Nonsense! You are mad, I tell you. I won’t allow it. The purse is here! I’ll flay this scoundwel alive, and it will be found.


I know who has taken it,


And I tell you, don’t you dahe to do it!


Do you understand what you’re saying? There was no one else in the room except myself. So that if it is not so, then...


Ah, may the devil take you and evewybody,


Ah, you’ve come here too, young man!


Yes,


Allow me to look at your purse,


Yes, it’s a nice purse. Yes, yes. Look at it, young man. If we get to Vienna I’ll get rid of it there but in these wretched little towns there’s nowhere to spend it. Well, let me have it, young man, I’m going. And you? Are you going to have lunch too? They feed you quite decently here. Now then, let me have it. Well, young man?


Come here. That money is Denísov’s; you took it...


What? What? How dare you? What? We must have an explanation...


I know it and shall prove it,


I... Count!... Don’t ruin a young fellow... here is this wretched money, take it... I have an old father and mother!...


O God, how could you do it?


Count...


Don’t touch me. If you need it, take the money,


And I tell you, Rostóv, that you must apologize to the colonel!


I will allow no one to call me a liar! He told me I lied, and I told him he lied. And there it rests. He may keep me on duty every day, or may place me under arrest, but no one can make me apologize, because if he, as commander of this regiment, thinks it beneath his dignity to give me satisfaction, then...


You just wait a moment, my dear fellow, and listen. You tell the colonel in the presence of other officers that an officer has stolen...


I’m not to blame that the conversation began in the presence of other officers. Perhaps I ought not to have spoken before them, but I am not a diplomatist. That’s why I joined the hussars, thinking that here one would not need finesse; and he tells me that I am lying—so let him give me satisfaction...


That’s all right. No one thinks you a coward, but that’s not the point. Ask Denísov whether it is not out of the question for a cadet to demand satisfaction of his regimental commander? You speak to the colonel about this nasty business before other officers. Bogdánich shuts you up.


He did not shut me up, he said I was telling an untruth.


Well, have it so, and you talked a lot of nonsense to him and must apologize.


Not on any account!


I did not expect this of you. You don’t wish to apologize, but, man, it’s not only to him but to the whole regiment—all of us—you’re to blame all round. The case is this: you ought to have thought the matter over and taken advice; but no, you go and blurt it all straight out before the officers. Now what was the colonel to do? Have the officer tried and disgrace the whole regiment? Disgrace the whole regiment because of one scoundrel? Is that how you look at it? We don’t see it like that. And Bogdánich was a brick: he told you you were saying what was not true. It’s not pleasant, but what’s to be done, my dear fellow? You landed yourself in it. And now, when one wants to smooth the thing over, some conceit prevents your apologizing, and you wish to make the whole affair public. You are offended at being put on duty a bit, but why not apologize to an old and honorable officer? Whatever Bogdánich may be, anyway he is an honorable and brave old colonel! You’re quick at taking offense, but you don’t mind disgracing the whole regiment! You have been in the regiment next to no time, my lad, you’re here today and tomorrow you’ll be appointed adjutant somewhere and can snap your fingers when it is said ‘There are thieves among the Pávlograd officers!’ But it’s not all the same to us! Am I not right, Denísov? It’s not the same!


That’s twue, devil take it! Now then, Wostóv, now then!


No, gentlemen, no... you mustn’t think... I quite understand. You’re wrong to think that of me... I... for me... for the honor of the regiment I’d... Ah well, I’ll show that in action, and for me the honor of the flag... Well, never mind, it’s true I’m to blame, to blame all round. Well, what else do you want?...


Come, that’s right, Count!


he’s a fine fellow.


That’s better, Count. Go and apologize, your excellency. Yes, go!


Gentlemen, I’ll do anything. No one shall hear a word from me, but I can’t apologize, by God I can’t, do what you will! How can I go and apologize like a little boy asking forgiveness?


It’ll be worse for you. Bogdánich is vindictive and you’ll pay for your obstinacy,


No, on my word it’s not obstinacy! I can’t describe the feeling. I can’t... Well, it’s as you like. And what has become of that scoundrel?


He has weported himself sick, he’s to be stwuck off the list tomowwow,


It is an illness, there’s no other way of explaining it.


Illness or not, he’d better not cwoss my path. I’d kill him!


What brings you here?


We’re to go into action, gentlemen! Mack has surrendered with his whole army.


It’s not true!


I’ve seen him myself!


What? Saw the real Mack? With hands and feet?


Into action! Into action! Bring him a bottle for such news! But how did you come here?


I’ve been sent back to the regiment all on account of that devil, Mack. An Austrian general complained of me. I congratulated him on Mack’s arrival... What’s the matter, Rostóv? You look as if you’d just come out of a hot bath.


Oh, my dear fellow, we’re in such a stew here these last two days.


We’re going into action, gentlemen!


Well, thank God! We’ve been sitting here too long!


Yes, the Austrian prince who built that castle was no fool. It’s a fine place! Why are you not eating anything, gentlemen?


It’s a lovely place! We passed close to the park and saw two deer... and what a splendid house!


Look, Prince,


See, our infantrymen have already got there. Look there in the meadow behind the village, three of them are dragging something. They’ll ransack that castle,


So they will. No, but what I should like, would be to slip in over there. That would be fine, gentlemen! Just to flutter the nuns a bit. They say there are Italian girls among them. On my word I’d give five years of my life for it!


They must be feeling dull, too,


Yes, so it is, so it is,


They’ll be fired on at the crossing. And why are they dawdling there?


Would not your excellency like a little refreshment?


It’s a bad business,


our men have been wasting time.


Hadn’t I better ride over, your excellency?


Yes, please do,


and tell the hussars that they are to cross last and to fire the bridge as I ordered; and the inflammable material on the bridge must be reinspected.


Very good. I’ll really call in on the nuns,


Now then, let’s see how far it will carry, Captain. Just try!


Have a little fun to pass the time.


Crew, to your guns!


One!


What a fine fellow you are, friend! What a fellow! You can’t wait a moment! Don’t you see the general wants to pass?


Hi there, boys! Keep to the left! Wait a bit.


It’s as if a dam had burst. Are there many more of you to come?


A million all but one!


If he begins popping at the bridge now, you’ll forget to scratch yourself.


Where the devil have the leg bands been shoved to?


And then, old fellow, he gives him one in the teeth with the butt end of his gun...


Yes, the ham was just delicious...


Bah! How they scurry. He just sends a ball and they think they’ll all be killed,


As it flies past me, Daddy, the ball I mean. I felt like dying of fright. I did, ‘pon my word, I got that frightened!


Just see, the German sausage is making tracks, too!


Sell me the missis,


See how smart she’s made herself! Oh, the devils! There, Fedótov, you should be quartered on them! I have seen as much before now, mate!


Where are you going?


Take it if you like,


And why are they stopping? There’s no proper order! Where are you shoving to? Devil take you! Can’t you wait? It’ll be worse if he fires the bridge. See, here’s an officer jammed in too


Just see where it carries to!


Encouraging us to get along quicker,


Hey, Cossack, my horse! Now, then, you there! get out of the way! Make way!


Nesvítski, Nesvítski! you numskull!


Tell these devils, these fiends, to let me pass!


Ah, Váska! What’s up with you?


The squadwon can’t pass. What is this? They’re like sheep! Just like sheep! Out of the way!... Let us pass!... Stop there, you devil with the cart! I’ll hack you with my saber!


How’s it you’re not drunk today?


They don’t even give one time to dwink! They keep dwagging the wegiment to and fwo all day. If they mean to fight, let’s fight. But the devil knows what this is.


What a dandy you are today!


Of course. I’m going into action! I’ve shaved, bwushed my teeth, and scented myself.


Smart lads! Only fit for a fair!


What good are they? They’re led about just for show!


Don’t kick up the dust, you infantry!


I’d like to put you on a two days’ march with a knapsack! Your fine cords would soon get a bit rubbed. Perched up there, you’re more like a bird than a man.


There now, Zíkin, they ought to put you on a horse. You’d look fine,


Take a stick between your legs, that’ll suit you for a horse!


Who’s that curtseying there? Cadet Miwónov! That’s not wight! Look at me,


Well, what about it? It won’t come to a fight. You’ll see—we shall retire.


The devil only knows what they’re about! Ah, Wostóv, you’ve got it at last. Your excellency! Let us attack them! I’ll dwive them off.


Attack indeed! And why are you stopping here? Don’t you see the skirmishers are retreating? Lead the squadron back.


Colonel, there is an order to stop and fire the bridge.


An order to who?


I don’t myself know ‘to who,’ but the prince told me to ‘go and tell the colonel that the hussars must return quickly and fire the bridge.’


How’s this, Colonel? I told you to fire the bridge, and now someone has gone and blundered; they are all beside themselves over there and one can’t make anything out.


You spoke to me of inflammable material, but you said nothing about firing it.


But, my dear sir, wasn’t I telling you to fire the bridge, when inflammable material had been put in position?


I am not your ‘dear sir,’ Mr. Staff Officer, and you did not tell me to burn the bridge! I know the service, and it is my habit orders strictly to obey. You said the bridge would be burned, but who would burn it, I could not know by the holy spirit!


Ah, that’s always the way! How did you get here?


On the same business. But you are damp! Let me wring you out!


You were saying, Mr. Staff Officer...


Colonel. You must be quick or the enemy will bring up his guns to use grapeshot.


I will the bridge fire,


There, it’s just as I thought. He wishes to test me! Let him see whether I am a coward!


Look sharp!


Stretchers!


At boss zides, Captain,


Who’s that running on the middle of the bridge? To the right! Come back, Cadet! Why run risks, Captain? You should dismount,


Oh, every bullet has its billet,


Will they burn the bridge or not? Who’ll get there first? Will they get there and fire the bridge or will the French get within grapeshot range and wipe them out?


Ugh. The hussars will get it hot! they are within grapeshot range now.


He shouldn’t have taken so many men,


True enough, two smart fellows could have done the job just as well.


Ah, your excellency. Ah, your excellency! How you look at things! Send two men? And who then would give us the Vladímir medal and ribbon? But now, even if they do get peppered, the squadron may be recommended for honors and he may get a ribbon. Our Bogdánich knows how things are done.


There now! that’s grapeshot.


Oh! Oh! Look! A man has fallen! Fallen, fallen!


Two, I think.


If I were Tsar I would never go to war,


Oooh! For Christ’s sake let me alone!


I should wish for nothing else, nothing, if only I were there. In myself alone and in that sunshine there is so much happiness; but here... groans, suffering, fear, and this uncertainty and hurry... There—they are shouting again, and again are all running back somewhere, and I shall run with them, and it, death, is here above me and around... Another instant and I shall never again see the sun, this water, that gorge!... O Lord God! Thou who art in that heaven, save, forgive, and protect me!


Well, fwiend? So you’ve smelt powdah!


It’s all over; but I am a coward—yes, a coward! Was that grapeshot?


Yes and no mistake! You worked like wegular bwicks and it’s nasty work! An attack’s pleasant work! Hacking away at the dogs! But this sort of thing is the very devil, with them shooting at you like a target.


Here’s something for you to report. See if I don’t get promoted to a sublieutenancy.


Inform the prince that I the bridge fired!


And if he asks about the losses?


A trifle, two hussars wounded, and one knocked out,


Day before yesterday, on the Danube,


That’s for them all. Get well soon, lads! There’s plenty to do still.


What news, sir?


Good news!... Go on!


To the right from the corridor, Euer Hochgeboren! There you will find the adjutant on duty. He will conduct you to the Minister of War.


Away from the smell of powder, they probably think it easy to gain victories!


Take this and deliver it,


From General Field Marshal Kutúzov? I hope it is good news? There has been an encounter with Mortier? A victory? It was high time! Oh, my God! My God! Schmidt! What a calamity! What a calamity! Ah what a calamity! You say the affair was decisive? But Mortier is not captured. I am very glad you have brought good news, though Schmidt’s death is a heavy price to pay for the victory. His Majesty will no doubt wish to see you, but not today. I thank you! You must have a rest. Be at the levee tomorrow after the parade. However, I will let you know. Au revoir! Thank you very much. His Majesty will probably desire to see you,


Ah, my dear prince! I could not have a more welcome visitor. Franz, put the prince’s things in my bedroom. So you’re a messenger of victory, eh? Splendid! And I am sitting here ill, as you see.


Well, now tell me about your exploits,


They received me and my news as one receives a dog in a game of skittles,


Cependant, mon cher, malgré la haute estime que je professe pour the Orthodox Russian army, j’avoue que votre victoire n’est pas des plus victorieuses.


But seriously, we can at any rate say without boasting that it was a little better than at Ulm...


Why didn’t you capture one, just one, marshal for us?


Because not everything happens as one expects or with the smoothness of a parade. We had expected, as I told you, to get at their rear by seven in the morning but had not reached it by five in the afternoon.


And why didn’t you do it at seven in the morning? You ought to have been there at seven in the morning.


Why did you not succeed in impressing on Bonaparte by diplomatic methods that he had better leave Genoa alone?


I know, you’re thinking it’s very easy to take marshals, sitting on a sofa by the fire! That is true, but still why didn’t you capture him? So don’t be surprised if not only the Minister of War but also his Most August Majesty the Emperor and King Francis is not much delighted by your victory. Even I, a poor secretary of the Russian Embassy, do not feel any need in token of my joy to give my Franz a thaler, or let him go with his Liebchen to the Prater... True, we have no Prater here...


It is now my turn to ask you ‘why?’ mon cher. I confess I do not understand: perhaps there are diplomatic subtleties here beyond my feeble intelligence, but I can’t make it out. Mack loses a whole army, the Archduke Ferdinand and the Archduke Karl give no signs of life and make blunder after blunder. Kutúzov alone at last gains a real victory, destroying the spell of the invincibility of the French, and the Minister of War does not even care to hear the details.


That’s just it, my dear fellow. You see it’s hurrah for the Tsar, for Russia, for the Orthodox Greek faith! All that is beautiful, but what do we, I mean the Austrian court, care for your victories? Bring us nice news of a victory by the Archduke Karl or Ferdinand (one archduke’s as good as another, as you know) and even if it is only over a fire brigade of Bonaparte’s, that will be another story and we’ll fire off some cannon! But this sort of thing seems done on purpose to vex us. The Archduke Karl does nothing, the Archduke Ferdinand disgraces himself. You abandon Vienna, give up its defense—as much as to say: ‘Heaven is with us, but heaven help you and your capital!’ The one general whom we all loved, Schmidt, you expose to a bullet, and then you congratulate us on the victory! Admit that more irritating news than yours could not have been conceived. It’s as if it had been done on purpose, on purpose. Besides, suppose you did gain a brilliant victory, if even the Archduke Karl gained a victory, what effect would that have on the general course of events? It’s too late now when Vienna is occupied by the French army!


What? Occupied? Vienna occupied?


Count Lichtenfels was here this morning, and showed me a letter in which the parade of the French in Vienna was fully described: Prince Murat et tout le tremblement... You see that your victory is not a matter for great rejoicing and that you can’t be received as a savior.


Really I don’t care about that, I don’t care at all. How is it Vienna was taken? What of the bridge and its celebrated bridgehead and Prince Auersperg? We heard reports that Prince Auersperg was defending Vienna?


Prince Auersperg is on this, on our side of the river, and is defending us—doing it very badly, I think, but still he is defending us. But Vienna is on the other side. No, the bridge has not yet been taken and I hope it will not be, for it is mined and orders have been given to blow it up. Otherwise we should long ago have been in the mountains of Bohemia, and you and your army would have spent a bad quarter of an hour between two fires.


But still this does not mean that the campaign is over,


Well, I think it is. The bigwigs here think so too, but they daren’t say so. It will be as I said at the beginning of the campaign, it won’t be your skirmishing at Dürrenstein, or gunpowder at all, that will decide the matter, but those who devised it. The only question is what will come of the meeting between the Emperor Alexander and the King of Prussia in Berlin? If Prussia joins the Allies, Austria’s hand will be forced and there will be war. If not it is merely a question of settling where the preliminaries of the new Campo Formio are to be drawn up.


What an extraordinary genius! and what luck the man has!


Buonaparte? I think, however, now that he lays down laws for Austria at Schönbrunn, il faut lui faire grâce de l’u! I shall certainly adopt an innovation and call him simply Bonaparte!


But joking apart, do you really think the campaign is over?


This is what I think. Austria has been made a fool of, and she is not used to it. She will retaliate. And she has been fooled in the first place because her provinces have been pillaged—they say the Holy Russian army loots terribly—her army is destroyed, her capital taken, and all this for the beaux yeux of His Sardinian Majesty. And therefore—this is between ourselves—I instinctively feel that we are being deceived, my instinct tells me of negotiations with France and projects for peace, a secret peace concluded separately.


Impossible! That would be too base.


If we live we shall see,


Yes, that all happened!


We must let him see Amelie, she’s exquisite!


In general we must turn this bloodthirsty soldier to more humane interests,


I shall scarcely be able to avail myself of your hospitality, gentlemen, it is already time for me to go,


Where to?


To the Emperor.


Oh! Oh! Oh!


Well, au revoir, Bolkónski! Au revoir, Prince! Come back early to dinner,


We’ll take you in hand.


When speaking to the Emperor, try as far as you can to praise the way that provisions are supplied and the routes indicated,


I should like to speak well of them, but as far as I know the facts, I can’t,


Well, talk as much as you can, anyway. He has a passion for giving audiences, but he does not like talking himself and can’t do it, as you will see.


Tell me, when did the battle begin? Was Kutúzov well? When had he left Krems?


At what o’clock did the battle begin?


I cannot inform Your Majesty at what o’clock the battle began at the front, but at Dürrenstein, where I was, our attack began after five in the afternoon,


How many miles?


From where to where, Your Majesty?


From Dürrenstein to Krems.


Three and a half miles, Your Majesty.


The French have abandoned the left bank?


According to the scouts the last of them crossed on rafts during the night.


Is there sufficient forage in Krems?


Forage has not been supplied to the extent...


At what o’clock was General Schmidt killed?


At seven o’clock, I believe.


At seven o’clock? It’s very sad, very sad!


What is it?


Oh, your excellency! we are to move on still farther. The scoundrel is again at our heels!


Eh? What?


There now! Confess that this is delightful. This affair of the Thabor Bridge, at Vienna.... They have crossed without striking a blow!


But where do you come from not to know what every coachman in the town knows? I come from the archduchess’. I heard nothing there.


And you didn’t see that everybody is packing up?


I did not... What is it all about?


What’s it all about? Why, the French have crossed the bridge that Auersperg was defending, and the bridge was not blown up: so Murat is now rushing along the road to Brünn and will be here in a day or two.


What? Here? But why did they not blow up the bridge, if it was mined?


That is what I ask you. No one, not even Bonaparte, knows why.


But if the bridge is crossed it means that the army too is lost? It will be cut off,


That’s just it. Listen! The French entered Vienna as I told you. Very well. Next day, which was yesterday, those gentlemen, messieurs les maréchaux, * Murat, Lannes, and Belliard, mount and ride to the bridge. (Observe that all three are Gascons.) ‘Gentlemen,’ says one of them, ‘you know the Thabor Bridge is mined and doubly mined and that there are menacing fortifications at its head and an army of fifteen thousand men has been ordered to blow up the bridge and not let us cross? But it will please our sovereign the Emperor Napoleon if we take this bridge, so let us three go and take it!’ ‘Yes, let’s!’ say the others. And off they go and take the bridge, cross it, and now with their whole army are on this side of the Danube, marching on us, you, and your lines of communication.


Stop jesting,


Stop this jesting,


I am not jesting. Nothing is truer or sadder. These gentlemen ride onto the bridge alone and wave white handkerchiefs; they assure the officer on duty that they, the marshals, are on their way to negotiate with Prince Auersperg. He lets them enter the tête-de-pont. * They spin him a thousand gasconades, saying that the war is over, that the Emperor Francis is arranging a meeting with Bonaparte, that they desire to see Prince Auersperg, and so on. The officer sends for Auersperg; these gentlemen embrace the officers, crack jokes, sit on the cannon, and meanwhile a French battalion gets to the bridge unobserved, flings the bags of incendiary material into the water, and approaches the tête-de-pont. At length appears the lieutenant general, our dear Prince Auersperg von Mautern himself. ‘Dearest foe! Flower of the Austrian army, hero of the Turkish wars! Hostilities are ended, we can shake one another’s hand.... The Emperor Napoleon burns with impatience to make Prince Auersperg’s acquaintance.’ In a word, those gentlemen, Gascons indeed, so bewildered him with fine words, and he is so flattered by his rapidly established intimacy with the French marshals, and so dazzled by the sight of Murat’s mantle and ostrich plumes, qu’il n’y voit que du feu, et oublie celui qu’il devait faire faire sur l’ennemi! The French battalion rushes to the bridgehead, spikes the guns, and the bridge is taken! But what is best of all, is that the sergeant in charge of the cannon which was to give the signal to fire the mines and blow up the bridge, this sergeant, seeing that the French troops were running onto the bridge, was about to fire, but Lannes stayed his hand. The sergeant, who was evidently wiser than his general, goes up to Auersperg and says: ‘Prince, you are being deceived, here are the French!’ Murat, seeing that all is lost if the sergeant is allowed to speak, turns to Auersperg with feigned astonishment (he is a true Gascon) and says: ‘I don’t recognize the world-famous Austrian discipline, if you allow a subordinate to address you like that!’ It was a stroke of genius. Prince Auersperg feels his dignity at stake and orders the sergeant to be arrested. Come, you must own that this affair of the Thabor Bridge is delightful! It is not exactly stupidity, nor rascality....


It may be treachery,


Not that either. That puts the court in too bad a light. It’s not treachery nor rascality nor stupidity: it is just as at Ulm... it is... C’est... c’est du Mack. Nous sommes mackés Where are you off to?


I am going away.


Where to?


To the army.


But you meant to stay another two days?


But now I am off at once.


Do you know, mon cher. I have been thinking about you. Why are you going? Why are you going? I know you think it your duty to gallop back to the army now that it is in danger. I understand that. Mon cher, it is heroism!


Not at all,


But as you are a philosopher, be a consistent one, look at the other side of the question and you will see that your duty, on the contrary, is to take care of yourself. Leave it to those who are no longer fit for anything else.... You have not been ordered to return and have not been dismissed from here; therefore, you can stay and go with us wherever our ill luck takes us. They say we are going to Olmütz, and Olmütz is a very decent town. You and I will travel comfortably in my calèche.


Do stop joking, Bilíbin,


I am speaking sincerely as a friend! Consider! Where and why are you going, when you might remain here? You are faced by one of two things, either you will not reach your regiment before peace is concluded, or you will share defeat and disgrace with Kutúzov’s whole army.


I cannot argue about it,


My dear fellow, you are a hero!


Cette armée russe que l’or de l’Angleterre a transportée des extrémités de l’univers, nous allons lui faire éprouver le même sort—(le sort de l’armée d’Ulm).


And should there be nothing left but to die?


Well, if need be, I shall do it no worse than others.


Here is our dear Orthodox Russian army,


Mr. Aide-de-camp! Mr. Aide-de-camp!... For heaven’s sake... Protect me! What will become of us? I am the wife of the doctor of the Seventh Chasseurs.... They won’t let us pass, we are left behind and have lost our people...


I’ll flatten you into a pancake! Turn back with your slut!


Mr. Aide-de-camp! Help me!... What does it all mean?


Kindly let this cart pass. Don’t you see it’s a woman?


I’ll teach you to push on!... Back!


Let them pass, I tell you!


And who are you? who are you? Are you in command here? Eh? I am commander here, not you! Go back or I’ll flatten you into a pancake,


That was a nice snub for the little aide-de-camp,


Kind...ly let—them—pass!


It’s all the fault of these fellows on the staff that there’s this disorder. Do as you like.


Bolkónski! Bolkónski!... Don’t you hear? Eh? Come quick...


Where is the commander in chief?


Here, in that house,


Well, is it true that it’s peace and capitulation?


I was going to ask you. I know nothing except that it was all I could do to get here.


And we, my dear boy! It’s terrible! I was wrong to laugh at Mack, we’re getting it still worse. But sit down and have something to eat.


You won’t be able to find either your baggage or anything else now, Prince. And God only knows where your man Peter is,


Where are headquarters?


We are to spend the night in Znaim.


Well, I have got all I need into packs for two horses. They’ve made up splendid packs for me—fit to cross the Bohemian mountains with. It’s a bad lookout, old fellow! But what’s the matter with you? You must be ill to shiver like that,


It’s nothing. What is the commander in chief doing here?


I can’t make out at all,


Well, all I can make out is that everything is abominable, abominable, quite abominable!


Second line... have you written it? The Kiev Grenadiers, Podolian...


One can’t write so fast, your honor,


Immediately, Prince. Dispositions for Bagratión.


What about capitulation?


Nothing of the sort. Orders are issued for a battle.


Well, have you finished?


One moment, your excellency.


I have the honor to present myself,


Ah, from Vienna? Very good. Later, later! Well, good-by, Prince. My blessing, and may Christ be with you in your great endeavor! Christ be with you! Get in with me,


Your excellency, I should like to be of use here. Allow me to remain with Prince Bagratión’s detachment.


Get in. I need good officers myself, need them myself! There is still much, much before us. If a tenth part of his detachment returns I shall thank God,


Yes, he has a right to speak so calmly of those men’s death. That is why I beg to be sent to that detachment,


I cannot find words to express to you my displeasure. You command only my advance guard, and have no right to arrange an armistice without my order. You are causing me to lose the fruits of a campaign. Break the armistice immediately and march on the enemy. Inform him that the general who signed that capitulation had no right to do so, and that no one but the Emperor of Russia has that right. If, however, the Emperor of Russia ratifies that convention, I will ratify it; but it is only a trick. March on, destroy the Russian army.... You are in a position to seize its baggage and artillery. The Russian Emperor’s aide-de-camp is an impostor. Officers are nothing when they have no powers; this one had none.... The Austrians let themselves be tricked at the crossing of the Vienna bridge, you are letting yourself be tricked by an aide-de-camp of the Emperor.


However, there will hardly be an engagement today,


There now, Prince! We can’t stop those fellows. The officers don’t keep them in hand. And there, they crowd in and sit. This morning I turned them all out and now look, it’s full again. I must go there, Prince, and scare them a bit. It won’t take a moment.


Yes, let’s go in and I will get myself a roll and some cheese,


Why didn’t you mention it, Prince? I would have offered you something. Now what does this mean, gentlemen? You know it won’t do to leave your posts like this. The prince gave orders that no one should leave his post. Now you, Captain. Well, aren’t you ashamed of yourself, Captain Túshin? One would think that as an artillery officer you would set a good example, yet here you are without your boots! The alarm will be sounded and you’ll be in a pretty position without your boots! Kindly return to your posts, gentlemen, all of you, all!


The soldiers say it feels easier without boots,


Kindly return to your posts,


Voilà l’agrément des camps, monsieur le prince. That’s our battery. It’s in charge of the queer fellow we saw without his boots. You can see everything from there; let’s go there, Prince.


Thank you very much, I will go on alone, please don’t trouble yourself further.


It’s a shame for a soldier to steal; a soldier must be honest, honorable, and brave, but if he robs his fellows there is no honor in him, he’s a scoundrel. Go on! Go on! Go on, go on!


Look! Look there! Hark to him jabbering! Fine, isn’t it? It’s all the Frenchy can do to keep up with him. There now, Sídorov!


Wait a bit and listen. It’s fine!


Now then, go on, go on! More, please: more! What’s he saying?


We have orders to drive you off here, and we shall drive you off,


Only take care you and your Cossacks are not all captured!


We’ll make you dance as we did under Suvórov...,


Qu’ est-ce qu’il chante?


It’s ancient history. The Emperor will teach your Suvara as he has taught the others...


Bonaparte...


Not Bonaparte. He is the Emperor! Sacré nom...!


The devil skin your Emperor. Let us go, Iván Lukích,


Ah, that’s the way to talk French. Now, Sídorov, you have a try!


Kari, mala, tafa, safi, muter, Kaská,


If the enemy attacks the right flank, the Kiev grenadiers and the Podólsk chasseurs must hold their position till reserves from the center come up. In that case the dragoons could successfully make a flank counterattack. If they attack our center we, having the center battery on this high ground, shall withdraw the left flank under its cover, and retreat to the dip by echelons.


No, friend, what I say is that if it were possible to know what is beyond death, none of us would be afraid of it. That’s so, friend.


Afraid or not, you can’t escape it anyhow.


All the same, one is afraid! Oh, you clever people. Of course you artillery men are very wise, because you can take everything along with you—vodka and snacks.


Yes, one is afraid. One is afraid of the unknown, that’s what it is. Whatever we may say about the soul going to the sky... we know there is no sky but only an atmosphere.


Well, stand us some of your herb vodka, Túshin,


that’s the captain who stood up in the sutler’s hut without his boots.


Some herb vodka? Certainly! But still, to conceive a future life...


It has begun. Here it is! But where and how will my Toulon present itself?


Is there anything at all behind that impassive face?


Very good!


He wants to see a battle, but he feels a pain in the pit of his stomach already.


Oh, leave off!


It is very strange, mon Monsieur Prince,


What’s that that has fallen?


A French pancake,


So that’s what they hit with? How awful!


Whose company?


Captain Túshin’s, your excellency!


Yes, yes,


Lift it two lines more and it will be just right. Number Two! Fire, Medvédev!


What is this? It can’t be an attack, for they are not moving; it can’t be a square—for they are not drawn up for that.


Cavalry!


Please, your excellency, for God’s sake! There, you see! We are used to it, but you, sir, will blister your hands.


They march splendidly,


Left... left... left...


Close up!


Well done, lads!


Glad to do our best, your ex’len-lency!


We know that ourselves!


Forward, with God!


Hurrah!


Hurrah—ah!—ah!


He higher iss dan I in rank, so let him do what he vill, but I cannot sacrifice my hussars... Bugler, sount ze retreat!


Once again, Colonel. I can’t leave half my men in the wood. I beg of you, I beg of you, to occupy the position and prepare for an attack.


I peg of you yourself not to mix in vot is not your business! If you vere in the cavalry...


I am not in the cavalry, Colonel, but I am a Russian general and if you are not aware of the fact...


Quite avare, your excellency. Vill you be so goot to come to ze front and see dat zis position iss no goot? I don’t vish to destroy my men for your pleasure!


You forget yourself, Colonel. I am not considering my own pleasure and I won’t allow it to be said!


If only they would be quick!


Fo’ward, with God, lads! At a twot fo’ward!


Faster!


Oh, how I will slash at him!


Hur-a-a-a-ah!


Let anyone come my way now,


How is it I am not moving? I have fallen, I am killed! No, I am wounded and the horse is killed. Where, on which side, was now the line that had so sharply divided the two armies? Can something bad have happened to me? Ah, here are people coming. They will help me! It must be one of ours, a prisoner. Yes. Can it be that they will take me too? Who are these men? Can they be French? Who are they? Why are they running? Can they be coming at me? And why? To kill me? Me whom everyone is so fond of? But perhaps they may do it!


No, better not look. No, there’s some mistake. They can’t have wanted to kill me.


Cut off!


Surrounded! Cut off? We’re lost!


Your excellency, here are two trophies. I have taken an officer prisoner. I stopped the company. The whole company can bear witness. I beg you will remember this, your excellency!


All right, all right,


A bayonet wound. I remained at the front. Remember, your excellency!


Look at them scurrying! It’s burning! Just see the smoke! Fine! Grand! Look at the smoke, the smoke!


Fine! That’s good! Look at it... Grand!


refill my pipe for that one! Smack at ‘em, lads!


There... he’s puffing again. Now look out for the ball... we’ll throw it back.


What do you want, your honor?


Nothing... only a shell... Come along, our Matvévna!


Ah! Breathing again, breathing! Now then, Matvévna, dear old lady, don’t let me down!


Captain Túshin! Captain!


Are you mad? You have twice been ordered to retreat, and you...


Why are they down on me? I... don’t... I...


Retire! All to retire!


I cannot be afraid,


A staff officer was here a minute ago, but skipped off. Not like your honor!


Well, till we meet again...


Good-by, my dear fellow. Dear soul! Good-by, my dear fellow!


Captain, for God’s sake! I’ve hurt my arm. For God’s sake... I can’t walk. For God’s sake! Tell them to give me a seat, for God’s sake!


Give him a seat. Lay a cloak for him to sit on, lad. And where is the wounded officer?


He has been set down. He died,


Help him up. Sit down, dear fellow, sit down! Spread out the cloak, Antónov. What, are you wounded, my lad?


No, it’s a sprain.


Then what is this blood on the gun carriage?


It was the officer, your honor, stained it,


Not hurt, Petróv?


We’ve given it ‘em hot, mate! They won’t make another push now,


You couldn’t see a thing. How they shot at their own fellows! Nothing could be seen. Pitch-dark, brother! Isn’t there something to drink?


What did he say?


Where to, now?


Halt, is it?


You don’t mind your honor?


I’ve lost my company, your honor. I don’t know where... such bad luck!


You picked it up?... I dare say! You’re very smart!


Must one die like a dog?


Still aching?


Yes.


Your honor, you’re wanted by the general. He is in the hut here,


When I saw, your excellency, that their first battalion was disorganized, I stopped in the road and thought: ‘I’ll let them come on and will meet them with the fire of the whole battalion’—and that’s what I did.


By the way, your excellency, I should inform you,


that Private Dólokhov, who was reduced to the ranks, took a French officer prisoner in my presence and particularly distinguished himself.


I saw the Pávlograd hussars attack there, your excellency. They broke up two squares, your excellency.


Gentlemen, I thank you all; all arms have behaved heroically: infantry, cavalry, and artillery. How was it that two guns were abandoned in the center? I think I sent you?


One was damaged,


and the other I can’t understand. I was there all the time giving orders and had only just left.... It is true that it was hot there,


Oh, but you were there?


Of course, we only just missed one another,


I had not the pleasure of seeing you,


How was it a gun was abandoned?


I don’t know... your excellency... I had no men... your excellency.


Your excellency! you were pleased to send me to Captain Túshin’s battery. I went there and found two thirds of the men and horses knocked out, two guns smashed, and no supports at all. And, if your excellency will allow me to express my opinion, we owe today’s success chiefly to the action of that battery and the heroic endurance of Captain Túshin and his company,


Thank you; you saved me, my dear fellow!


Eh, is anything hurting you?


What a lot of men have been crippled today—frightful!


With your remarkable kindness. With your excellent heart. You are yourself so honorable, Count. Were he as clever as you,


Do this for my sake, mon cher; after all, she had to put up with a great deal from the deceased,


You know I am overwhelmed with business and it is purely out of charity that I trouble myself about you, and you also know quite well that what I propose is the only thing possible. Well, my dear fellow, tomorrow we are off at last. We start tomorrow and I’m giving you a place in my carriage. I am very glad. All our important business here is now settled, and I ought to have been off long ago. Here is something I have received from the chancellor. I asked him for you, and you have been entered in the diplomatic corps and made a Gentleman of the Bedchamber. The diplomatic career now lies open before you. Mais, mon cher, I did this for my own sake, to satisfy my conscience, and there is nothing to thank me for. No one has ever complained yet of being too much loved; and besides, you are free, you could throw it up tomorrow. But you will see everything for yourself when you get to Petersburg. It is high time for you to get away from these terrible recollections. Yes, yes, my boy. And my valet can go in your carriage. Ah! I was nearly forgetting. You know, mon cher, your father and I had some accounts to settle, so I have received what was due from the Ryazán estate and will keep it; you won’t require it. We’ll go into the accounts later. what was due from the Ryazán estate


You will find the beautiful Hélène here, whom it is always delightful to see.


Wait a bit, I have something in view for you this evening. My dear Hélène, be charitable to my poor aunt who adores you. Go and keep her company for ten minutes. And that it will not be too dull, here is the dear count who will not refuse to accompany you. Isn’t she exquisite? And how she carries herself! For so young a girl, such tact, such masterly perfection of manner! It comes from her heart. Happy the man who wins her! With her the least worldly of men would occupy a most brilliant position in society. Don’t you think so? I only wanted to know your opinion,


I hope you won’t say that it is dull in my house again,


That is probably the work of Vinesse,


So you have never noticed before how beautiful I am? You had not noticed that I am a woman? Yes, I am a woman who may belong to anyone—to you too,


Well, I will leave you in your little corner. I see you are all right there. I hear you are refitting your Petersburg house? That’s a good thing, but don’t move from Prince Vasíli’s. It is good to have a friend like the prince. I know something about that. Don’t I? And you are still so young. You need advice. Don’t be angry with me for exercising an old woman’s privilege. If you marry it will be a different thing,


Yes, she’s good looking. But she’s stupid. I have myself said she is stupid. There is something nasty, something wrong, in the feeling she excites in me. I have been told that her brother Anatole was in love with her and she with him, that there was quite a scandal and that that’s why he was sent away. Hippolyte is her brother... Prince Vasíli is her father... It’s bad.... But no! Why did this thought never occur to me before?


This is all very fine, but things must be settled. Youth, frivolity... well, God be with him, but it must be brought to a head. The day after tomorrow will be Lëlya’s name day. I will invite two or three people, and if he does not understand what he ought to do then it will be my affair—yes, my affair. I am her father.


Till tomorrow. Be in to dinner or I shall not see you. I am staying in for your sake,


It is time I understood her and made up my mind what she really is. Was I mistaken before, or am I mistaken now? No, she is not stupid, she is an excellent girl, she never makes a mistake, never says anything stupid. She says little, but what she does say is always clear and simple, so she is not stupid. She never was abashed and is not abashed now, so she cannot be a bad woman!


What am I doing? I need resolution. Can it be that I have none?


Sergéy Kuzmích, From all sides reports reach me,


Well, and so he never got farther than: ‘Sergéy Kuzmích’?


Exactly, not a hair’s breadth farther, ‘Sergéy Kuzmích... From all sides... From all sides... Sergéy Kuzmích...’ Poor Vyazmítinov could not get any farther! He began the rescript again and again, but as soon as he uttered ‘Sergéy’ he sobbed, ‘Kuz-mí-ch,’ tears, and ‘From all sides’ was smothered in sobs and he could get no farther. And again his handkerchief, and again: ‘Sergéy Kuzmích, From all sides,’... and tears, till at last somebody else was asked to read it.


Kuzmích... From all sides... and then tears,


Don’t be unkind. He is such a worthy and excellent man, our dear Vyazmítinov....


Yes... it’s getting on, it will all be settled today.


Yes, there’s nothing left for you and me but to sip sweet wine, my dear, now that the time has come for these young ones to be thus boldly, provocatively happy.


And what nonsense all this is that I am saying! That’s happiness!


So it is all finished! And how has it all happened? How quickly! Now I know that not because of her alone, nor of myself alone, but because of everyone, it must inevitably come about. They are all expecting it, they are so sure that it will happen that I cannot, I cannot, disappoint them. But how will it be? I do not know, but it will certainly happen! But no doubt it always is and must be so! And besides, what have I done to bring it about? How did it begin? I traveled from Moscow with Prince Vasíli. Then there was nothing. So why should I not stay at his house? Then I played cards with her and picked up her reticule and drove out with her. How did it begin, when did it all come about?


I am asking you when you last heard from Bolkónski. How absent-minded you are, my dear fellow.


Well, what of it, if you all know it? What of it? It’s the truth!


When did you get the letter? Was it from Olmütz?


How can one talk or think of such trifles? Yes, from Olmütz,


Oh, the old fool. That Princess Hélène will be beautiful still when she’s fifty.


I think I may congratulate you. If I hadn’t this headache I’d have stayed longer.


This happiness is not for you. This happiness is for those who have not in them what there is in you.


Well, Lëlya? Sergéy Kuzmích—From all sides—


Well, it is your own fault.


The step must be taken but I cannot, I cannot!


Of course, it is a very brilliant match, but happiness, my dear...


Marriages are made in heaven,


Aline, go and see what they are about.


Still the same,


Thank God! My wife has told me everything! My dear boy... Lëlya... I am very pleased. I loved your father... and she will make you a good wife... God bless you!... Princess, come here!


All this had to be and could not be otherwise, so it is useless to ask whether it is good or bad. It is good because it’s definite and one is rid of the old tormenting doubt. Hélène! Something special is always said in such cases. Oh, take those off... those... It is too late now, it’s done; besides I love her. Je vous aime!


I am starting on a journey of inspection, and of course I shall think nothing of an extra seventy miles to come and see you at the same time, my honored benefactor. My son Anatole is accompanying me on his way to the army, so I hope you will allow him personally to express the deep respect that, emulating his father, he feels for you.


It seems that there will be no need to bring Mary out, suitors are coming to us of their own accord,


Do you hear how he’s walking? Stepping flat on his heels—we know what that means....


Can a sleigh pass?


The snow is deep. I am having the avenue swept, your honor. It would have been hard to drive up, your honor. I heard, your honor, that a minister is coming to visit your honor.


What? A minister? What minister? Who gave orders? The road is not swept for the princess my daughter, but for a minister! For me, there are no ministers!


Your honor, I thought...


You thought! Rascals! Blackguards!... I’ll teach you to think! Thought... Blackguards... Blackguards!... Throw the snow back on the road!


I know nothing, I am the same as usual,


If I seem not to notice he will think that I do not sympathize with him; if I seem sad and out of spirits myself, he will say (as he has done before) that I’m in the dumps.


Fool... or dummy! Where is the princess? Hiding?


She is not very well, so she won’t come down. It is natural in her state.


Hm! Hm!


I am afraid for the baby. Heaven knows what a fright might do.


So we are to have visitors, mon prince? His Excellency Prince Vasíli Kurágin and his son, I understand?


Hm!—his excellency is a puppy.... I got him his appointment in the service. Why his son is coming I don’t understand. Perhaps Princess Elizabeth and Princess Mary know. I don’t want him. Are you unwell today? Eh? Afraid of the ‘minister’ as that idiot Alpátych called him this morning?


No, mon père.


Yes, I feel a kind of oppression,


Do you want anything?


No, merci, mon père.


Well, all right, all right. Has the snow been shoveled back?


Yes, your excellency. Forgive me for heaven’s sake... It was only my stupidity.


All right, all right,


I say, Father, joking apart, is she very hideous?


Enough! What nonsense! Above all, try to be respectful and cautious with the old prince.


If he starts a row I’ll go away. I can’t bear those old men! Eh?


Remember, for you everything depends on this.


Why did they write, why did Lise tell me about it? It can never happen! How shall I enter the drawing room? Even if I like him I can’t now be myself with him.


You know they’ve come, Marie?


What! Are you going to remain as you are, dear princess? They’ll be announcing that the gentlemen are in the drawing room and we shall have to go down, and you have not smartened yourself up at all!


No really, my dear, this dress is not pretty. You have a maroon dress, have it fetched. Really! You know the fate of your whole life may be at stake. But this one is too light, it’s not becoming!


No, it will not do. No, Mary, really this dress does not suit you. I prefer you in your little gray everyday dress. Now please, do it for my sake. Katie, bring the princess her gray dress, and you’ll see, Mademoiselle Bourienne, how I shall arrange it,


Come, dear princess, just one more little effort.


Well, now we’ll arrange something quite simple and becoming,


No, leave me alone,


At least, change your coiffure. Didn’t I tell you. Mary’s is a face which such a coiffure does not suit in the least. Not in the least! Please change it.


Leave me alone, please leave me alone! It is all quite the same to me,


You will change it, won’t you?


Please come to tea. The prince will be out in a moment,


O God, how am I to stifle in my heart these temptations of the devil? How am I to renounce forever these vile fancies, so as peacefully to fulfill Thy will? Desire nothing for thyself, seek nothing, be not anxious or envious. Man’s future and thy own fate must remain hidden from thee, but live so that thou mayest be ready for anything. If it be God’s will to prove thee in the duties of marriage, be ready to fulfill His will.


Voilà Marie!


Here at least we shall have the benefit of your company all to ourselves, dear prince. It’s not as at Annette’s receptions where you always ran away; you remember cette chère Annette!


Ah, but you won’t talk politics to me like Annette!


And our little tea table?


Oh, yes!


Why is it you were never at Annette’s? Ah, I know, I know, your brother Hippolyte told me about your goings on. Oh! I have even heard of your doings in Paris!


And didn’t Hippolyte tell you? didn’t he tell you how he himself was pining for the dear princess, and how she showed him the door? Oh, she is a pearl among women, Princess,


That is what we shall see! That is what we shall see! Well! How d’ye do? How d’ye do? Glad to see you!


Friendship laughs at distance. Here is my second son; please love and befriend him.


Fine young fellow! Fine young fellow! Well, come and kiss me. And so they are writing from Potsdam already? Is it for visitors you’ve got yourself up like that, eh? Fine, very fine! You have done up your hair in this new way for the visitors, and before the visitors I tell you that in future you are never to dare to change your way of dress without my consent.


It was my fault, mon père,


You must do as you please, but she need not make a fool of herself, she’s plain enough as it is.


On the contrary, that coiffure suits the princess very well,


Now you, young prince, what’s your name? come here, let us talk and get acquainted.


Now the fun begins,


Well, my dear boy, I hear you’ve been educated abroad, not taught to read and write by the deacon, like your father and me. Now tell me, my dear boy, are you serving in the Horse Guards?


No, I have been transferred to the line,


Ah! That’s a good thing. So, my dear boy, you wish to serve the Tsar and the country? It is wartime. Such a fine fellow must serve. Well, are you off to the front?


No, Prince, our regiment has gone to the front, but I am attached... what is it I am attached to, Papa?


A splendid soldier, splendid! ‘What am I attached to!’ Ha, ha, ha! You may go. And so you’ve had him educated abroad, Prince Vasíli, haven’t you?


I have done my best for him, and I can assure you the education there is much better than ours.


Yes, everything is different nowadays, everything is changed. The lad’s a fine fellow, a fine fellow! Well, come with me now. Well, do you think I shall prevent her, that I can’t part from her? What an idea! I’m ready for it tomorrow! Only let me tell you, I want to know my son-in-law better. You know my principles—everything aboveboard! I will ask her tomorrow in your presence; if she is willing, then he can stay on. He can stay and I’ll see. Let her marry, it’s all the same to me!


I will tell you frankly. You know, you see right through people. Anatole is no genius, but he is an honest, goodhearted lad; an excellent son or kinsman.


All right, all right, we’ll see!


But am I not too cold with him? I try to be reserved because in the depth of my soul I feel too near to him already, but then he cannot know what I think of him and may imagine that I do not like him.


Poor girl, she’s devilish ugly!


How she loves me! How happy I am now, and how happy I may be with such a friend and such a husband! Husband? Can it be possible?


What delicacy! Is it possible that Amélie thinks I could be jealous of her, and not value her pure affection and devotion to me?


No! No! No! When your father writes to tell me that you are behaving well I will give you my hand to kiss. Not till then!


Is he really to be my husband, this stranger who is so kind—yes, kind, that is the chief thing,


I told you it was all lumps and holes! I should be glad enough to fall asleep, so it’s not my fault!


The first man that turns up—she forgets her father and everything else, runs upstairs and does up her hair and wags her tail and is unlike herself! Glad to throw her father over! And she knew I should notice it. Fr... fr... fr! And don’t I see that that idiot had eyes only for Bourienne—I shall have to get rid of her. And how is it she has not pride enough to see it? If she has no pride for herself she might at least have some for my sake! She must be shown that the blockhead thinks nothing of her and looks only at Bourienne. No, she has no pride... but I’ll let her see.... What devil brought them here? I never invited them. They came to disturb my life—and there is not much of it left. Devil take ‘em! Gone to bed?


They have gone to bed and put out their lights, your excellency.


No good... no good...


I have had a proposition made me concerning you. I expect you have guessed that Prince Vasíli has not come and brought his pupil with him for the sake of my beautiful eyes. Last night a proposition was made me on your account and, as you know my principles, I refer it to you.


How am I to understand you, mon père?


How understand me! Prince Vasíli finds you to his taste as a daughter-in-law and makes a proposal to you on his pupil’s behalf. That’s how it’s to be understood! ‘How understand it’!... And I ask you!


I do not know what you think, Father,


I? I? What of me? Leave me out of the question. I’m not going to get married. What about you? That’s what I want to know.


I wish only to do your will, but if I had to express my own desire...


That’s admirable! He will take you with your dowry and take Mademoiselle Bourienne into the bargain. She’ll be the wife, while you... Now then, now then, I’m only joking! Remember this, Princess, I hold to the principle that a maiden has a full right to choose. I give you freedom. Only remember that your life’s happiness depends on your decision. Never mind me!


But I do not know, Father!


There’s no need to talk! He receives his orders and will marry you or anybody; but you are free to choose.... Go to your room, think it over, and come back in an hour and tell me in his presence: yes or no. I know you will pray over it. Well, pray if you like, but you had better think it over. Go! Yes or no, yes or no, yes or no!


No, Princess, I have lost your affection forever!


Why? I love you more than ever, and I will try to do all I can for your happiness.


But you despise me. You who are so pure can never understand being so carried away by passion. Oh, only my poor mother...


I quite understand. Calm yourself, my dear. I will go to my father,


Ah, my dear, my dear! My son’s fate is in your hands. Decide, my dear, good, gentle Marie, whom I have always loved as a daughter!


Fr... fr... The prince is making a proposition to you in his pupil’s—I mean, his son’s—name. Do you wish or not to be Prince Anatole Kurágin’s wife? Reply: yes or no, and then I shall reserve the right to state my opinion also. Yes, my opinion, and only my opinion. Yes, or no?


My desire is never to leave you, Father, never to separate my life from yours. I don’t wish to marry,


Humbug! Nonsense! Humbug, humbug, humbug!


My dear, I must tell you that this is a moment I shall never, never forget. But, my dear, will you not give us a little hope of touching this heart, so kind and generous? Say ‘perhaps’... The future is so long. Say ‘perhaps.’


Prince, what I have said is all there is in my heart. I thank you for the honor, but I shall never be your son’s wife.


Well, so that’s finished, my dear fellow! I am very glad to have seen you. Very glad! Go back to your rooms, Princess. Go! Very, very glad to have seen you,


My vocation is a different one. My vocation is to be happy with another kind of happiness, the happiness of love and self-sacrifice. And cost what it may, I will arrange poor Amélie’s happiness, she loves him so passionately, and so passionately repents. I will do all I can to arrange the match between them. If he is not rich I will give her the means; I will ask my father and Andrew. I shall be so happy when she is his wife. She is so unfortunate, a stranger, alone, helpless! And, oh God, how passionately she must love him if she could so far forget herself! Perhaps I might have done the same!...


My dear friend?


Nikólenka... a letter... wa... a... s... wounded... my darling boy... the countess... promoted to be an officer... thank God... How tell the little countess!


You are a little slyboots,


A letter from Nikólenka! I’m sure of it!


But for God’s sake, be careful, you know how it may affect your mamma.


I will, I will, only tell me! You won’t? Then I will go and tell at once. No, on my true word of honor. I won’t tell anyone! Nikólenka... wounded... a letter,


Nicholas!


A little wound, but he has been made an officer; he is well now, he wrote himself,


There now! It’s true that all you women are crybabies. Now I’m very glad, very glad indeed, that my brother has distinguished himself so. You are all blubberers and understand nothing.


You haven’t read the letter?


No, but she said that it was all over and that he’s now an officer.


Thank God! But perhaps she deceived you. Let us go to Mamma.


If I’d been in Nikólenka’s place I would have killed even more of those Frenchmen. What nasty brutes they are! I’d have killed so many that there’d have been a heap of them. I’m not a goose, but they are who cry about trifles,


Do you remember him?


Do I remember Nicholas?


No, Sónya, but do you remember so that you remember him perfectly, remember everything? I remember Nikólenka too, I remember him well. But I don’t remember Borís. I don’t remember him a bit.


What! You don’t remember Borís? I am in love with your brother once for all and, whatever may happen to him or to me, shall never cease to love him as long as I live.


Shall you write to him?


I don’t know. I think if he writes, I will write too,


And you won’t feel ashamed to write to him?


No.


And I should be ashamed to write to Borís. I’m not going to.


It’s because she was in love with that fat one in spectacles and now she’s in love with that singer that’s why she’s ashamed!


Pétya, you’re stupid!


Not more stupid than you, madam,


Don’t come in. Come later. It is done!


dear Sónya, whom he loved and thought of just the same as ever.


Why are you crying, Mamma? From all he says one should be glad and not cry.


What a style! How charmingly he describes! And what a soul! Not a word about himself.... Not a word! About some Denísov or other, though he himself, I dare say, is braver than any of them. He says nothing about his sufferings. What a heart! How like him it is! And how he has remembered everybody! Not forgetting anyone. I always said when he was only so high—I always said....


Well, how are you going to get out of that?


We’ll try to,


Here he is at last! And Berg too! Oh, you petisenfans, allay cushay dormir! Dear me, how you have changed!


Oh, you damned dandies! Clean and fresh as if you’d been to a fete, not like us sinners of the line. Eh, is she pretty?


Why do you shout so? You’ll frighten them! I did not expect you today. I only sent you the note yesterday by Bolkónski—an adjutant of Kutúzov’s, who’s a friend of mine. I did not think he would get it to you so quickly.... Well, how are you? Been under fire already?


As you see,


Indeed? Yes, yes! And we too have had a splendid march. You know, of course, that His Imperial Highness rode with our regiment all the time, so that we had every comfort and every advantage. What receptions we had in Poland! What dinners and balls! I can’t tell you. And the Tsarévich was very gracious to all our officers.


Oh, you Guards! I say, send for some wine.


If you really want it. Yes, and I have some money and a letter to give you,


Well, they’ve sent you a tidy sum. As for us, Count, we get along on our pay. I can tell you for myself...


I say, Berg, my dear fellow, when you get a letter from home and meet one of your own people whom you want to talk everything over with, and I happen to be there, I’ll go at once, to be out of your way! Do go somewhere, anywhere... to the devil! Don’t be hurt, my dear fellow; you know I speak from my heart as to an old acquaintance.


Oh, don’t mention it, Count! I quite understand,


Go across to our hosts: they invited you,


Oh dear, what a beast I am!


Why?


Oh, what a pig I am, not to have written and to have given them such a fright! Oh, what a pig I am! Well, have you sent Gabriel for some wine? All right let’s have some! What nonsense! Much I need it!


Why have you thrown that away?


It is some letter of recommendation... what the devil do I want it for!


Why ‘What the devil’? This letter would be of great use to you.


I want nothing, and I won’t be anyone’s adjutant.


Why not?


It’s a lackey’s job!


You are still the same dreamer, I see,


And you’re still the same diplomatist! But that’s not the point... Come, how are you?


Well, as you see. So far everything’s all right, but I confess I should much like to be an adjutant and not remain at the front.


Because when once a man starts on military service, he should try to make as successful a career of it as possible.


Oh, that’s it!


Shouldn’t we now send for Berg? He would drink with you. I can’t.


Well, send for him... and how do you get on with that German?


He is a very, very nice, honest, and pleasant fellow,


Arnauts!


Would you believe it, Count, I was not at all alarmed, because I knew I was right. Without boasting, you know, I may say that I know the Army Orders by heart and know the Regulations as well as I do the Lord’s Prayer. So, Count, there never is any negligence in my company, and so my conscience was at ease. I came forward.... Well, he stormed at me, as the saying is, stormed and stormed and stormed! It was not a matter of life but rather of death, as the saying is. ‘Albanians!’ and ‘devils!’ and ‘To Siberia!’ I knew I was in the right so I kept silent; was not that best, Count?...


Hey, are you dumb?


Still I remained silent. And what do you think, Count? The next day it was not even mentioned in the Orders of the Day. That’s what keeping one’s head means. That’s the way, Count,


Yes, that was fine,


You cannot imagine what a strange frenzy one experiences during an attack,


We shall probably advance. As to your business, we will talk of it later Come to me after the review and we will do what is possible. I think you were talking of the Schön Grabern affair? Were you there?


I was there,


Yes, there are many stories now told about that affair!


Yes, stories! Yes, many stories! But our stories are the stories of men who have been under the enemy’s fire! Our stories have some weight, not like the stories of those fellows on the staff who get rewards without doing anything!


Of whom you imagine me to be one?


I am not talking about you. I don’t know you and, frankly, I don’t want to. I am speaking of the staff in general.


And I will tell you this, you wish to insult me, and I am ready to agree with you that it would be very easy to do so if you haven’t sufficient self-respect, but admit that the time and place are very badly chosen. In a day or two we shall all have to take part in a greater and more serious duel, and besides, Drubetskóy, who says he is an old friend of yours, is not at all to blame that my face has the misfortune to displease you. However, you know my name and where to find me, but don’t forget that I do not regard either myself or you as having been at all insulted, and as a man older than you, my advice is to let the matter drop. Well then, on Friday after the review I shall expect you, Drubetskóy. Au revoir!


Hurrah!


I thank you all, gentlemen, I thank you with my whole heart. You have earned the St. George’s standards and will be worthy of them.


Fine fellows, the Pávlograds!


Very well, then, be so good as to wait,


I am very sorry you did not find me in yesterday. I was fussing about with Germans all day. We went with Weyrother to survey the dispositions. When Germans start being accurate, there’s no end to it! Well, my dear fellow, so you still want to be an adjutant? I have been thinking about you.


Yes, I was thinking of asking the commander in chief. He has had a letter from Prince Kurágin about me. I only wanted to ask because I fear the Guards won’t be in action,


All right, all right. We’ll talk it over. Only let me report this gentleman’s business, and I shall be at your disposal. You see, my dear fellow, I have been thinking about you. It’s no use your going to the commander in chief. He would say a lot of pleasant things, ask you to dinner but nothing more would come of it. There will soon be a battalion of us aides-de-camp and adjutants! But this is what we’ll do: I have a good friend, an adjutant general and an excellent fellow, Prince Dolgorúkov; and though you may not know it, the fact is that now Kutúzov with his staff and all of us count for nothing. Everything is now centered round the Emperor. So we will go to Dolgorúkov; I have to go there anyhow and I have already spoken to him about you. We shall see whether he cannot attach you to himself or find a place for you somewhere nearer the sun.


Ah, my dear fellow, what a battle we have gained! God grant that the one that will result from it will be as victorious! However, dear fellow. I must confess to having been unjust to the Austrians and especially to Weyrother. What exactitude, what minuteness, what knowledge of the locality, what foresight for every eventuality, every possibility even to the smallest detail! No, my dear fellow, no conditions better than our present ones could have been devised. This combination of Austrian precision with Russian valor—what more could be wished for?


So the attack is definitely resolved on?


And do you know, my dear fellow, it seems to me that Bonaparte has decidedly lost bearings, you know that a letter was received from him today for the Emperor.


Is that so? And what did he say?


What can he say? Tra-di-ri-di-ra and so on... merely to gain time. I tell you he is in our hands, that’s certain! But what was most amusing, was that we could not think how to address the reply! If not as ‘Consul’ and of course not as ‘Emperor,’ it seemed to me it should be to ‘General Bonaparte.’


But between not recognizing him as Emperor and calling him General Bonaparte, there is a difference,


That’s just it. You know Bilíbin—he’s a very clever fellow. He suggested addressing him as ‘Usurper and Enemy of Mankind.’


Only that?


All the same, it was Bilíbin who found a suitable form for the address. He is a wise and clever fellow.


What was it?


To the Head of the French Government... Au chef du gouvernement français. Good, wasn’t it?


Yes, but he will dislike it extremely,


Oh yes, very much! My brother knows him, he’s dined with him—the present Emperor—more than once in Paris, and tells me he never met a more cunning or subtle diplomatist—you know, a combination of French adroitness and Italian play-acting! Do you know the tale about him and Count Markóv? Count Markóv was the only man who knew how to handle him. You know the story of the handkerchief? It is delightful!


Delightful! But I have come to you, Prince, as a petitioner on behalf of this young man. You see...


Oh, what a nuisance. You know I should be very glad to do all in my power both for you and for this dear young man. But you see... another time!


Who was that?


He is one of the most remarkable, but to me most unpleasant of men—the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Adam Czartorýski.... It is such men as he who decide the fate of nations,


Come here, Wostóv. Let’s dwink to dwown our gwief!


There! They are bringing another!


Sell us that horse!


If you like, your honor!


But don’t hurt my little horse!


Alley! Alley!


The Emperor! The Emperor!


The Pávlograd hussars?


The reserves, sire!


Gently, gently! Can’t you do it more gently? What a terrible thing war is: what a terrible thing! Quelle terrible chose que la guerre!


Not ‘our Sovereign, the Emperor,’ as they say at official dinners, but the health of our Sovereign, that good, enchanting, and great man! Let us drink to his health and to the certain defeat of the French!


If we fought before, not letting the French pass, as at Schön Grabern, what shall we not do now when he is at the front? We will all die for him gladly! Is it not so, gentlemen? Perhaps I am not saying it right, I have drunk a good deal—but that is how I feel, and so do you too! To the health of Alexander the First! Hurrah!


Hurrah!


Lads! here’s to our Sovereign, the Emperor, and victory over our enemies! Hurrah!


As there’s no one to fall in love with on campaign, he’s fallen in love with the Tsar,


Denísov, don’t make fun of it! It is such a lofty, beautiful feeling, such a...


I believe it, I believe it, fwiend, and I share and appwove...


No, you don’t understand!


Well, how d’you do, my dear fellow? The fete is for tomorrow. How is your old fellow? Out of sorts?


I won’t say he is out of sorts, but I fancy he would like to be heard.


But they heard him at the council of war and will hear him when he talks sense, but to temporize and wait for something now when Bonaparte fears nothing so much as a general battle is impossible.


Yes, you have seen him? Well, what is Bonaparte like? How did he impress you?


Yes, I saw him, and am convinced that he fears nothing so much as a general engagement. If he weren’t afraid of a battle why did he ask for that interview? Why negotiate, and above all why retreat, when to retreat is so contrary to his method of conducting war? Believe me, he is afraid, afraid of a general battle. His hour has come! Mark my words!


But tell me, what is he like, eh?


He is a man in a gray overcoat, very anxious that I should call him ‘Your Majesty,’ but who, to his chagrin, got no title from me! That’s the sort of man he is, and nothing more. Despite my great respect for old Kutúzov, we should be a nice set of fellows if we were to wait about and so give him a chance to escape, or to trick us, now that we certainly have him in our hands! No, we mustn’t forget Suvórov and his rule—not to put yourself in a position to be attacked, but yourself to attack. Believe me in war the energy of young men often shows the way better than all the experience of old Cunctators.


But in what position are we going to attack him? I have been at the outposts today and it is impossible to say where his chief forces are situated,


Oh, that is all the same. All eventualities have been foreseen. If he is standing before Brünn... There will be a council of war at Kutúzov’s tonight, though; you can say all this there,


I will do so,


Whatever are you bothering about, gentlemen? Whether tomorrow brings victory or defeat, the glory of our Russian arms is secure. Except your Kutúzov, there is not a single Russian in command of a column! The commanders are: Herr General Wimpfen, le Comte de Langeron, le Prince de Lichtenstein, le Prince de Hohenlohe, and finally Prishprish, and so on like all those Polish names.


Be quiet, backbiter! It is not true; there are now two Russians, Milorádovich, and Dokhtúrov, and there would be a third, Count Arakchéev, if his nerves were not too weak.


However, I think General Kutúzov has come out. I wish you good luck and success, gentlemen!


I think the battle will be lost, and so I told Count Tolstóy and asked him to tell the Emperor. What do you think he replied? ‘But, my dear general, I am engaged with rice and cutlets, look after military matters yourself!’ Yes... That was the answer I got!


Since Prince Bagratión is not coming, we may begin,


Yes, yes, if you please! It is already late,


Dispositions for an attack on the enemy position behind Kobelnitz and Sokolnitz, November 30, 1805. As the enemy’s left wing rests on wooded hills and his right extends along Kobelnitz and Sokolnitz behind the ponds that are there, while we, on the other hand, with our left wing by far outflank his right, it is advantageous to attack the enemy’s latter wing especially if we occupy the villages of Sokolnitz and Kobelnitz, whereby we can both fall on his flank and pursue him over the plain between Schlappanitz and the Thuerassa forest, avoiding the defiles of Schlappanitz and Bellowitz which cover the enemy’s front. For this object it is necessary that... The first column marches... The second column marches... The third column marches...


You can tell me your views later, but now be so good as to look at the map and listen.


A geography lesson!


So you are still at that silly business!


If he could attack us, he would have done so today,


So you think he is powerless?


He has forty thousand men at most,


In that case he is inviting his doom by awaiting our attack,


Ma foi! tomorrow we shall see all that on the battlefield.


The enemy has quenched his fires and a continual noise is heard from his camp. What does that mean? Either he is retreating, which is the only thing we need fear, or he is changing his position. But even if he also took up a position in the Thuerassa, he merely saves us a great deal of trouble and all our arrangements to the minutest detail remain the same.


How is that?...


Gentlemen, the dispositions for tomorrow—or rather for today, for it is past midnight—cannot now be altered. You have heard them, and we shall all do our duty. But before a battle, there is nothing more important... than to have a good sleep.


But was it really not possible for Kutúzov to state his views plainly to the Emperor? Is it possible that on account of court and personal considerations tens of thousands of lives, and my life, my life, must be risked? Yes, it is very likely that I shall be killed tomorrow,


Yes, tomorrow, tomorrow! Tomorrow everything may be over for me! All these memories will be no more, none of them will have any meaning for me. Tomorrow perhaps, even certainly, I have a presentiment that for the first time I shall have to show all I can do.


But death and suffering?


Well and then? If before that you are not ten times wounded, killed, or betrayed, well... what then?...


Well then,


Why not?... It might easily happen, that the Emperor will meet me and give me an order as he would to any other officer; he’ll say: ‘Go and find out what’s there.’ There are many stories of his getting to know an officer in just such a chance way and attaching him to himself! What if he gave me a place near him? Oh, how I would guard him, how I would tell him the truth, how I would unmask his deceivers! Where am I? Oh yes, in the skirmishing line... pass and watchword—shaft, Olmütz. What a nuisance that our squadron will be in reserve tomorrow. I’ll ask leave to go to the front, this may be my only chance of seeing the Emperor. It won’t be long now before I am off duty. I’ll take another turn and when I get back I’ll go to the general and ask him. I expect it’s snow... that spot... a spot—une tache. There now... it’s not a tache... Natásha... sister, black eyes... Na... tasha... (Won’t she be surprised when I tell her how I’ve seen the Emperor?) Natásha... take my sabretache... Keep to the right, your honor, there are bushes here. But what was I thinking? I mustn’t forget. How shall I speak to the Emperor? No, that’s not it—that’s tomorrow. Oh yes! Natásha... sabretache... saber them... Whom? The hussars... Ah, the hussars with mustaches. Along the Tverskáya Street rode the hussar with mustaches... I thought about him too, just opposite Gúryev’s house... Old Gúryev.... Oh, but Denísov’s a fine fellow. But that’s all nonsense. The chief thing is that the Emperor is here. How he looked at me and wished to say something, but dared not.... No, it was I who dared not. But that’s nonsense, the chief thing is not to forget the important thing I was thinking of. Yes, Na-tásha, sabretache, oh, yes, yes! That’s right! What? What? What?... Cut them down! What?...


What’s that? What do you make of it? That must be the enemy’s camp! Why, don’t you hear it? From the direction, it must be the enemy,


They can’t be far off, probably just beyond the stream,


Believe me, it is nothing but a trick! He has retreated and ordered the rearguard to kindle fires and make a noise to deceive us.


Hardly. I saw them this evening on that knoll; if they had retreated they would have withdrawn from that too.... Officer! are the enemy’s skirmishers still there?


They were there this evening, but now I don’t know, your excellency. Shall I go with some of my hussars to see?


Well, go and see,


Yes, sir.


Your honor, there he is!


Well, some more! Some more!


What’s your name?


Count Rostóv.


Oh, very well, you may stay in attendance on me.


Count Ilyá Rostóv’s son?


Then I may reckon on it, your excellency?


I will give the order.


There now, the Kúrskies have also gone past,


It’s wonderful what a lot of our troops have gathered, lads! Last night I looked at the campfires and there was no end of them. A regular Moscow!


Why have we stopped? Is the way blocked? Or have we already come up against the French?


No, one can’t hear them. They’d be firing if we had.


They were in a hurry enough to start us, and now here we stand in the middle of a field without rhyme or reason. It’s all those damned Germans’ muddling! What stupid devils!


Yes, I’d send them on in front, but no fear, they’re crowding up behind. And now here we stand hungry.


I say, shall we soon be clear? They say the cavalry are blocking the way,


Ah, those damned Germans! They don’t know their own country!


What division are you?


The Eighteenth.


Then why are you here? You should have gone on long ago, now you won’t get there till evening.


What stupid orders! They don’t themselves know what they are doing!


Tafa-lafa! But what he’s jabbering no one can make out. I’d shoot them, the scoundrels!


We were ordered to be at the place before nine, but we haven’t got halfway. Fine orders!


There we shall encounter difficulties, and there. I shall be sent with a brigade or division, and there, standard in hand, I shall go forward and break whatever is in front of me. That may be the very standard with which I shall lead the army.


Do order them to form into battalion columns and go round the village! Don’t you understand, your excellency, my dear sir, that you must not defile through narrow village streets when we are marching against the enemy?


I intended to re-form them beyond the village, your excellency,


You’ll make a fine thing of it, deploying in sight of the enemy! Very fine!


The enemy is still far away, your excellency. According to the dispositions...


The dispositions! Who told you that?... Kindly do as you are ordered.


Yes, sir.


My dear fellow, the old man is as surly as a dog.


Go, my dear fellow, and see whether the third division has passed the village. Tell it to stop and await my orders. And ask whether sharpshooters have been posted. What are they doing? What are they doing?


All right, all right! Plenty of time, your excellency. Plenty of time,


Attention!


Why aren’t you beginning, Michael Ilariónovich?


I am waiting, Your Majesty. Waiting, Your Majesty. Not all the columns have formed up yet, Your Majesty.


You know, Michael Ilariónovich, we are not on the Empress’ Field where a parade does not begin till all the troops are assembled,


That is just why I do not begin, sire. That is just why I do not begin, sire, because we are not on parade and not on the Empress’ Field. However, if you command it, Your Majesty,


God be with you, general!


Ma foi, sire, nous ferons ce qui sera dans notre possibilité, sire. Lads! Lads, it’s not the first village you’ve had to take,


Glad to do our best!


Look, look! It’s the French!


It’s the enemy?... No!... Yes, see it is!... for certain.... But how is that?


The Ápsherons must be stopped, your excellency,


Brothers! All’s lost!


You are wounded?


The wound is not here, it is there! Stop them!


Get on! Why are you hindering us?


Stop those wretches!


Oh! Oh! Oh! Bolkónski! Bolkónski! what’s that?


Forward, lads! Hurrah!


Hurrah!


And if I should meet His Majesty before I meet the commander in chief, your excellency?


You can give the message to His Majesty,


That is no business of mine,


Charge!


Why should I envy them? My chance is not lost, and maybe I shall see the Emperor immediately!


Rostóv!


What?


I say, we’ve been in the front line! Our regiment attacked!


Have you? Well, how did it go?


We drove them back! Can you imagine it? Where are you off to?


With a message to His Majesty.


There he is!


But that’s the Grand Duke, and I want the commander in chief or the Emperor,


Count! Count! Count! I am wounded in my right hand and I remained at the front. I held my sword in my left hand, Count. All our family—the von Bergs—have been knights!


What can it be? The enemy in the rear of our army? Impossible! But be that what it may, there is no riding round it now. I must look for the commander in chief here, and if all is lost it is for me to perish with the rest. What does it mean? What is it? Whom are they firing at? Who is firing?


The devil knows! They’ve killed everybody! It’s all up now!


Kill the Germans! May the devil take them—the traitors!


Zum Henker diese Russen!


My God! What does it all mean? And here, where at any moment the Emperor may see them.... But no, these must be only a handful of scoundrels. It will soon be over, it can’t be that, it can’t be! Only to get past them quicker, quicker!


Where is the Emperor? Where is Kutúzov?


Eh, brother! They’ve all bolted long ago!


It can’t be! It must have been someone else.


I saw him myself. I ought to know the Emperor by now, after the times I’ve seen him in Petersburg. I saw him just as I see you.... There he sat in the carriage as pale as anything. How they made the four black horses fly! Gracious me, they did rattle past! It’s time I knew the Imperial horses and Ilyá Iványch. I don’t think Ilyá drives anyone except the Tsar!


Who is it you want? The commander in chief? He was killed by a cannon ball—struck in the breast before our regiment.


Not killed—wounded!


Who? Kutúzov?


Not Kutúzov, but what’s his name—well, never mind... there are not many left alive. Go that way, to that village, all the commanders are there,


Take this road, your honor, that way you will be killed at once! They’d kill you there!


Oh, what are you talking about? Where is he to go? That way is nearer.


It’s all the same now. If the Emperor is wounded, am I to try to save myself?


What would she feel, if she saw me here now on this field with the cannon aimed at me?


But it can’t be he, alone in the midst of this empty field!


What! It is as if I were glad of a chance to take advantage of his being alone and despondent! A strange face may seem unpleasant or painful to him at this moment of sorrow; besides, what can I say to him now, when my heart fails me and my mouth feels dry at the mere sight of him? Besides how can I ask the Emperor for his instructions for the right flank now that it is nearly four o’clock and the battle is lost? No, certainly I must not approach him, I must not intrude on his reflections. Better die a thousand times than risk receiving an unkind look or bad opinion from him,


And I might have been in his place! What have I done?


Tit! I say, Tit!


What?


Go, Tit! Thresh a bit!


Oh, you fool!


Move on a hundred yards and we are certainly saved, remain here another two minutes and it is certain death,


Turn this way! turn this way! It bears!...


Get onto the ice, over the ice! Go on! Turn! Don’t you hear? Go on!


Onto the ice, why do you stop? Go on! Go on!


Fine men!


The ammunition for the guns in position is exhausted, Your Majesty,


Have some brought from the reserve. That’s a fine death!


Ah! He is alive. Lift this young man up and carry him to the dressing station.


We must halt here: the Emperor will pass here immediately; it will please him to see these gentlemen prisoners.


There are so many prisoners today, nearly the whole Russian army, that he is probably tired of them,


All the same! They say this one is the commander of all the Emperor Alexander’s Guards,


Which is the senior? You are the commander of the Emperor Alexander’s regiment of Horse Guards?


I commanded a squadron,


Your regiment fulfilled its duty honorably,


The praise of a great commander is a soldier’s highest reward,


I bestow it with pleasure. And who is that young man beside you? He’s very young to come to meddle with us.


Youth is no hindrance to courage,


A splendid reply! Young man, you will go far! Well, and you, young man. How do you feel, mon brave?


Have these gentlemen attended to and taken to my bivouac; let my doctor, Larrey, examine their wounds. Au revoir, Prince Repnín!


It would be good,


Lord, have mercy on me!


But to whom should I say that? Either to a Power indefinable, incomprehensible, which I not only cannot address but which I cannot even express in words—the Great All or Nothing- or to that God who has been sewn into this amulet by Mary! There is nothing certain, nothing at all except the unimportance of everything I understand, and the greatness of something incomprehensible but all-important.


He is a nervous, bilious subject, and will not recover.


How much longer? How much longer? Oh, these insufferable streets, shops, bakers’ signboards, street lamps, and sleighs! Denísov! We’re here! He’s asleep. There’s the corner at the crossroads, where the cabman, Zakhár, has his stand, and there’s Zakhár himself and still the same horse! And here’s the little shop where we used to buy gingerbread! Can’t you hurry up? Now then!


Which house is it?


Why, that one, right at the end, the big one. Don’t you see? That’s our house. Of course, it’s our house! Denísov, Denísov! We’re almost there! Dmítri, those lights are in our house, aren’t they?


Yes, sir, and there’s a light in your father’s study.


Then they’ve not gone to bed yet? What do you think? Mind now, don’t forget to put out my new coat. Now then, get on. Do wake up, Váska! Come, get on! You shall have three rubles for vodka—get on!


Gracious heavens! The young count! Can it be? My treasure!


All well?


Yes, God be thanked! Yes! They’ve just finished supper. Let me have a look at you, your excellency.


Is everything quite all right?


The Lord be thanked, yes!


And I did not know... Nicholas... My darling!... Here he is... our own... Kólya, * dear fellow... How he has changed!... Where are the candles?... Tea!... And me, kiss me! Dearest... and me!


And me too!


Vasíli Denísov, your son’s friend,


You are most welcome! I know, I know. Nicholas wrote us... Natásha, Véra, look! Here is Denísov!


Darling Denísov!


Hallo, Gwíska—my pipe! Wostóv, get up!


Why, is it late?


Late! It’s nearly ten o’clock. Nicholas! Get up!


Directly!


Is this your saber?


Nicholas! Come out in your dressing gown!


Is this your saber? Or is it yours?


Oh, how nice, how splendid! No, but listen, now you are quite a man, aren’t you? I’m awfully glad you’re my brother. I want to know what you men are like. Are you the same as we? No?


Why did Sónya run away?


Ah, yes! That’s a whole long story! How are you going to speak to her—thou or you?


As may happen,


No, call her you, please! I’ll tell you all about it some other time. No, I’ll tell you now. You know Sónya’s my dearest friend. Such a friend that I burned my arm for her sake. Look here! I burned this to prove my love for her. I just heated a ruler in the fire and pressed it there!


Well, and is that all?


We are such friends, such friends! All that ruler business was just nonsense, but we are friends forever. She, if she loves anyone, does it for life, but I don’t understand that, I forget quickly.


Well, what then?


Well, she loves me and you like that. Why, you remember before you went away?... Well, she says you are to forget all that.... She says: ‘I shall love him always, but let him be free.’ Isn’t that lovely and noble! Yes, very noble? Isn’t it? I shall love him always, but let him be free.


I never go back on my word. Besides, Sónya is so charming that only a fool would renounce such happiness.


No, no! she and I have already talked it over. We knew you’d say so. But it won’t do, because you see, if you say that—if you consider yourself bound by your promise—it will seem as if she had not meant it seriously. It makes it as if you were marrying her because you must, and that wouldn’t do at all.


Yes, they have taken a wise decision. I must remain free. Well then, that’s excellent. We’ll talk it over later on. Oh, how glad I am to have you! Well, and are you still true to Borís?


Oh, what nonsense! I don’t think about him or anyone else, and I don’t want anything of the kind.


Dear me! Then what are you up to now?


Now? Have you seen Duport?


No.


Not seen Duport—the famous dancer? Well then, you won’t understand. That’s what I’m up to. See, I’m standing! See! So that’s what I’m up to! I’ll never marry anyone, but will be a dancer. Only don’t tell anyone. No, but don’t you think it’s nice?


Nice! And so you no longer wish to marry Borís?


I don’t want to marry anyone. And I’ll tell him so when I see him!


Dear me!


But that’s all rubbish. And is Denísov nice?


Yes, indeed!


Oh, well then, good-by: go and dress. Is he very terrible, Denísov?


Why terrible? No, Váska is a splendid fellow.


You call him Váska? That’s funny! And is he very nice?


Very.


Well then, be quick. We’ll all have breakfast together.


How strange it is, that Sónya and Nicholas now say you to one another and meet like strangers.


Well then, mind and have cocks’ comb in the turtle soup, you know!


Shall we have three cold dishes then?


We can’t have less—yes, three... the mayonnaise, that’s one,


Then am I to order those large sterlets?


Yes, it can’t be helped if they won’t take less. Ah, dear me! I was forgetting. We must have another entrée. Ah, goodness gracious! Who is going to get me the flowers? Dmítri! Eh, Dmítri! Gallop off to our Moscow estate. Hurry off and tell Maksím, the gardener, to set the serfs to work. Say that everything out of the hothouses must be brought here well wrapped up in felt. I must have two hundred pots here on Friday. Ah, my boy, my head’s in a whirl! Now, if you would only help a bit! I must have singers too. I shall have my own orchestra, but shouldn’t we get the gypsy singers as well? You military men like that sort of thing.


Really, Papa, I believe Prince Bagratión worried himself less before the battle of Schön Grabern than you do now,


Yes, you talk, but try it yourself! What have the young people come to nowadays, eh, Feoktíst? Laughing at us old fellows!


That’s so, your excellency, all they have to do is to eat a good dinner, but providing it and serving it all up, that’s not their business!


That’s it, that’s it! Now I’ve got you, so take the sleigh and pair at once, and go to Bezúkhov’s, and tell him ‘Count Ilyá has sent you to ask for strawberries and fresh pineapples.’ We can’t get them from anyone else. He’s not there himself, so you’ll have to go in and ask the princesses; and from there go on to the Rasgulyáy—the coachman Ipátka knows—and look up the gypsy Ilyúshka, the one who danced at Count Orlóv’s, you remember, in a white Cossack coat, and bring him along to me.


And am I to bring the gypsy girls along with him? Dear, dear!...


No matter at all, my dear count. But I’ll go to Bezúkhov’s myself. Pierre has arrived, and now we shall get anything we want from his hothouses. I have to see him in any case. He has forwarded me a letter from Borís. Thank God, Borís is now on the staff.


Tell Bezúkhov to come. I’ll put his name down. Is his wife with him?


Ah, my dear friend, he is very unfortunate. If what we hear is true, it is dreadful. How little we dreamed of such a thing when we were rejoicing at his happiness! And such a lofty angelic soul as young Bezúkhov! Yes, I pity him from my heart, and shall try to give him what consolation I can.


Wh-what is the matter?


Dólokhov, Mary Ivánovna’s son, has compromised her completely, they say. Pierre took him up, invited him to his house in Petersburg, and now... she has come here and that daredevil after her! They say Pierre is quite broken by his misfortune.


Dear, dear! But still tell him to come to the club—it will all blow over. It will be a tremendous banquet.


Had there been no Bagratión, it would have been necessary to invent him,


If you go on modeling and modeling you must get smeared with clay,


French soldiers have to be incited to battle by highfalutin words, and Germans by logical arguments to show them that it is more dangerous to run away than to advance, but that Russian soldiers only need to be restrained and held back!


We are prepared to respect and honor you, but all the same remember that the future belongs to us.


Please come and visit us... you know my brave boy... been together out there... both playing the hero... Ah, Vasíli Ignátovich... How d’ye do, old fellow?


He’s arrived!


Make way, dear boy! Make way, make way!


Well, I will read them, then!


Bring glory then to Alexander’s reign And on the throne our Titus shield. A dreaded foe be thou, kindhearted as a man, A Rhipheus at home, a Caesar in the field! E’en fortunate Napoleon Knows by experience, now, Bagratión, And dare not Herculean Russians trouble...


There will be many toasts, it’s time to begin. To the health of our Sovereign, the Emperor!


Hurrah!


To the health of our Sovereign, the Emperor! Hurrah!


To the health of the hero of our last campaign, Prince Peter Ivánovich Bagratión!


Russians! O’er all barriers on! Courage conquest guarantees; Have we not Bagratión? He brings foemen to their knees,... etc.


What are you about? Don’t you hear it’s His Majesty the Emperor’s health?


Why, I didn’t recognize you!


Why don’t you renew the acquaintance?


Confound him, he’s a fool!


One should make up to the husbands of pretty women,


Well, now to the health of handsome women! Here’s to the health of lovely women, Peterkin—and their lovers!


How dare you take it?


Don’t! Don’t! What are you about?


You shan’t have it!


You...! you... scoundrel! I challenge you!


Well then, till tomorrow at Sokólniki,


And do you feel quite calm?


Well, you see, I’ll tell you the whole secret of dueling in two words. If you are going to fight a duel, and you make a will and write affectionate letters to your parents, and if you think you may be killed, you are a fool and are lost for certain. But go with the firm intention of killing your man as quickly and surely as possible, and then all will be right, as our bear huntsman at Kostromá used to tell me.


Everyone fears a bear, but when you see one your fear’s all gone, and your only thought is not to let him get away!


And that’s how it is with me. À demain, mon cher.


Will it be long? Are things ready?


I should not be doing my duty, Count, and should not justify your confidence and the honor you have done me in choosing me for your second, if at this grave, this very grave, moment I did not tell you the whole truth. I think there is no sufficient ground for this affair, or for blood to be shed over it.... You were not right, not quite in the right, you were impetuous...


Oh yes, it is horribly stupid,


Then allow me to express your regrets, and I am sure your opponent will accept them. You know, Count, it is much more honorable to admit one’s mistake than to let matters become irreparable. There was no insult on either side. Allow me to convey....


No! What is there to talk about? It’s all the same.... Is everything ready? Only tell me where to go and where to shoot. Oh yes, like that, I know, I only forgot,


No apologies, none whatever,


Well, begin!


All right,


As the adve’sawies have wefused a weconciliation, please pwoceed. Take your pistols, and at the word thwee begin to advance. O-ne! T-wo! Thwee!


So I can fire when I like!


No-o-o! no, it’s not over. Plea... Please. To your barrier!


Sideways! Cover yourself with your pistol!


Cover yourself!


Missed!


Folly... folly! Death... lies...


Well? How do you feel?


Bad! But it’s not that, my friend— Where are we? In Moscow, I know. I don’t matter, but I have killed her, killed... She won’t get over it! She won’t survive....


Who?


My mother! My mother, my angel, my adored angel mother,


Let him do what he pleases, she was not a fool to want to have children, and that she was not going to have any children by me. I’m not such a fool.... Just you try it on.... Allez-vous promener,