Book Ten: 1812 - Chapter XVI

by Leo Tolstoy

　　"Well, that's all!" said Kutuzov as he signed the last of thedocuments, and rising heavily and smoothing out the folds in his fatwhite neck he moved toward the door with a more cheerful expression.

　　The priest's wife, flushing rosy red, caught up the dish she hadafter all not managed to present at the right moment, though she hadso long been preparing for it, and with a low bow offered it toKutuzov.

　　He screwed up his eyes, smiled, lifted her chin with his hand, andsaid:

　　"Ah, what a beauty! Thank you, sweetheart!"

　　He took some gold pieces from his trouser pocket and put them on thedish for her. "Well, my dear, and how are we getting on?" he asked,moving to the door of the room assigned to him. The priest's wifesmiled, and with dimples in her rosy cheeks followed him into theroom. The adjutant came out to the porch and asked Prince Andrew tolunch with him. Half an hour later Prince Andrew was again called toKutuzov. He found him reclining in an armchair, still in the sameunbuttoned overcoat. He had in his hand a French book which heclosed as Prince Andrew entered, marking the place with a knife.Prince Andrew saw by the cover that it was Les Chevaliers du Cygneby Madame de Genlis.

　　"Well, sit down, sit down here. Let's have a talk," said Kutuzov."It's sad, very sad. But remember, my dear fellow, that I am afather to you, a second father...."

　　Prince Andrew told Kutuzov all he knew of his father's death, andwhat he had seen at Bald Hills when he passed through it.

　　"What... what they have brought us to!" Kutuzov suddenly cried in anagitated voice, evidently picturing vividly to himself from PrinceAndrew's story the condition Russia was in. "But give me time, give metime!" he said with a grim look, evidently not wishing to continuethis agitating conversation, and added: "I sent for you to keep youwith me."

　　"I thank your Serene Highness, but I fear I am longer fit for thestaff," replied Prince Andrew with a smile which Kutuzov noticed.

　　Kutuzov glanced inquiringly at him.

　　"But above all," added Prince Andrew, "I have grown used to myregiment, am fond of the officers, and I fancy the men also like me. Ishould be sorry to leave the regiment. If I decline the honor of beingwith you, believe me..."

　　A shrewd, kindly, yet subtly derisive expression lit up Kutuzov'spodgy face. He cut Bolkonski short.

　　"I am sorry, for I need you. But you're right, you're right! It'snot here that men are needed. Advisers are always plentiful, but menare not. The regiments would not be what they are if the would-beadvisers served there as you do. I remember you at Austerlitz.... Iremember, yes, I remember you with the standard!" said Kutuzov, anda flush of pleasure suffused Prince Andrew's face at thisrecollection.

　　Taking his hand and drawing him downwards, Kutuzov offered his cheekto be kissed, and again Prince Andrew noticed tears in the old man'seyes. Though Prince Andrew knew that Kutuzov's tears came easily,and that he was particularly tender to and considerate of him from awish to show sympathy with his loss, yet this reminder of Austerlitzwas both pleasant and flattering to him.

　　"Go your way and God be with you. I know your path is the path ofhonor!" He paused. "I missed you at Bucharest, but I needed someone tosend." And changing the subject, Kutuzov began to speak of the Turkishwar and the peace that had been concluded. "Yes, I have been muchblamed," he said, "both for that war and the peace... but everythingcame at the right time. Tout vient a point a celui qui sait attendre.*And there were as many advisers there as here..." he went on,returning to the subject of "advisers" which evidently occupied him."Ah, those advisers!" said he. "If we had listened to them all weshould not have made peace with Turkey and should not have beenthrough with that war. Everything in haste, but more haste, lessspeed. Kamenski would have been lost if he had not died. He stormedfortresses with thirty thousand men. It is not difficult to capturea fortress but it is difficult to win a campaign. For that, stormingand attacking but patience and time are wanted. Kamenski sent soldiersto Rustchuk, but I only employed these two things and took morefortresses than Kamenski and made the but eat horseflesh!" He swayedhis head. "And the French shall too, believe me," he went on,growing warmer and beating his chest, "I'll make them eat horseflesh!"And tears again dimmed his eyes.

　　*"Everything comes in time to him who knows how to wait."

　　"But shan't we have to accept battle?" remarked Prince Andrew.

　　"We shall if everybody wants it; it can't be helped.... Butbelieve me, my dear boy, there is nothing stronger than those two:patience and time, they will do it all. But the advisers n'entendentpas de cette oreille, voila le mal.* Some want a thing- othersdon't. What's one to do?" he asked, evidently expecting an answer."Well, what do you want us to do?" he repeated and his eye shonewith a deep, shrewd look. "I'll tell you what to do," he continued, asPrince Andrew still did not reply: "I will tell you what to do, andwhat I do. Dans le doute, mon cher," he paused, "abstiens-toi"*[2]- hearticulated the French proverb deliberately.

　　*"Don't see it that way, that's the trouble."

　　*[2] "When in doubt, my dear fellow, do nothing."

　　"Well, good-by, my dear fellow; remember that with all my heart Ishare your sorrow, and that for you I am not a Serene Highness, nora prince, nor a commander in chief, but a father! If you want anythingcome straight to me. Good-by, my dear boy."

　　Again he embraced and kissed Prince Andrew, but before the latterhad left the room Kutuzov gave a sigh of relief and went on with hisunfinished novel, Les Chevaliers du Cygne by Madame de Genlis.

　　Prince Andrew could not have explained how or why it was, butafter that interview with Kutuzov he went back to his regimentreassured as to the general course of affairs and as to the man towhom it had been entrusted. The more he realized the absence of allpersonal motive in that old man- in whom there seemed to remain onlythe habit of passions, and in place of an intellect (grouping eventsand drawing conclusions) only the capacity calmly to contemplate thecourse of events- the more reassured he was that everything would beas it should. "He will not bring in any plan of his own. He will notdevise or undertake anything," thought Prince Andrew, "but he willhear everything, remember everything, and put everything in its place.He will not hinder anything useful nor allow anything harmful. Heunderstands that there is something stronger and more important thanhis own will- the inevitable course of events, and he can see them andgrasp their significance, and seeing that significance can refrainfrom meddling and renounce his personal wish directed to somethingelse. And above all," thought Prince Andrew, "one believes in himbecause he's Russian, despite the novel by Genlis and the Frenchproverbs, and because his voice shook when he said: 'What they havebrought us to!' and had a sob in it when he said he would 'make themeat horseflesh!'"

　　On such feelings, more or less dimly shared by all, the unanimityand general approval were founded with which, despite courtinfluences, the popular choice of Kutuzov as commander in chief wasreceived.