Book Nine: 1812 - Chapter VII

by Leo Tolstoy

　　After all that Napoleon had said to him- those bursts of anger andthe last dryly spoken words: "I will detain you no longer, General;you shall receive my letter," Balashev felt convinced that Napoleonwould not wish to see him, and would even avoid another meeting withhim- an insulted envoy- especially as he had witnessed his unseemlyanger. But, to his surprise, Balashev received, through Duroc, aninvitation to dine with the Emperor that day.

　　Bessieres, Caulaincourt, and Berthier were present at that dinner.

　　Napoleon met Balashev cheerfully and amiably. He not only showedno sign of constraint or self-reproach on account of his outburst thatmorning, but, on the contrary, tried to reassure Balashev. It wasevident that he had long been convinced that it was impossible for himto make a mistake, and that in his perception whatever he did wasright, not because it harmonized with any idea of right and wrong, butbecause he did it.

　　The Emperor was in very good spirits after his ride through Vilna,where crowds of people had rapturously greeted and followed him.From all the windows of the streets through which he rode, rugs,flags, and his monogram were displayed, and the Polish ladies,welcoming him, waved their handkerchiefs to him.

　　At dinner, having placed Balashev beside him, Napoleon not onlytreated him amiably but behaved as if Balashev were one of his owncourtiers, one of those who sympathized with his plans and ought torejoice at his success. In the course of conversation he mentionedMoscow and questioned Balashev about the Russian capital, not merelyas an interested traveler asks about a new city he intends to visit,but as if convinced that Balashev, as a Russian, must be flatteredby his curiosity.

　　"How many inhabitants are there in Moscow? How many houses? Is ittrue that Moscow is called 'Holy Moscow'? How many churches arethere in Moscow?" he asked.

　　And receiving the reply that there were more than two hundredchurches, he remarked:

　　"Why such a quantity of churches?"

　　"The Russians are very devout," replied Balashev.

　　"But a large number of monasteries and churches is always a signof the backwardness of a people," said Napoleon, turning toCaulaincourt for appreciation of this remark.

　　Balashev respectfully ventured to disagree with the French Emperor.

　　"Every country has its own character," said he.

　　"But nowhere in Europe is there anything like that," said Napoleon.

　　"I beg your Majesty's pardon," returned Balashev, "besides Russiathere is Spain, where there are also many churches and monasteries."

　　This reply of Balashev's, which hinted at the recent defeats ofthe French in Spain, was much appreciated when he related it atAlexander's court, but it was not much appreciated at Napoleon'sdinner, where it passed unnoticed.

　　The uninterested and perplexed faces of the marshals showed thatthey were puzzled as to what Balashev's tone suggested. "If there is apoint we don't see it, or it is not at all witty," their expressionsseemed to say. So little was his rejoinder appreciated that Napoleondid not notice it at all and naively asked Balashev through what townsthe direct road from there to Moscow passed. Balashev, who was onthe alert all through the dinner, replied that just as "all roads leadto Rome," so all roads lead to Moscow: there were many roads, and"among them the road through Poltava, which Charles XII chose."Balashev involuntarily flushed with pleasure at the aptitude of thisreply, but hardly had he uttered the word Poltava beforeCaulaincourt began speaking of the badness of the road from Petersburgto Moscow and of his Petersburg reminiscences.

　　After dinner they went to drink coffee in Napoleon's study, whichfour days previously had been that of the Emperor Alexander.Napoleon sat down, toying with his Sevres coffee cup, and motionedBalashev to a chair beside him.

　　Napoleon was in that well-known after-dinner mood which, more thanany reasoned cause, makes a man contented with himself and disposed toconsider everyone his friend. It seemed to him that he wassurrounded by men who adored him: and he felt convinced that, afterhis dinner, Balashev too was his friend and worshiper. Napoleon turnedto him with a pleasant, though slightly ironic, smile.

　　"They tell me this is the room the Emperor Alexander occupied?Strange, isn't it, General?" he said, evidently not doubting that thisremark would be agreeable to his hearer since it went to prove his,Napoleon's, superiority to Alexander.

　　Balashev made no reply and bowed and bowed his head in silence.

　　"Yes. Four days ago in this room, Wintzingerode and Stein weredeliberating," continued Napoleon with the same derisive andself-confident smile. "What I can't understand," he went on, "isthat the Emperor Alexander has surrounded himself with my personalenemies. That I do not... understand. Has he not thought that I maythe same?" and he turned inquiringly to Balashev, and evidently thisthought turned him back on to the track of his morning's anger,which was still fresh in him.

　　"And let him know that I will do so!" said Napoleon, rising andpushing his cup away with his hand. "I'll drive all his Wurttemberg,Baden, and Weimar relations out of Germany.... Yes. I'll drive themout. Let him prepare an asylum for them in Russia!"

　　Balashev bowed his head with an air indicating that he would like tomake his bow and leave, and only listened because he could not helphearing what was said to him. Napoleon did not notice this expression;he treated Balashev not as an envoy from his enemy, but as a man nowfully devoted to him and who must rejoice at his former master'shumiliation.

　　"And why has the Emperor Alexander taken command of the armies? Whatis the good of that? War is my profession, but his business is toreign and not to command armies! Why has he taken on himself such aresponsibility?"

　　Again Napoleon brought out his snuffbox, paced several times upand down the room in silence, and then, suddenly and unexpectedly,went up to Balashev and with a slight smile, as confidently,quickly, and simply as if he were doing something not merelyimportant but pleasing to Balashev, he raised his hand to theforty-year-old Russian general's face and, taking him by the ear,pulled it gently, smiling with his lips only.

　　To have one's ear pulled by the Emperor was considered thegreatest honor and mark of favor at the French court.

　　"Well, adorer and courtier of the Emperor Alexander, why don't yousay anything?" said he, as if it was ridiculous, in his presence, tobe the adorer and courtier of anyone but himself, Napoleon. "Are thehorses ready for the general?" he added, with a slight inclinationof his head in reply to Balashev's bow. "Let him have mine, he has along way to go!"

　　The letter taken by Balashev was the last Napoleon sent toAlexander. Every detail of the interview was communicated to theRussian monarch, and the war began...