Book Nine: 1812 - Chapter III

by Leo Tolstoy

　　The Emperor of Russia had, meanwhile, been in Vilna for more thana month. reviewing troops and holding maneuvers. Nothing was ready forthe war that everyone expected and to prepare for which the Emperorhad come from Petersburg. There was no general plan of action. Thevacillation between the various plans that were proposed had evenincreased after the Emperor had been at headquarters for a month. Eachof the three armies had its own commander in chief, but there was nosupreme commander of all the forces, and the Emperor did not assumethat responsibility himself.

　　The longer the Emperor remained in Vilna the less did everybody-tired of waiting- prepare for the war. All the efforts of those whosurrounded the sovereign seemed directed merely to making him spendhis time pleasantly and forget that war was impending.

　　In June, after many balls and fetes given by the Polish magnates, bythe courtiers, and by the Emperor himself, it occurred to one of thePolish aides-de-camp in attendance that a dinner and ball should begiven for the Emperor by his aides-de-camp. This idea was eagerlyreceived. The Emperor gave his consent. The aides-de-camp collectedmoney by subscription. The lady who was thought to be most pleasing tothe Emperor was invited to act as hostess. Count Bennigsen, being alandowner in the Vilna province, offered his country house for thefete, and the thirteenth of June was fixed for a ball, dinner,regatta, and fireworks at Zakret, Count Bennigsen's country seat.

　　The very day that Napoleon issued the order to cross the Niemen, andhis vanguard, driving off the Cossacks, crossed the Russianfrontier, Alexander spent the evening at the entertainment given byhis aides-de-camp at Bennigsen's country house.

　　It was a gay and brilliant fete. Connoisseurs of such mattersdeclared that rarely had so many beautiful women been assembled in oneplace. Countess Bezukhova was present among other Russian ladies whohad followed the sovereign from Petersburg to Vilna and eclipsed therefined Polish ladies by her massive, so called Russian type ofbeauty. The Emperor noticed her and honored her with a dance.

　　Boris Drubetskoy, having left his wife in Moscow and being for thepresent en garcon (as he phrased it), was also there and, though notan aide-de-camp, had subscribed a large sum toward the expenses. Boriswas now a rich man who had risen to high honors and no longer soughtpatronage but stood on an equal footing with the highest of those ofhis own age. He was meeting Helene in Vilna after not having seenher for a long time and did not recall the past, but as Helene wasenjoying the favors of a very important personage and Boris had onlyrecently married, they met as good friends of long standing.

　　At midnight dancing was still going on. Helene, not having asuitable partner, herself offered to dance the mazurka with Boris.They were the third couple. Boris, coolly looking at Helene's dazzlingbare shoulders which emerged from a dark, gold-embroidered, gauzegown, talked to her of old acquaintances and at the same time, unawareof it himself and unnoticed by others, never for an instant ceasedto observe the Emperor who was in the same room. The Emperor was notdancing, he stood in the doorway, stopping now one pair and nowanother with gracious words which he alone knew how to utter.

　　As the mazurka began, Boris saw that Adjutant General Balashev,one of those in closest attendance on the Emperor, went up to himand contrary to court etiquette stood near him while he was talking toa Polish lady. Having finished speaking to her, the Emperor lookedinquiringly at Balashev and, evidently understanding that he onlyacted thus because there were important reasons for so doing, noddedslightly to the lady and turned to him. Hardly had Balashev begun tospeak before a look of amazement appeared on the Emperor's face. Hetook Balashev by the arm and crossed the room with him,unconsciously clearing a path seven yards wide as the people on bothsides made way for him. Boris noticed Arakcheev's excited face whenthe sovereign went out with Balashev. Arakcheev looked at theEmperor from under his brow and, sniffing with his red nose, steppedforward from the crowd as if expecting the Emperor to address him.(Boris understood that Arakcheev envied Balashev and was displeasedthat evidently important news had reached the Emperor otherwise thanthrough himself.)

　　But the Emperor and Balashev passed out into the illuminatedgarden without noticing Arakcheev who, holding his sword andglancing wrathfully around, followed some twenty paces behind them.

　　All the time Boris was going through the figures of the mazurka,he was worried by the question of what news Balashev had brought andhow he could find it out before others. In the figure in which hehad to choose two ladies, he whispered to Helene that he meant tochoose Countess Potocka who, he thought, had gone out onto theveranda, and glided over the parquet to the door opening into thegarden, where, seeing Balashev and the Emperor returning to theveranda, he stood still. They were moving toward the door. Boris,fluttering as if he had not had time to withdraw, respectfully pressedclose to the doorpost with bowed head.

　　The Emperor, with the agitation of one who has been personallyaffronted, was finishing with these words:

　　"To enter Russia without declaring war! I will not make peace aslong as a single armed enemy remains in my country!" It seemed toBoris that it gave the Emperor pleasure to utter these words. He wassatisfied with the form in which he had expressed his thoughts, butdispleased that Boris had overheard it.

　　"Let no one know of it! " the Emperor added with a frown.

　　Boris understood that this was meant for him and, closing hiseyes, slightly bowed his head. The Emperor re-entered the ballroom andremained there about another half-hour.

　　Boris was thus the first to learn the news that the French armyhad crossed the Niemen and, thanks to this, was able to show certainimportant personages that much that was concealed from others wasusually known to him, and by this means he rose higher in theirestimation.

　　The unexpected news of the French having crossed the Niemen wasparticularly startling after a month of unfulfilled expectations,and at a ball. On first receiving the news, under the influence ofindignation and resentment the Emperor had found a phrase that pleasedhim, fully expressed his feelings, and has since become famous. Onreturning home at two o'clock that night he sent for his secretary,Shishkov, and told him to write an order to the troops and arescript to Field Marshal Prince Saltykov, in which he insisted on thewords being inserted that he would not make peace so long as asingle armed Frenchman remained on Russian soil.

　　Next day the following letter was sent to Napoleon:

　　Monsieur mon frere,

　　Yesterday I learned that, despite the loyalty which I have kept myengagements with Your Majesty, your troops have crossed the Russianfrontier, and I have this moment received from Petersburg a note, inwhich Count Lauriston informs me, as a reason for this aggression,that Your Majesty has considered yourself to be in a state of war withme from the time Prince Kuragin asked for his passports. The reasonson which the Duc de Bassano based his refusal to deliver them to himwould never have led me to suppose that that could serve as apretext for aggression. In fact, the ambassador, as he himself hasdeclared, was never authorized to make that demand, and as soon as Iwas informed of it I let him know how much I disapproved of it andordered him to remain at his post. If Your Majesty does not intendto shed the blood of our peoples for such a misunderstanding, andconsents to withdraw your troops from Russian territory, I will regardwhat has passed as not having occurred and an understanding between uswill be possible. In the contrary case, Your Majesty, I shall seemyself forced to repel an attack that nothing on my part has provoked.It still depends on Your Majesty to preserve humanity from thecalamity of another war. I am, etc.,(signed) Alexander