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Volume I, Part Two, Chapter II

Returning from the review, Kutuzov, accompanied by the Austrian general, went into his study and, calling an adjutant, ordered some papers relating to the condition of the arriving troops to be brought to him, and letters received from Archduke Ferdinand, who was in command of the advanced army. Prince Andrei Bolkonsky entered the commander-in-chief's study with the required papers. Kutuzov and the Austrian member of the Hofkriegsrat were sitting before a map spread out on the table.

— Ah!... — said Kutuzov, glancing back at Bolkonsky, as if by this word inviting the adjutant to wait, and continued in French the conversation he had begun.

— I only say one thing, general, — said Kutuzov with a pleasant elegance of expression and intonation that made one listen to every unhurriedly spoken word. It was evident that Kutuzov himself listened to his own voice with pleasure. — I only say one thing, general, that if the matter depended on my personal wish, the will of His Majesty Emperor Francis would long ago have been fulfilled. I should long ago have joined the Archduke. And believe my honor that for me personally to hand over the supreme command of the army to a more knowledgeable and skillful general, of whom Austria has such an abundance, and to lay down all this heavy responsibility, would be a joy to me personally. But circumstances are often stronger than we are, general.

And Kutuzov smiled with an expression as if he were saying: "You have every right not to believe me, and it is even a matter of complete indifference to me whether you believe me or not, but you have no reason to tell me so. And that is the whole point."

The Austrian general looked dissatisfied, but could not help answering Kutuzov in the same tone.

— On the contrary, — he said in a grumbling and angry tone that so contradicted the flattering meaning of the words he uttered, — on the contrary, your excellency's participation in the common cause is highly valued by His Majesty; but we consider that the present delay deprives the glorious Russian troops and their commanders of the laurels they are accustomed to reap in battles, — he concluded his evidently prepared phrase.

Kutuzov bowed, without changing his smile.

— But I am so convinced, and, basing myself on the last letter with which His Highness Archduke Ferdinand honored me, I presume that the Austrian troops, under the command of so skillful an assistant as General Mack, have by now already won a decisive victory and no longer need our help, — said Kutuzov.

The general frowned. Although there was no positive news of the defeat of the Austrians, there were too many circumstances confirming the general unfavorable rumors; and therefore Kutuzov's assumption of an Austrian victory was very like a mockery. But Kutuzov smiled meekly, with the same expression that said he had a right to suppose so. Indeed, the last letter he had received from Mack's army informed him of a victory and of the most advantageous strategic position of the army.

— Give me that letter here, — said Kutuzov, turning to Prince Andrei. — Here, if you please, look, — and Kutuzov, with a mocking smile at the corners of his mouth, read in German to the Austrian general the following passage from the letter of Archduke Ferdinand: "We have fully concentrated forces, close to 70,000 men, in order to be able to attack and defeat the enemy if he crosses the Lech. Since we are masters of Ulm, we cannot lose the advantage of remaining masters of both banks of the Danube; consequently, at any moment, if the enemy does not cross the Lech, we can cross the Danube, throw ourselves on his line of communication, recross the Danube lower down, and immediately frustrate the enemy's intention, if he should attempt to turn his whole force against our faithful allies. In this way we shall courageously await the time when the Imperial Russian Army is ready, and then together we shall easily find an opportunity to prepare for the enemy the fate he deserves." [Мы имеем вполне сосредоточенные силы, около 70 000 человек, так что мы можем атаковать и разбить неприятеля в случае переправы его через Лех. Так как мы уже владеем Ульмом, то мы можем удерживать за собою выгоду командования обоими берегами Дуная, стало быть, ежеминутно, в случае если неприятель не перейдет через Лех, переправиться через Дунай, броситься на его коммуникационную линию, ниже перейти обратно Дунай и неприятелю, если он вздумает обратить всю свою силу на наших верных союзников, не дать исполнить его намерение. Таким образом мы будем бодро ожидать времени, когда императорская российская армия совсем изготовится, и затем вместе легко найдем возможность уготовить неприятелю участь, коей он заслуживает".]

Kutuzov sighed heavily when he had finished this sentence, and looked attentively and affectionately at the member of the Hofkriegsrat.

— But you know, your excellency, the wise rule which prescribes supposing the worst, — said the Austrian general, evidently wishing to have done with jokes and to get down to business.

He glanced with dissatisfaction at the adjutant.

— Excuse me, general, — interrupted Kutuzov, also turning to Prince Andrei. — Look here, my dear boy, get all the reports from our scouts from Kozlovsky. Here are two letters from Count Nostitz, here is a letter from His Highness Archduke Ferdinand, here is another, — he said, handing him several papers. — And from all this compile neatly, in French, a memorandum, a little note, for the visibility of all the news we have had about the actions of the Austrian army. Well, that's it, and present it to his excellency.

Prince Andrei bowed his head in token that he understood from the first words not only what had been said, but also what Kutuzov wished to say to him. He gathered up the papers and, with a general bow, stepping softly on the carpet, went out into the reception room.

Although not much time had passed since Prince Andrei had left Russia, he had changed a great deal during that time. In the expression of his face, in his movements, in his walk, there was almost no trace of his former affectation, weariness, and laziness; he had the look of a man who has no time to think of the impression he makes on others, and is engaged in pleasant and interesting work. His face expressed more satisfaction with himself and with those around him; his smile and his look were more cheerful and attractive.

Kutuzov, whom he had caught up with while still in Poland, had received him very kindly, promised not to forget him, distinguished him from the other adjutants, took him with him to Vienna, and gave him more serious commissions. From Vienna Kutuzov wrote to his old comrade, Prince Andrei's father:

"Your son," he wrote, "gives hope of becoming an officer who stands out from the rest by his application, firmness, and diligence. I consider myself happy to have such a subordinate at hand."

On Kutuzov's staff, among his fellow officers and in the army generally, Prince Andrei had, as he had had in Petersburg society, two quite opposite reputations. Some, a minority, acknowledged Prince Andrei to be something different from themselves and from all other men, expected great success from him, listened to him, admired him, and imitated him; and with these men Prince Andrei was simple and pleasant. Others, the majority, did not like Prince Andrei, considered him a conceited, cold, and unpleasant man. But with these people Prince Andrei knew how to place himself so that he was respected and even feared.

Going out of Kutuzov's study into the reception room, Prince Andrei approached his comrade, the adjutant on duty, Kozlovsky, who was sitting at the window with a book.

— Well, prince? — asked Kozlovsky.

— I am ordered to draw up a note explaining why we are not advancing.

— And why is it?

Prince Andrei shrugged his shoulders.

— No news from Mack? — asked Kozlovsky.

— No.

— If it were true that he has been beaten, news would have come.

— Probably, — said Prince Andrei, and moved towards the outer door; but at that moment a tall Austrian general in a frock coat, his head tied up with a black band and with the Order of Maria Theresa on his neck, came quickly into the reception room, slamming the door. Prince Andrei stopped.

— General-in-chief Kutuzov? — the newly arrived general said quickly with a sharp German accent, looking around on both sides and going towards the door of the study without stopping.

— The general-in-chief is engaged, — said Kozlovsky, going hurriedly up to the unknown general and barring his way to the door. — Whom shall I announce?

The unknown general looked down contemptuously at Kozlovsky, who was short of stature, as if surprised that he could not be known.

— The general-in-chief is engaged, — Kozlovsky repeated calmly.

The general's face frowned, his lips twitched and trembled. He took out a notebook, quickly drew something with a pencil, tore out the leaf, gave it, walked with quick steps to the window, threw his body onto a chair, and looked around at those in the room, as if asking: why are they looking at him? Then the general raised his head, stretched his neck as if intending to say something, but immediately, as if carelessly beginning to hum to himself, produced a strange sound, which was immediately cut short. The door of the study opened, and Kutuzov appeared on the threshold. The general with the tied-up head, bending down, as if running away from danger, went up to Kutuzov with large, quick steps of his thin legs.

— You see the unfortunate Mack, — he said in a broken voice.

Kutuzov's face, standing in the doorway of the study, remained perfectly motionless for a few moments. Then a wrinkle passed over his face like a wave, his forehead smoothed out; he bowed his head respectfully, closed his eyes, silently let Mack pass him, and closed the door behind him.

The rumor, already spread previously, of the defeat of the Austrians and the surrender of the whole army at Ulm, proved to be true. Half an hour later adjutants had been dispatched in various directions with orders proving that soon the Russian troops, hitherto inactive, would have to meet the enemy.

Prince Andrei was one of those rare officers on the staff who placed his chief interest in the general course of military affairs. Seeing Mack and hearing the details of his ruin, he understood that half the campaign was lost, understood all the difficulty of the position of the Russian troops, and vividly imagined what awaited the army, and the role he would have to play in it. Involuntarily he felt an agitating, joyful feeling at the thought of the humiliation of arrogant Austria and that in a week, perhaps, he would have to see and take part in a clash between Russians and French, for the first time since Suvorov. But he feared the genius of Bonaparte, which might prove stronger than all the bravery of the Russian troops, and at the same time he could not admit the disgrace of his hero.

Agitated and irritated by these thoughts, Prince Andrei went to his room to write to his father, to whom he wrote every day. He met his roommate Nesvitsky and the joker Zherkov in the corridor; they were laughing at something, as usual.

— Why are you so gloomy? — asked Nesvitsky, noticing Prince Andrei's pale face with its shining eyes.

— There is nothing to be merry about, — answered Bolkonsky.

As Prince Andrei met Nesvitsky and Zherkov, from the other end of the corridor there came towards them Strauch, an Austrian general who was attached to Kutuzov's staff to superintend the provisioning of the Russian army, and the member of the Hofkriegsrat, who had arrived the day before. There was room enough in the wide corridor for the generals to pass the three officers freely; but Zherkov, pushing Nesvitsky aside with his arm, said in a panting voice:

— They're coming!... they're coming!... step aside, make way! please make way!

The generals passed with an air of wishing to rid themselves of troublesome honors. A stupid smile of joy, which he seemed unable to restrain, suddenly appeared on the joker Zherkov's face.

— Your excellency, — he said in German, stepping forward and addressing the Austrian general. — I have the honor to congratulate you.

He bowed his head and awkwardly, like children learning to dance, began to scrape with one foot, then the other.

The general, the member of the Hofkriegsrat, looked at him sternly; but, noticing the seriousness of the stupid smile, could not refuse a moment's attention. He screwed up his eyes to show he was listening.

— I have the honor to congratulate you, General Mack has arrived, quite well, only he got a little bruised here, — he added, beaming with a smile and pointing to his head.

The general frowned, turned away, and went on.

— My God, how naive! — he said angrily, having gone a few steps.

Nesvitsky embraced Prince Andrei with a laugh, but Bolkonsky, turning even paler, with a malicious expression on his face, pushed him away and turned to Zherkov. That nervous irritation into which the sight of Mack, the news of his defeat, and the thoughts of what awaited the Russian army had brought him, found an outlet in anger at Zherkov's untimely joke.

— If you, sir, — he began piercingly, with a slight trembling of his lower jaw, — choose to be a jester, I cannot prevent you; but I warn you that if you dare to play the fool a second time in my presence, I will teach you how to behave.

Nesvitsky and Zherkov were so surprised by this outburst that they looked at Bolkonsky in silence, their eyes wide open.

— Well, I only congratulated him, — said Zherkov.

— I am not joking with you, be so good as to be silent! — shouted Bolkonsky, and taking Nesvitsky by the arm, he walked away from Zherkov, who could not find anything to answer.

— Well, what's the matter with you, my dear fellow, — Nesvitsky said soothingly.

— What's the matter? — began Prince Andrei, stopping from agitation. — Why, you must understand that we are either officers serving our Tsar and our fatherland, rejoicing at common success and grieving at common failure, or we are lackeys who care nothing for our master's business. Forty thousand men massacred and the army of our allies destroyed, and you find a matter for joking, — he said, as if confirming his opinion with this French phrase. — It is all very well for a boy of nothing, like this individual whom you have made your friend, but not for you, not for you. Only little boys can amuse themselves like that, — Prince Andrei added in Russian, pronouncing this word with a French accent, noticing that Zherkov could still hear him.

He waited to see if the cornet would answer. But the cornet turned and went out of the corridor.