoleon smiled and told them to give the cossack a horse and bring the man to him he wished to talk to him himself several adjutants galloped off and an hour later labrushka the serve denisov had handed over to dostov rode up to napoleon in an orderly jacket and on a french cavalry saddle with a merry and tipsy face napoleon told him to ride by his side and began questioning him you are a cossack yes a cossack your honor the cossack not knowing in what company he was for napoleon's plain appearance had nothing about it that would reveal to an oriental mind the presence of a monarch talked with extreme familiarity of the incidents of the war says yes narrating this episode in reality labrushka having got drunk the day before and left his master dinales had been whipped and sent to the village in quest of chickens where he engaged in looting till the french took him prisoner labrushka was one of those coarse barefaced lackeys who have seen all sorts of things consider it necessary to do everything in a mean and coming way are ready to render any sort of service to their master and are keen at guessing their master's basic impulses especially those prompted by vanity and pettiness finding himself in the company of napoleon whose identity he had easily and surely recognized labrushka was not in the least abashed but merely did his utmost to gain his new master's favor he knew very well that this was napoleon but napoleon's presence could no more intimidate him the rostov's or a sergeant major's with the rods would have done for he had nothing that either the sergeant major or napoleon could deprive him of so he rattled on telling all the gossip he had heard among the orderlies much of it true but when napoleon asked him whether the russian saw they would beat bonaparte or not labrushka screwed up his eyes and considered in this question he saw subtle cunning as man of his type see cunning in everything so he frowned and did not answer immediately it is like this he said thoughtfully if there is a battle soon yours will win that's right but if three days pass then after that well then that same battle will not soon be over leloin the either will smilingly interpreted this speech to napoleon does if a battle takes place within the next three days the french will win but if later god knows what will happen napoleon did not smile though he was evidently in high good humor and he ordered these words to be repeated labrushka noticed this and to entertain him further pretending not to know who napoleon was added we know that you have won a part and that he has beaten everybody in the world but we are a different matter without knowing why or how this bit of boastful patriotism slipped out at the end the interpreter translated these words without the last phrase and bonaparte smiled the young cossack made his mighty interlocutor smile cestière after riding a few paces in silence napoleon third to bet here and said he wished to see how the news that he was talking to the emperor himself to that very emperor who had written his immortally victorious name on the pyramids with the fact this on fun du don as the child of the dawn the fact was accordingly conveyed to labrushka labrushka understanding that this was done to perplex him and that napoleon expected him to be frightened to gratify his new masters promptly pretended to be astonished and awestruck opened his eyes wide and assumed the expression he usually put on when taken to be whipped as soon as napoleon's interpreter had spoken cestières the cossack seized by amazement did not utter another word but rode on his eyes fixed on the conqueror whose fame had reached him across the steppes of the east all his locality was suddenly arrested and replaced by a naive and silent feeling of admiration napoleon after making the cossack a present had he set free like a bird restored to its native fields napoleon rode on dreaming of the moscow that so appeared to his imagination and the bird restored to its native fields galloped to our outposts inventing on the way all that had not taken place but that he meant to relate to his comrades what had really taken place he did not wish to relate because it seemed to him not worth telling he found the cossacks inquired for the regiment operating this plot of detachment and by evening found his master Nicholas Rostov quartered at Yankovo Rostov was just mounting to go for a ride around the neighboring villages with Ilyin he let Labrushka have another horse and took him along with him end of chapter seven recording by Eva Hanik on Tavedra Florida