Book Two: 1805 - Chapter IX

by Leo Tolstoy

　　Pursued by the French army of a hundred thousand men under thecommand of Bonaparte, encountering a population that was unfriendly toit, losing confidence in its allies, suffering from shortness ofsupplies, and compelled to act under conditions of war unlike anythingthat had been foreseen, the Russian army of thirty-five thousand mencommanded by Kutuzov was hurriedly retreating along the Danube,stopping where overtaken by the enemy and fighting rearguard actionsonly as far as necessary to enable it to retreat without losing itsheavy equipment. There had been actions at Lambach, Amstetten, andMelk; but despite the courage and endurance- acknowledged even bythe enemy- with which the Russians fought, the only consequence ofthese actions was a yet more rapid retreat. Austrian troops that hadescaped capture at Ulm and had joined Kutuzov at Braunau now separatedfrom the Russian army, and Kutuzov was left with only his own weak andexhausted forces. The defense of Vienna was no longer to be thoughtof. Instead of an offensive, the plan of which, carefully preparedin accord with the modern science of strategics, had been handed toKutuzov when he was in Vienna by the Austrian Hofkriegsrath, thesole and almost unattainable aim remaining for him was to effect ajunction with the forces that were advancing from Russia, withoutlosing his army as Mack had done at Ulm.

　　On the twenty-eighth of October Kutuzov with his army crossed to theleft bank of the Danube and took up a position for the first time withthe river between himself and the main body of the French. On thethirtieth he attacked Mortier's division, which was on the leftbank, and broke it up. In this action for the first time trophies weretaken: banners, cannon, and two enemy generals. For the first time,after a fortnight's retreat, the Russian troops had halted and after afight had not only held the field but had repulsed the French.Though the troops were ill-clad, exhausted, and had lost a third oftheir number in killed, wounded, sick, and stragglers; though a numberof sick and wounded had been abandoned on the other side of the Danubewith a letter in which Kutuzov entrusted them to the humanity of theenemy; and though the big hospitals and the houses in Kremsconverted into military hospitals could no longer accommodate allthe sick and wounded, yet the stand made at Krems and the victory overMortier raised the spirits of the army considerably. Throughout thewhole army and at headquarters most joyful though erroneous rumorswere rife of the imaginary approach of columns from Russia, of somevictory gained by the Austrians, and of the retreat of thefrightened Bonaparte.

　　Prince Andrew during the battle had been in attendance on theAustrian General Schmidt, who was killed in the action. His horsehad been wounded under him and his own arm slightly grazed by abullet. As a mark of the commander in chief's special favor he wassent with the news of this victory to the Austrian court, now nolonger at Vienna (which was threatened by the French) but at Brunn.Despite his apparently delicate build Prince Andrew could endurephysical fatigue far better than many very muscular men, and on thenight of the battle, having arrived at Krems excited but not weary,with dispatches from Dokhturov to Kutuzov, he was sent immediatelywith a special dispatch to Brunn. To be so sent meant not only areward but an important step toward promotion.

　　The night was dark but starry, the road showed black in the snowthat had fallen the previous day- the day of the battle. Reviewing hisimpressions of the recent battle, picturing pleasantly to himselfthe impression his news of a victory would create, or recalling thesend-off given him by the commander in chief and his fellowofficers, Prince Andrew was galloping along in a post chaiseenjoying the feelings of a man who has at length begun to attain along-desired happiness. As soon as he closed his eyes his earsseemed filled with the rattle of the wheels and the sensation ofvictory. Then he began to imagine that the Russians were runningaway and that he himself was killed, but he quickly roused himselfwith a feeling of joy, as if learning afresh that this was not sobut that on the contrary the French had run away. He again recalledall the details of the victory and his own calm courage during thebattle, and feeling reassured he dozed off.... The dark starry nightwas followed by a bright cheerful morning. The snow was thawing in thesunshine, the horses galloped quickly, and on both sides of the roadwere forests of different kinds, fields, and villages.

　　At one of the post stations he overtook a convoy of Russian wounded.The Russian officer in charge of the transport lolled back in thefront cart, shouting and scolding a soldier with coarse abuse. In eachof the long German carts six or more pale, dirty, bandaged men werebeing jolted over the stony road. Some of them were talking (heheard Russian words), others were eating bread; the more severelywounded looked silently, with the languid interest of sick children,at the envoy hurrying past them.

　　Prince Andrew told his driver to stop, and asked a soldier in whataction they had been wounded. "Day before yesterday, on the Danube,"answered the soldier. Prince Andrew took out his purse and gave thesoldier three gold pieces.

　　"That's for them all," he said to the officer who came up.

　　"Get well soon, lads!" he continued, turning to the soldiers."There's plenty to do still."

　　"What news, sir?" asked the officer, evidently anxious to start aconversation.

　　"Good news!... Go on!" he shouted to the driver, and they gallopedon.

　　It was already quite dark when Prince Andrew rattled over thepaved streets of Brunn and found himself surrounded by high buildings,the lights of shops, houses, and street lamps, fine carriages, and allthat atmosphere of a large and active town which is always soattractive to a soldier after camp life. Despite his rapid journey andsleepless night, Prince Andrew when he drove up to the palace felteven more vigorous and alert than he had done the day before. Only hiseyes gleamed feverishly and his thoughts followed one another withextraordinary clearness and rapidity. He again vividly recalled thedetails of the battle, no longer dim, but definite and in theconcise form concise form in which he imagined himself stating them tothe Emperor Francis. He vividly imagined the casual questions thatmight be put to him and the answers he would give. He expected to beat once presented to the Emperor. At the chief entrance to the palace,however, an official came running out to meet him, and learning thathe was a special messenger led him to another entrance.

　　"To the right from the corridor, Euer Hochgeboren! There you willfind the adjutant on duty," said the official. "He will conduct you tothe Minister of War."

　　The adjutant on duty, meeting Prince Andrew, asked him to wait,and went in to the Minister of War. Five minutes later he returned andbowing with particular courtesy ushered Prince Andrew before him alonga corridor to the cabinet where the Minister of War was at work. Theadjutant by his elaborate courtesy appeared to wish to ward off anyattempt at familiarity on the part of the Russian messenger.

　　Prince Andrew's joyous feeling was considerably weakened as heapproached the door of the minister's room. He felt offended, andwithout his noticing it the feeling of offense immediately turned intoone of disdain which was quite uncalled for. His fertile mindinstantly suggested to him a point of view which gave him a right todespise the adjutant and the minister. "Away from the smell of powder,they probably think it easy to gain victories!" he thought. His eyesnarrowed disdainfully, he entered the room of the Minister of War withpeculiarly deliberate steps. This feeling of disdain was heightenedwhen he saw the minister seated at a large table reading some papersand making pencil notes on them, and for the first two or threeminutes taking no notice of his arrival. A wax candle stood at eachside of the minister's bent bald head with its gray temples. He wenton reading to the end, without raising his eyes at the opening ofthe door and the sound of footsteps.

　　"Take this and deliver it," said he to his adjutant, handing him thepapers and still taking no notice of the special messenger.

　　Prince Andrew felt that either the actions of Kutuzov's armyinterested the Minister of War less than any of the other matters hewas concerned with, or he wanted to give the Russian special messengerthat impression. "But that is a matter of perfect indifference to me,"he thought. The minister drew the remaining papers together,arranged them evenly, and then raised his head. He had an intellectualand distinctive head, but the instant he turned to Prince Andrew thefirm, intelligent expression on his face changed in a way evidentlydeliberate and habitual to him. His face took on the stupid artificialsmile (which does not even attempt to hide its artificiality) of a manwho is continually receiving many petitioners one after another.

　　"From General Field Marshal Kutuzov?" he asked. "I hope it is goodnews? There has been an encounter with Mortier? A victory? It was hightime!"

　　He took the dispatch which was addressed to him and began to read itwith a mournful expression.

　　"Oh, my God! My God! Schmidt!" he exclaimed in German. "What acalamity! What a calamity!"

　　Having glanced through the dispatch he laid it on the table andlooked at Prince Andrew, evidently considering something.

　　"Ah what a calamity! You say the affair was decisive? But Mortier isnot captured." Again he pondered. "I am very glad you have broughtgood news, though Schmidt's death is a heavy price to pay for thevictory. His Majesty will no doubt wish to see you, but not today. Ithank you! You must have a rest. Be at the levee tomorrow after theparade. However, I will let you know."

　　The stupid smile, which had left his face while he was speaking,reappeared.

　　"Au revoir! Thank you very much. His Majesty will probably desire tosee you," he added, bowing his head.

　　When Prince Andrew left the palace he felt that all the interest andhappiness the victory had afforded him had been now left in theindifferent hands of the Minister of War and the polite adjutant.The whole tenor of his thoughts instantaneously changed; the battleseemed the memory of a remote event long past.