Book Ten: 1812 - Chapter VI

by Leo Tolstoy

　　Among the innumerable categories applicable to the phenomena ofhuman life one may discriminate between those in which substanceprevails and those in which form prevails. To the latter- asdistinguished from village, country, provincial, or even Moscowlife- we may allot Petersburg life, and especially the life of itssalons. That life of the salons is unchanging. Since the year 1805we had made peace and had again quarreled with Bonaparte and hadmade constitutions and unmade them again, but the salons of AnnaPavlovna Helene remained just as they had been- the one seven andthe other five years before. At Anna Pavlovna's they talked withperplexity of Bonaparte's successes just as before and saw in them andin the subservience shown to him by the European sovereigns amalicious conspiracy, the sole object of which was to causeunpleasantness and anxiety to the court circle of which AnnaPavlovna was the representative. And in Helene's salon, whichRumyantsev himself honored with his visits, regarding Helene as aremarkably intelligent woman, they talked with the same ecstasy in1812 as in 1808 of the "great nation" and the "great man," andregretted our rupture with France, a rupture which, according to them,ought to be promptly terminated by peace.

　　Of late, since the Emperor's return from the army, there had beensome excitement in these conflicting salon circles and somedemonstrations of hostility to one another, but each camp retained itsown tendency. In Anna Pavlovna's circle only those Frenchmen wereadmitted who were deep-rooted legitimists, and patriotic views wereexpressed to the effect that one ought not to go to the French theaterand that to maintain the French troupe was costing the government asmuch as a whole army corps. The progress of the war was eagerlyfollowed, and only the reports most flattering to our army werecirculated. In the French circle of Helene and Rumyantsev thereports of the cruelty of the enemy and of the war were contradictedand all Napoleon's attempts at conciliation were discussed. In thatcircle they discountenanced those who advised hurried preparations fora removal to Kazan of the court and the girls' educationalestablishments under the patronage of the Dowager Empress. In Helene'scircle the war in general was regarded as a series of formaldemonstrations which would very soon end in peace, and the viewprevailed expressed by Bilibin- who now in Petersburg was quite athome in Helene's house, which every clever man was obliged to visit-that not by gunpowder but by those who invented it would matters besettled. In that circle the Moscow enthusiasm- news of which hadreached Petersburg simultaneously with the Emperor's return- wasridiculed sarcastically and very cleverly, though with much caution.

　　Anna Pavlovna's circle on the contrary was enraptured by thisenthusiasm and spoke of it as Plutarch speaks of the deeds of theancients. Prince Vasili, who still occupied his former importantposts, formed a connecting link between these two circles. Hevisited his "good friend Anna Pavlovna" as well as his daughter's"diplomatic salon," and often in his constant comings and goingsbetween the two camps became confused and said at Helene's what heshould have said at Anna Pavlovna's and vice versa.

　　Soon after the Emperor's return Prince Vasili in a conversationabout the war at Anna Pavlovna's severely condemned Barclay deTolly, but was undecided as to who ought to be appointed commanderin chief. One of the visitors, usually spoken of as "a man of greatmerit," having described how he had that day seen Kutuzov, the newlychosen chief of the Petersburg militia, presiding over theenrollment of recruits at the Treasury, cautiously ventured to suggestthat Kutuzov would be the man to satisfy all requirements.

　　Anna Pavlovna remarked with a melancholy smile that Kutuzov had donenothing but cause the Emperor annoyance.

　　"I have talked and talked at the Assembly of the Nobility," PrinceVasili interrupted, "but they did not listen to me. I told them hiselection as chief of the militia would not please the Emperor. Theydid not listen to me.

　　"It's all this mania for opposition," he went on. "And who for? Itis all because we want to ape the foolish enthusiasm of thoseMuscovites," Prince Vasili continued, forgetting for a moment thatthough at Helene's one had to ridicule the Moscow enthusiasm, atAnna Pavlovna's one had to be ecstatic about it. But he retrievedhis mistake at once. "Now, is it suitable that Count Kutuzov, theoldest general in Russia, should preside at that tribunal? He will getnothing for his pains! How could they make a man commander in chiefwho cannot mount a horse, who drops asleep at a council, and has thevery worst morals! A good reputation he made for himself at Bucharest!I don't speak of his capacity as a general, but at a time like thishow they appoint they appoint a decrepit, blind old man, positivelyblind? A fine idea to have a blind general! He can't see anything.To play blindman's bluff? He can't see at all!"

　　No one replied to his remarks.

　　This was quite correct on the twenty-fourth of July. But on thetwenty-ninth of July Kutuzov received the title of Prince. Thismight indicate a wish to get rid of him, and therefore Prince Vasili'sopinion continued to be correct though he was not now in any hurryto express it. But on the eighth of August a committee, consistingof Field Marshal Saltykov, Arakcheev, Vyazmitinov, Lopukhin, andKochubey met to consider the progress of the war. This committeecame to the conclusion that our failures were due to a want of unityin the command and though the members of the committee were aware ofthe Emperor's dislike of Kutuzov, after a short deliberation theyagreed to advise his appointment as commander in chief. That sameday Kutuzov was appointed commander in chief with full powers over thearmies and over the whole region occupied by them.

　　On the ninth of August Prince Vasili at Anna Pavlovna's again metthe "man of great merit." The latter was very attentive to AnnaPavlovna because he wanted to be appointed director of one of theeducational establishments for young ladies. Prince Vasili entered theroom with the air of a happy conqueror who has attained the objectof his desires.

　　"Well, have you heard the great news? Prince Kutuzov is fieldmarshal! All dissensions are at an end! I am so glad, so delighted! Atlast we have a man!" said he, glancing sternly and significantly roundat everyone in the drawing room.

　　The "man of great merit," despite his desire to obtain the post ofdirector, could not refrain from reminding Prince Vasili of his formeropinion. Though this was impolite to Prince Vasili in AnnaPavlovna's drawing room, and also to Anna Pavlovna herself who hadreceived the news with delight, he could not resist the temptation.

　　"But, Prince, they say he is blind!" said he, reminding PrinceVasili of his own words.

　　"Eh? Nonsense! He sees well enough," said Prince Vasili rapidly,in a deep voice and with a slight cough- the voice and cough withwhich he was wont to dispose of all difficulties.

　　"He sees well enough," he added. "And what I am so pleased about,"he went on, "is that our sovereign has given him full powers overall the armies and the whole region- powers no commander in chief everhad before. He is a second autocrat," he concluded with a victorioussmile.

　　"God grant it! God grant it!" said Anna Pavlovna.

　　The "man of great merit," who was still a novice in court circles,wishing to flatter Anna Pavlovna by defending her former position onthis question, observed:

　　"It is said that the Emperor was reluctant to give Kutuzov thosepowers. They say he blushed like a girl to whom Joconde is read,when he said to Kutuzov: 'Your Emperor and the Fatherland award youthis honor.'

　　"Perhaps the heart took no part in that speech," said Anna Pavlovna.

　　"Oh, no, no!" warmly rejoined Prince Vasili, who would not now yieldKutuzov to anyone; in his opinion Kutuzov was not only admirablehimself, but was adored by everybody. "No, that's impossible," saidhe, "for our sovereign appreciated him so highly before."

　　"God grant only that Prince Kutuzov assumes real power and doesnot allow anyone to put a spoke in his wheel," observed Anna Pavlovna.

　　Understanding at once to whom she alluded, Prince Vasili said in awhisper:

　　"I know for a fact that Kutuzov made it an absolute condition thatthe Tsarevich should not be with the army. Do you know what he said tothe Emperor?"

　　And Prince Vasili repeated the words supposed to have been spoken byKutuzov to the Emperor. "I can neither punish him if he does wrong norreward him if he does right."

　　"Oh, a very wise man is Prince Kutuzov! I have known him a longtime!"

　　"They even say," remarked the "man of great merit" who did not yetpossess courtly tact, "that his excellency made it an expresscondition that the sovereign himself should not be with the army."

　　As soon as he said this both Prince Vasili and Anna Pavlovnaturned away from him and glanced sadly at one another with a sigh athis naivete.