Chapter Summaries: Dole: Bilibin's letter. Account of the campaign. The baby prince out of danger. "All that is left me now."
Briggs: Bilibin writes caustically about the campaign. The sick baby recovers.
Maude: Bilibin's letter about the campaign. The baby convalescent
Translation:
IX. Bilibin was found now as a quality diplomatic official in the main apartment of the army and although in the French language, with French jokes and turnovers in speech, but with the exclusive Russian fearlessness, self-condemnation and self-mockery described all of the campaign. Bilibin wrote that his diplomatic modesty447 tormented him, and that he was happy to have in Prince Andrey a faithful correspondent to which he could pour out all his bile accumulated in him in seeing what was going on in the army. This letter was old, still before the Preussisch-Eylau battle. “From the time of our brilliant success at Austerlitz, you know, my dear prince, that I am not leaving the head apartments anymore. Resolutely I entered into a taste of war, and am very satisfied; then, what I have seen in these three months — is unbelievable. I begin from the egg (ab ovo). The enemy of humankind, you know, attacks the Prussians. The Prussians — our faithful allies, who deceived us only three times in three years. We intercede for them. But it turns out that the enemy of humankind draws no attention to our adorable speech, and with his impolite and wild manner flings onto the Prussians, not giving them time to finish their begun parade, to smithereens breaks them up and settles into Potsdam palace. "I very much want, writes the Prussian king to Bonaparte, for your majesty to be accepted in my palace in the very most pleasant way for you, and I with special care made orders for everything that the circumstances allowed. Oh if only I have reached such goals! Prussian generals flaunt courtesy before the French and handed over at the first demand. The chief garrison of Glogow, with ten thousand, asks the Prussian king for what to do. All of this is positively reliable. In a word, we think they are inspired to fear only our military attitudes, but are finished by that we are involved in the war, on our same border and, the main thing, for the Prussian king and at the same time with him. In total we have excess, lacking only little things, but exactly — one commander in chief. As it manifested, those successes of Austerlitz would have been more resolute, if the commander in chief was not so young, then is made an overview of the octogenarian generals, and between Prozorovsky and Kamensky, they choose the last. The general came to us in a wagon as Suvorov, and he was accepted with joyful exclamations and a big triumph. On the 4th comes the first courier from Petersburg. He brings suitcases in the office of the field marshal, who loves to do all himself. I am called so that to help make out letters and to take those which were assigned to us. The field marshal, leaving to us this occupation, watching us and waiting for envelopes addressed to him. We search — but they do not turn out. The field marshal begins to worry, himself taking for the work and finds letters from the sovereign to Count Т., Prince V. and others. He came into the strongest wrath, exited from me, took the letters that were written out and reading those which were addressed to others... and wrote a famous order to Count Bennigsen. "I am injured, cannot ride on horseback, and consequently cannot command the army. Your corps of the army were brought broken to Pultusk! Here it is open, and without firewood, and without fodder, because they help need, as yesterday they carried off to Count Buxhevden, you must think about retirading to our border and to fulfill it today. "From all of my travel, he wrote to the emperor (écrit-il à l’Empereur), I receive abrasions from saddles, which in the excess of my former dressings really prevents me from riding on horseback and commanding such a vast army, but because I command it as the elder general, having sent to Count Buxhevden all duties and all owned, advising them, if there will not be bread, to retreat nearer into interior Prussia because of how there was only enough bread remaining for one day, but in other regiments nothing as about this the divisional commanders Osterman and Sedmoretsky declared, but of the peasant’s all was eaten; I myself, while curing, am staying in the hospital in Ostroleka. Oh the number of statements that I obediently bring, denouncing that if the army will stand in its current bivouac fifteen more days, then in spring not one healthy soldier will remain. "The old man is dismissed into the village, and so dishonorably stays as he could not fulfill the great and glorious lot to which he was elected. This most merciful permission of yours will be expected here in the hospital, in order to not play the role of a clerical, and to not command the troops. Excommunicate me from the army or the slightest disclosure will not produce that a blind man drove off from the army. Such as I — in Russia there a thousand." The field marshal is angry with the sovereign, and punishes all of us: this is completely logical! That’s the first action of the comedy. In the following interest and increase of fun, I am by myself of course. After the departure of the field marshal, it turns out that we are in the view of the enemy, and it is necessary to give battle. Buxhevden — commander in chief in seniority, but General Bennigsen is totally not of this opinion, more, that he with his corps are in the view of the enemy, and wants to take a chance to battle. He gets it. This Pultusk battle, which is considered a great victory is totally not such in my opinion. We civilians have, as you know, a very bad habit to decide the question about winners or losers of a battle. Those who stepped back after the battle lost it, that is what we say, and judging on this we lost the Pultusk battle. In a word, we retreat after the battle, but send a courier to Petersburg with news about victory, and General Bennigsen not inferior to bossing over the army as General Buxhevden, hoped to get from Petersburg in gratitude for his victory the rank of commander in chief. In the time of this interregnum, we begin a very original and interesting row of maneuvers. Our plan consists not as it was supposed to take place, in that to avoid or to attack the enemy, but only in that so to avoid General Buxhevden, which in the right of seniority was supposed to be our chief. We chase this objective with such energy that even passing the river, on which there are no fords, we burn the bridge, and with purpose move away from our enemy, which in the present time is not Bonaparte, but Buxhevden. General Buxhevden for a little bit was not attacked and taken by the excellent enemy forces, due to a single of these maneuvers that saved us from him. Buxhevden haunts us — we run. Only that he gets over on one side of the river, we pass again to another. At last our enemy Buxhevden catches us and attacks. An explanation goes on. Both generals in anger and business reach nearly to duels between two commanders in chiefs. But fortunately at the very critical minute the courier, which carried to Petersburg the news about the Pultusk victory, returns and brings us the appointment of commander in chief, and the first enemy — Buxhevden conquered. We now can think about the second enemy — Bonaparte. But it turns out that at this very minute there arose before us a third enemy — the orthodox, which in loud exclamations requires bread, beef, bread, hay, oats, — and whether to do more! The shops are empty, the roads impassable. The orthodox begin to rob, and the robbery reaches to such an extent which the last campaign could not give you the slightest idea. Half the regiments form free commanders, which bypass the country and everyone is put to the sword and flame. The residents are busted completely, the hospital is overwhelmed with sick, and everywhere is hunger. Two times the marauders attacked even the main apartment, and the commander in chief was forced to take a battalion of soldiers, so that to drive them away. In one of these attacks I am carried away with my empty suitcase and bathrobe. The sovereign wants to give the right to all chiefs of the division to shoot the marauders, but I am very afraid, that this will make one half of the troops shoot another.448 Prince Andrey at first was reading only with his eyes, but then unwittingly what he was reading (despite that he knew how much Bilibin must be believed) more and more began to occupy him. After reading to this place, he crumbled the letter and threw it. It was not what he read in the letter that angered him, but he was angry that this there, alien to him, life could worry him. He closed his eyes, rubbed his forehead with his hand, as if driving out all participation to that what he was reading, and listened to that what was done to the child. Suddenly to him appeared behind the door some strange sound. In him was found fear; he was afraid if something had happened with the kid in that time as he was reading the letter. He on tiptoe came up to the door of the child and opened it. At that moment, as he entered, he saw that the nurse with a scared look hid something from him, and that Princess Marya now was not at the crib. — My friend, — was heard behind him in a desperate, as to him it seemed, whisper of Princess Marya. As is often after a long insomnia and long excitement, in him was found unreasonable fear: it had come into his head that his child had died. All that he saw and heard, seemed to him confirmation of his fear. "Everything is over," he thought, and a cold sweat came forward in him on his forehead. He bewilderedly came up to the crib, assured that he would find it empty and that the nurse hid the dead child. He revealed the curtains, and for long his frightened, scattered eye could not find the child. Finally he saw him: the rosy boy, scattering, lying across the crib, the head down on the lower pillows and in a dream smacking and sorting out his lips, and smoothly breathing. Prince Andrey rejoiced, seeing the boy as if he would already have lost him. He bent down and, as taught by his sister, with his lips tried to see whether there was heat in the child. His gentle forehead was wet, he touched his hand to his head — and even the hair was wet: so strong was the child sweating. Not only had he not died, but to him it was obvious that the crisis was accomplished and that he recovered. Prince Andrey wanted to grab, crumple, and press down his breast to this small, helpless being; but he did not dare do this. He stood above him, looking around his head, hands, legs, determined under the blanket. A rustle was heard beside him, and a shadow of someone appeared to him under the canopy of the crib. He did not look around and looking at the face of the child, listened only to his even breathing. The dark shadow was Princess Marya, whose inaudible steps came up to the crib, raised the canopy and lowered it behind herself. Prince Andrey, not looking back, found her and held out to her hand. She reaped his hand. — He is sweating, — said Prince Andrey. — I went to you, so that to say this. The child in a dream stirred a little bit, smiled and rubbed his forehead about the pillow. Prince Andrey looked at his sister. The radiant eyes of Princess Marya, in the matte of the half-light of the canopy, shone more than ordinary from happy tears, which were standing in them. Princess Marya stretched to her brother and kissed him, hooking a little behind the canopy crib. They were threatened by each other, still standing in the matte of the light of the canopy, as not wishing to part from this peace, in which the three were separated from only the light. Prince Andrey was the first, tangling his hair about the muslin canopy, to walk away from the crib. —"Yes, this is what is left for me now," — he said with a sigh. 447 discrétion (discretion) 448 "Depuis nos grands succès d’Austerlitz vous savez, mon cher Prince, wrote Bilibin, que je ne quitte plus les quartiers généraux. Décidément j’ai pris le goût de la guerre, et bien m’en a pris. Ce que j’ai vu ces trois mois, est incroyable. "Je commence ab ovo. L’ennemi du genre humain, comme vous savez, s’attaque aux Prussiens. Les Prussiens sont nos fidèles alliés, qui ne nous ont trompés que trois fois depuis trois ans. Nous prenons fait et cause pour eux. Mais il se trouve que l’ennemi du genre humain ne fait nulle attention à nos beaux discours, et avec sa manière impolie et sauvage se jette sur les Prussiens sans leur donner le temps de finir la parade commencée, en deux tours de main les rosse à plate couture et va s’installer au palais de Potsdam. "J’ai le plus vif désir, écrit le Roi de Prusse à Bonaparte, que V. M. soit accueillie et traitée dans mon palais d’une manière, qui lui soit agréable et c’est avec empressement, que j’ai pris à cet effet toutes les mesures que les circonstances me permettaient. Puissé-je avoir réussi! Les généraux Prussiens se piquent de politesse envers les Français et mettent bas les armes aux premières sommations. "Le chef de la garnison de Glogau avec dix mille hommes, demande au Roi de Prusse, ce qu’il doit faire s’il est sommé de se rendre?... Tout cela est positif. "Bref, espérant en imposer seulement par notre attitude militaire, il se trouve que nous voilà en guerre pour tout de bon, et ce qui plus est, en guerre sur nos frontières avec et pour le Roi de Prusse. Tout est au grand complet, il ne nous manque qu’une petite chose, c’est le général en chef. Gomme il s’est trouvé que les succès d’Austerlitz auraient pu être plus décisifs si le général en chef eut été moins jeune, on fait la revue des octogénaires et entre Prosorofsky et Kamensky, on donne la preférence au dernier. Le général nous arrive en kibik à la manière Souvoroff, et est accueilli avec des acclamations de joie et de triomphe. "Le 4 arrive le premier courrier de Pétersbourg. On apporte les malles dans le cabinet du maréchal, qui aime à faire tout par lui-mème. On m’appelle pour aider à faire le triage des lettres et prendre celles qui nous sont destinées. Le maréchal nous regarde faire et attend les paquets qui lui sont adressés. Nous cherchons — il n’y en a point. Le maréchal devient impatient, se met lui même à la besogne et trouve des lettres de l’Empereur pour le comte T., pour le prince V. et autres. Alors le voilà qui se met dans une de ses colères bleues. Il jette feu et flamme contre tout le monde, s’empare des lettres, les decachète et lit celles de l’Empereur adressées à d’autres... Et il écrit le fameux ordre du jour au général Benigsen. "Le maréchal se fâche contre l’Empereur et nous punit tous; n’est ce pas que c’est logique! "Voilà le premier acte. Aux suivants l’intêret et le ridicule montent comme de raison. Après le départ du maréchal il se trouve que nous sommes en vue de l’ennemi, et qu’il faut livrer bataille. Boukshevden est général en chef par droit d’ancienneté, mais le général Benigsen n’est pas de cet avis; d’autant plus qu’il est lui, avec son corps en vue de l’ennemi, et qu’il veut profiter de l’occasion d’une bataille"aus eigener Hand" comme disent les Allemands. Il la donne. C’est la bataille de Poultousk qui est sensée être une grande victoire, mais qui à mon avis ne l’est pas du tout. Nous autres pekins avons, comme vous savez, une très vilaine habitude de décider du gain ou de la perte d’une bataille. Celui qui s’est retiré après la bataille, l’a perdu, voilà ce que nous disons, et à titre nous avons perdu la bataille de Poultousk. Bref, nous nous retirons après la bataille, mais nous envoyons un courrier à Pétersbourg, qui porte les nouvelles d’une victoire, et le général ne cède pas le commandement en chef à Boukshevden, espérant recevoir de Pétersbourg en reconnaissance de sa victoire le titre de général en chef. Pendant cet interrègne, nous commençons un plan de manoeuvres excessivement intéressant et original. Notre but ne consiste pas, comme il devrait l’être, à éviter ou à attaquer l’ennemi; mais uniquement à éviter le général Boukshevden, qui par droit d’ancienneté serait notre chef. Nous poursuivons ce but avec tant d’énergie, que même en passant une rivière qui n’est pas guéable, nous brûlons les ponts pour nous séparer de notre ennemi, qui pour le moment, n’est pas Bonaparte, mais Boukshevden. Le général Boukshevden a manqué d’être attaqué et pris par des forces ennemies supérieures à cause d’une de nos belles manoeuvres qui nous sauvait de lui. Boukshevden nous poursuit — nous filons. A peine passe-t-il de notre côté de la rivière, que nous repassons de l’autre. A la fin notre ennemi Boukshevden nous attrappe et s’attaque à nous. Les deux généraux se fâchent. Il y a même une provocation en duel de la part de Boukshevden et une attaque d’épilepsie de la part de Benigsen. Mais au moment critique le courrier, qui porte la nouvelle de notre victoire de Poultousk, nous apporte de Pétersbourg notre nomination de général en chef, et le premier ennemi Boukshevden est enfoncé: nous pouvons penser au second, à Bonaparte. Mais ne voilà-t-il pas qu’à ce moment se lève devant nous un troisième ennemi, c’est orthodox qui demande à grands cris du pain, de la viande, des souchary, du foin, — que sais je! Les magasins sont vides, les chemins impraticables. Le orthodox se met à la maraude, et d’une manière dont la dernière campagne ne peut vous donner la moindre idée. La moitié des régiments forme des troupes libres, qui parcourent la contrée en mettant tout à feu et à sang. Les habitants sont ruinés de fond en comble, les hôpitaux regorgent de malades, et la disette est partout. Deux fois le quartier général a été attaqué par des troupes de maraudeurs et le général en chef a été obligé lui même de demander un bataillon pour les chasser. Dans une de ces attaques on m’a emporté ma malle vide et ma robe de chambre. L’Empereur veut donner le droit à tous les chefs de divisions de fusiller les maraudeurs, mais je crains fort que cela n’oblige une moitié de l’armée de fusiller l’autre.
Briggs: Bilibin writes caustically about the campaign. The sick baby recovers.
Maude: Bilibin's letter about the campaign. The baby convalescent
Translation:
IX. Bilibin was found now as a quality diplomatic official in the main apartment of the army and although in the French language, with French jokes and turnovers in speech, but with the exclusive Russian fearlessness, self-condemnation and self-mockery described all of the campaign. Bilibin wrote that his diplomatic modesty447 tormented him, and that he was happy to have in Prince Andrey a faithful correspondent to which he could pour out all his bile accumulated in him in seeing what was going on in the army. This letter was old, still before the Preussisch-Eylau battle. “From the time of our brilliant success at Austerlitz, you know, my dear prince, that I am not leaving the head apartments anymore. Resolutely I entered into a taste of war, and am very satisfied; then, what I have seen in these three months — is unbelievable. I begin from the egg (ab ovo). The enemy of humankind, you know, attacks the Prussians. The Prussians — our faithful allies, who deceived us only three times in three years. We intercede for them. But it turns out that the enemy of humankind draws no attention to our adorable speech, and with his impolite and wild manner flings onto the Prussians, not giving them time to finish their begun parade, to smithereens breaks them up and settles into Potsdam palace. "I very much want, writes the Prussian king to Bonaparte, for your majesty to be accepted in my palace in the very most pleasant way for you, and I with special care made orders for everything that the circumstances allowed. Oh if only I have reached such goals! Prussian generals flaunt courtesy before the French and handed over at the first demand. The chief garrison of Glogow, with ten thousand, asks the Prussian king for what to do. All of this is positively reliable. In a word, we think they are inspired to fear only our military attitudes, but are finished by that we are involved in the war, on our same border and, the main thing, for the Prussian king and at the same time with him. In total we have excess, lacking only little things, but exactly — one commander in chief. As it manifested, those successes of Austerlitz would have been more resolute, if the commander in chief was not so young, then is made an overview of the octogenarian generals, and between Prozorovsky and Kamensky, they choose the last. The general came to us in a wagon as Suvorov, and he was accepted with joyful exclamations and a big triumph. On the 4th comes the first courier from Petersburg. He brings suitcases in the office of the field marshal, who loves to do all himself. I am called so that to help make out letters and to take those which were assigned to us. The field marshal, leaving to us this occupation, watching us and waiting for envelopes addressed to him. We search — but they do not turn out. The field marshal begins to worry, himself taking for the work and finds letters from the sovereign to Count Т., Prince V. and others. He came into the strongest wrath, exited from me, took the letters that were written out and reading those which were addressed to others... and wrote a famous order to Count Bennigsen. "I am injured, cannot ride on horseback, and consequently cannot command the army. Your corps of the army were brought broken to Pultusk! Here it is open, and without firewood, and without fodder, because they help need, as yesterday they carried off to Count Buxhevden, you must think about retirading to our border and to fulfill it today. "From all of my travel, he wrote to the emperor (écrit-il à l’Empereur), I receive abrasions from saddles, which in the excess of my former dressings really prevents me from riding on horseback and commanding such a vast army, but because I command it as the elder general, having sent to Count Buxhevden all duties and all owned, advising them, if there will not be bread, to retreat nearer into interior Prussia because of how there was only enough bread remaining for one day, but in other regiments nothing as about this the divisional commanders Osterman and Sedmoretsky declared, but of the peasant’s all was eaten; I myself, while curing, am staying in the hospital in Ostroleka. Oh the number of statements that I obediently bring, denouncing that if the army will stand in its current bivouac fifteen more days, then in spring not one healthy soldier will remain. "The old man is dismissed into the village, and so dishonorably stays as he could not fulfill the great and glorious lot to which he was elected. This most merciful permission of yours will be expected here in the hospital, in order to not play the role of a clerical, and to not command the troops. Excommunicate me from the army or the slightest disclosure will not produce that a blind man drove off from the army. Such as I — in Russia there a thousand." The field marshal is angry with the sovereign, and punishes all of us: this is completely logical! That’s the first action of the comedy. In the following interest and increase of fun, I am by myself of course. After the departure of the field marshal, it turns out that we are in the view of the enemy, and it is necessary to give battle. Buxhevden — commander in chief in seniority, but General Bennigsen is totally not of this opinion, more, that he with his corps are in the view of the enemy, and wants to take a chance to battle. He gets it. This Pultusk battle, which is considered a great victory is totally not such in my opinion. We civilians have, as you know, a very bad habit to decide the question about winners or losers of a battle. Those who stepped back after the battle lost it, that is what we say, and judging on this we lost the Pultusk battle. In a word, we retreat after the battle, but send a courier to Petersburg with news about victory, and General Bennigsen not inferior to bossing over the army as General Buxhevden, hoped to get from Petersburg in gratitude for his victory the rank of commander in chief. In the time of this interregnum, we begin a very original and interesting row of maneuvers. Our plan consists not as it was supposed to take place, in that to avoid or to attack the enemy, but only in that so to avoid General Buxhevden, which in the right of seniority was supposed to be our chief. We chase this objective with such energy that even passing the river, on which there are no fords, we burn the bridge, and with purpose move away from our enemy, which in the present time is not Bonaparte, but Buxhevden. General Buxhevden for a little bit was not attacked and taken by the excellent enemy forces, due to a single of these maneuvers that saved us from him. Buxhevden haunts us — we run. Only that he gets over on one side of the river, we pass again to another. At last our enemy Buxhevden catches us and attacks. An explanation goes on. Both generals in anger and business reach nearly to duels between two commanders in chiefs. But fortunately at the very critical minute the courier, which carried to Petersburg the news about the Pultusk victory, returns and brings us the appointment of commander in chief, and the first enemy — Buxhevden conquered. We now can think about the second enemy — Bonaparte. But it turns out that at this very minute there arose before us a third enemy — the orthodox, which in loud exclamations requires bread, beef, bread, hay, oats, — and whether to do more! The shops are empty, the roads impassable. The orthodox begin to rob, and the robbery reaches to such an extent which the last campaign could not give you the slightest idea. Half the regiments form free commanders, which bypass the country and everyone is put to the sword and flame. The residents are busted completely, the hospital is overwhelmed with sick, and everywhere is hunger. Two times the marauders attacked even the main apartment, and the commander in chief was forced to take a battalion of soldiers, so that to drive them away. In one of these attacks I am carried away with my empty suitcase and bathrobe. The sovereign wants to give the right to all chiefs of the division to shoot the marauders, but I am very afraid, that this will make one half of the troops shoot another.448 Prince Andrey at first was reading only with his eyes, but then unwittingly what he was reading (despite that he knew how much Bilibin must be believed) more and more began to occupy him. After reading to this place, he crumbled the letter and threw it. It was not what he read in the letter that angered him, but he was angry that this there, alien to him, life could worry him. He closed his eyes, rubbed his forehead with his hand, as if driving out all participation to that what he was reading, and listened to that what was done to the child. Suddenly to him appeared behind the door some strange sound. In him was found fear; he was afraid if something had happened with the kid in that time as he was reading the letter. He on tiptoe came up to the door of the child and opened it. At that moment, as he entered, he saw that the nurse with a scared look hid something from him, and that Princess Marya now was not at the crib. — My friend, — was heard behind him in a desperate, as to him it seemed, whisper of Princess Marya. As is often after a long insomnia and long excitement, in him was found unreasonable fear: it had come into his head that his child had died. All that he saw and heard, seemed to him confirmation of his fear. "Everything is over," he thought, and a cold sweat came forward in him on his forehead. He bewilderedly came up to the crib, assured that he would find it empty and that the nurse hid the dead child. He revealed the curtains, and for long his frightened, scattered eye could not find the child. Finally he saw him: the rosy boy, scattering, lying across the crib, the head down on the lower pillows and in a dream smacking and sorting out his lips, and smoothly breathing. Prince Andrey rejoiced, seeing the boy as if he would already have lost him. He bent down and, as taught by his sister, with his lips tried to see whether there was heat in the child. His gentle forehead was wet, he touched his hand to his head — and even the hair was wet: so strong was the child sweating. Not only had he not died, but to him it was obvious that the crisis was accomplished and that he recovered. Prince Andrey wanted to grab, crumple, and press down his breast to this small, helpless being; but he did not dare do this. He stood above him, looking around his head, hands, legs, determined under the blanket. A rustle was heard beside him, and a shadow of someone appeared to him under the canopy of the crib. He did not look around and looking at the face of the child, listened only to his even breathing. The dark shadow was Princess Marya, whose inaudible steps came up to the crib, raised the canopy and lowered it behind herself. Prince Andrey, not looking back, found her and held out to her hand. She reaped his hand. — He is sweating, — said Prince Andrey. — I went to you, so that to say this. The child in a dream stirred a little bit, smiled and rubbed his forehead about the pillow. Prince Andrey looked at his sister. The radiant eyes of Princess Marya, in the matte of the half-light of the canopy, shone more than ordinary from happy tears, which were standing in them. Princess Marya stretched to her brother and kissed him, hooking a little behind the canopy crib. They were threatened by each other, still standing in the matte of the light of the canopy, as not wishing to part from this peace, in which the three were separated from only the light. Prince Andrey was the first, tangling his hair about the muslin canopy, to walk away from the crib. —"Yes, this is what is left for me now," — he said with a sigh. 447 discrétion (discretion) 448 "Depuis nos grands succès d’Austerlitz vous savez, mon cher Prince, wrote Bilibin, que je ne quitte plus les quartiers généraux. Décidément j’ai pris le goût de la guerre, et bien m’en a pris. Ce que j’ai vu ces trois mois, est incroyable. "Je commence ab ovo. L’ennemi du genre humain, comme vous savez, s’attaque aux Prussiens. Les Prussiens sont nos fidèles alliés, qui ne nous ont trompés que trois fois depuis trois ans. Nous prenons fait et cause pour eux. Mais il se trouve que l’ennemi du genre humain ne fait nulle attention à nos beaux discours, et avec sa manière impolie et sauvage se jette sur les Prussiens sans leur donner le temps de finir la parade commencée, en deux tours de main les rosse à plate couture et va s’installer au palais de Potsdam. "J’ai le plus vif désir, écrit le Roi de Prusse à Bonaparte, que V. M. soit accueillie et traitée dans mon palais d’une manière, qui lui soit agréable et c’est avec empressement, que j’ai pris à cet effet toutes les mesures que les circonstances me permettaient. Puissé-je avoir réussi! Les généraux Prussiens se piquent de politesse envers les Français et mettent bas les armes aux premières sommations. "Le chef de la garnison de Glogau avec dix mille hommes, demande au Roi de Prusse, ce qu’il doit faire s’il est sommé de se rendre?... Tout cela est positif. "Bref, espérant en imposer seulement par notre attitude militaire, il se trouve que nous voilà en guerre pour tout de bon, et ce qui plus est, en guerre sur nos frontières avec et pour le Roi de Prusse. Tout est au grand complet, il ne nous manque qu’une petite chose, c’est le général en chef. Gomme il s’est trouvé que les succès d’Austerlitz auraient pu être plus décisifs si le général en chef eut été moins jeune, on fait la revue des octogénaires et entre Prosorofsky et Kamensky, on donne la preférence au dernier. Le général nous arrive en kibik à la manière Souvoroff, et est accueilli avec des acclamations de joie et de triomphe. "Le 4 arrive le premier courrier de Pétersbourg. On apporte les malles dans le cabinet du maréchal, qui aime à faire tout par lui-mème. On m’appelle pour aider à faire le triage des lettres et prendre celles qui nous sont destinées. Le maréchal nous regarde faire et attend les paquets qui lui sont adressés. Nous cherchons — il n’y en a point. Le maréchal devient impatient, se met lui même à la besogne et trouve des lettres de l’Empereur pour le comte T., pour le prince V. et autres. Alors le voilà qui se met dans une de ses colères bleues. Il jette feu et flamme contre tout le monde, s’empare des lettres, les decachète et lit celles de l’Empereur adressées à d’autres... Et il écrit le fameux ordre du jour au général Benigsen. "Le maréchal se fâche contre l’Empereur et nous punit tous; n’est ce pas que c’est logique! "Voilà le premier acte. Aux suivants l’intêret et le ridicule montent comme de raison. Après le départ du maréchal il se trouve que nous sommes en vue de l’ennemi, et qu’il faut livrer bataille. Boukshevden est général en chef par droit d’ancienneté, mais le général Benigsen n’est pas de cet avis; d’autant plus qu’il est lui, avec son corps en vue de l’ennemi, et qu’il veut profiter de l’occasion d’une bataille"aus eigener Hand" comme disent les Allemands. Il la donne. C’est la bataille de Poultousk qui est sensée être une grande victoire, mais qui à mon avis ne l’est pas du tout. Nous autres pekins avons, comme vous savez, une très vilaine habitude de décider du gain ou de la perte d’une bataille. Celui qui s’est retiré après la bataille, l’a perdu, voilà ce que nous disons, et à titre nous avons perdu la bataille de Poultousk. Bref, nous nous retirons après la bataille, mais nous envoyons un courrier à Pétersbourg, qui porte les nouvelles d’une victoire, et le général ne cède pas le commandement en chef à Boukshevden, espérant recevoir de Pétersbourg en reconnaissance de sa victoire le titre de général en chef. Pendant cet interrègne, nous commençons un plan de manoeuvres excessivement intéressant et original. Notre but ne consiste pas, comme il devrait l’être, à éviter ou à attaquer l’ennemi; mais uniquement à éviter le général Boukshevden, qui par droit d’ancienneté serait notre chef. Nous poursuivons ce but avec tant d’énergie, que même en passant une rivière qui n’est pas guéable, nous brûlons les ponts pour nous séparer de notre ennemi, qui pour le moment, n’est pas Bonaparte, mais Boukshevden. Le général Boukshevden a manqué d’être attaqué et pris par des forces ennemies supérieures à cause d’une de nos belles manoeuvres qui nous sauvait de lui. Boukshevden nous poursuit — nous filons. A peine passe-t-il de notre côté de la rivière, que nous repassons de l’autre. A la fin notre ennemi Boukshevden nous attrappe et s’attaque à nous. Les deux généraux se fâchent. Il y a même une provocation en duel de la part de Boukshevden et une attaque d’épilepsie de la part de Benigsen. Mais au moment critique le courrier, qui porte la nouvelle de notre victoire de Poultousk, nous apporte de Pétersbourg notre nomination de général en chef, et le premier ennemi Boukshevden est enfoncé: nous pouvons penser au second, à Bonaparte. Mais ne voilà-t-il pas qu’à ce moment se lève devant nous un troisième ennemi, c’est orthodox qui demande à grands cris du pain, de la viande, des souchary, du foin, — que sais je! Les magasins sont vides, les chemins impraticables. Le orthodox se met à la maraude, et d’une manière dont la dernière campagne ne peut vous donner la moindre idée. La moitié des régiments forme des troupes libres, qui parcourent la contrée en mettant tout à feu et à sang. Les habitants sont ruinés de fond en comble, les hôpitaux regorgent de malades, et la disette est partout. Deux fois le quartier général a été attaqué par des troupes de maraudeurs et le général en chef a été obligé lui même de demander un bataillon pour les chasser. Dans une de ces attaques on m’a emporté ma malle vide et ma robe de chambre. L’Empereur veut donner le droit à tous les chefs de divisions de fusiller les maraudeurs, mais je crains fort que cela n’oblige une moitié de l’armée de fusiller l’autre.
("Since our great success at Austerlitz you know, my dear Prince, wrote Bilibin, that I no longer leave headquarters. Decidedly I took a taste of war and well I took it. What I have seen these three months is unbelievable.
"I start ab ovo. The enemy of mankind, as you know, is attacking the Prussians. The Prussians are our faithful allies, who have deceived us only three times in three years. We take and make the cause for them. But it turns out that the enemy of mankind pays no attention to our fine discourses, and with his impolite and savage manner throws himself on the Prussians without giving them time to finish the parade which has begun, in two tricks of the hand beat them down and installs himself in the Potsdam Palace.
"I have the strongest desire, wrote the King of Prussia to Bonaparte, that V. M. be welcomed and treated in my palace in a manner which is agreeable to him and it is with eagerness that I have taken all measures to this end that the circumstances permitted. May I have succeeded! The Prussian generals pride themselves on politeness towards the French and put down their arms at the first summons. "The head of the Glogau garrison with ten thousand men, asks the King of Prussia, what should he do if he is ordered to surrender? All of this is positive.
"Briefly, hoping to impose by only our military attitude, it turns out that we are here at war for all good, and what is more, at war on our frontiers with and for the King of Prussia. Everything is largely complete, all we need is one little thing, this is the general-in-chief. It turned out that the successes of Austerlitz could have been more decisive if the general-in-chief had been less young, we review the octogenarians and between Prosorofsky and Kamensky, we give preference to the last. The general arrives to us in a kibik in the manner of Souvoroff, and and is greeted with cheers of joy and triumph.
"The first courier arrives from Petersburg on the 4th. We bring the trunks in the marshal's office, who likes to do everything by himself. They call me to help do the sorting of the letters and take those intended for us. The marshal watches us do it and waits for the packages which are addressed to him. We look - there are none. The marshal becomes impatient, puts himself at the work and find letters from the Emperor for Count T., for Prince V. and others. Then here he is getting into one of his blue wraths.
He throws fire and flame against everyone, grabs the letters, unseals them, and reads the Emperor's letters addressed to others. Ah, so with me it comes. I am not trusted! But for me to follow orders, it is okay for me to come out! And he writes the famous order of the day to General Benigsen.
"The Marshal gets angry against the Emperor and punishes us all; isn't that logical!
"Here is the first act. To the following interest and ridiculous rise like reason. After the marshal's departure it turns out that that we are in view of the enemy, and that it is necessary to deliver battle. Boukshevden is general-in-chief by right of seniority, but General Benigsen
is not of this opinion; especially since he's him, with his corps in sight of the enemy, and that he wants to take the opportunity of a battle "aus eigener Hand" as the Germans say. He gives it. It is the battle of Poultousk that is supposed to be a grand victory, but which in my opinion is not at all. We civilians have, as you know, a very ugly habit of deciding the winning or losing of a battle. Whoever withdrew after the battle, lost it, this is what we say, and to the title we lost the battle of Poultousk. Briefly, we withdraw after the battle, but we send a courier to Petersburg, who carries the news of a victory, and the general does not cede the command-in-chief to Boukshevden, hoping to receive from Petersburg in recognition of his victory the title of general-in-chief. During this interregnum, we begin an exceedingly interesting and original plan of maneuvers. Our goal is not, as it should be, to avoid or to attack the enemy; but only to avoid General Boukshevden, who by right of seniority would be our chief. We pursue this goal with so much energy, that even when crossing a river that is not fordable, we burn bridges to separate ourselves from our enemy, who at the moment is not Bonaparte, but Boukshevden. General Boukshevden missed being attacked and taken by superior enemy forces because of one of our beautiful maneuvers that saved us from him. Boukshevden pursues us - we are spinning. Barely does he pass on our side of the river, than we pass on the other. In the end our enemy Boukshevden grabs us and attacks us. The two generals are angry. There is even a provocation to a duel on the part of Boukshevden and an attack of epilepsy on the part of Benigsen. But at the critical moment the courier, who carried the news of our victory at Poultousk, brings us from Petersburg our nomination of general-in-chief, and the first enemy Boukshevden is defeated: we can think of the second, of Bonaparte. But it is at this moment rises before us a third enemy, it is the orthodox who loudly ask for bread, meat, biscuits, hay - what do I know! The stores are empty, the roads impassable. The orthodox are marauding, and in a manner which the last campaign cannot give you the slightest idea. Half of the regiments form free troops, who roam the country setting everything on fire and blood. The inhabitants are ruined from bottom to top, the hospitals
are overflowing with sick people, and the famine is everywhere. Twice the headquarters were attacked by marauding troops and the general-in-chief was himself obliged to ask for a battalion to chase them out. In one of these attacks my empty trunk and my dressing gown were taken away. The Emperor wants to give the right to all the division chiefs to shoot the marauders, but I strongly fear that it will oblige one half of the army to shoot the other.)
Translation res
Time: See previous chapter
Mentioned: before the battle of Preussisch-Eylau, the last three months, the last three years, the 4th, fifteen days longer (fortnight in Mandelker, Bell, and Garnett), spring
Locations: See previous chapter
Mentioned: Preussisch-Eylau, Austerlitz, Prussia (and Prussian), Potsdam, French, Glogau, St. Petersburg, Pultusk, Ostrolenko (Ostrolenka in Pevear and Volkhonsky, Dunnigan, and Maude), Russia, Germans,
Pevear and Volkhonsky: Bilibin’s letter. “Though he wrote in French, with French jokes and turns of phrase, he described the whole campaign with an exclusively Russian fearlessness of self-condemnation and self-derision."
“The Prussians are our faithful allies, who have betrayed us only three times in three years...But it turns out that the enemy of the human race pays no attention to our fine speeches...The Prussian generals pride themselves on their
politeness towards the French and lay down their arms at the first invitation...we find ourselves at war in earnest, and what’s more, at war on our own frontiers with and for the King of Prussia….The commander in chief...Kamensky….
Buxhowden is commander in chief by right of seniority, but General Bennigsen is not of that opinion...He who retreats after the battle has lost it, that’s what we say, and on that head we have lost the battle of Pultusk. In short, we
retreat after the battle, but we sent a courier to Petersburg with news of a victory...Our aim does not consist, as it should, of evading or attacking the enemy; but solely of evading General Buxhowden...we burn our bridges to separate
ourselves from the enemy, who for the moment is not Bonaparte but Buxhowden...There is even a challenge to a duel on Buxhowden’s part and an attack of epilepsy on Bennigsen’s part...a third enemy...the Orthodox Armed Forces,
with loud cries for bread, meat, biscuits, fodder...The inhabitants are utterly ruined, the hospitals overflow with sick, and there is famine everywhere...I’m very much afraid that this will oblige one half of the army to shoot the other.”
politeness towards the French and lay down their arms at the first invitation...we find ourselves at war in earnest, and what’s more, at war on our own frontiers with and for the King of Prussia….The commander in chief...Kamensky….
Buxhowden is commander in chief by right of seniority, but General Bennigsen is not of that opinion...He who retreats after the battle has lost it, that’s what we say, and on that head we have lost the battle of Pultusk. In short, we
retreat after the battle, but we sent a courier to Petersburg with news of a victory...Our aim does not consist, as it should, of evading or attacking the enemy; but solely of evading General Buxhowden...we burn our bridges to separate
ourselves from the enemy, who for the moment is not Bonaparte but Buxhowden...There is even a challenge to a duel on Buxhowden’s part and an attack of epilepsy on Bennigsen’s part...a third enemy...the Orthodox Armed Forces,
with loud cries for bread, meat, biscuits, fodder...The inhabitants are utterly ruined, the hospitals overflow with sick, and there is famine everywhere...I’m very much afraid that this will oblige one half of the army to shoot the other.”
Andrei, though knowing he shouldn’t trust Bilibin completely, becomes interested in what is in the letter and then becomes angry that he has become interested. Andrei’s baby, despite a weird episode where Andrei believes him to be
dead, has gotten over his illness.
dead, has gotten over his illness.
Characters (characters who do not appear, but are mentioned are placed in italics. First appearances are in Bold. First mentions are underlined. Final appearance denoted by *):
Bilibin (as with the Julie letter, you could argue either way on whether or not he should be considered a character in the text or a mentioned character)
Prince Andrei
Napoleon Bonaparte (also “the enemy of the human race”)
King of Prussia
The principal officer of the garrison of Glogau (“the head of the garrison…” in Maude. “The chief of the…” in Wiener. “The colonel….” in Bell.)
Prosorovsky (as in Dole and Garnett. “Prozorovsky” in Mandelker, Dunnigan, and Briggs.)
Kamensky
Suvarof
Czar Alexander (“emperor”)
General Benigsen
Count Buxhovden
Ostermann
Sedmoretsky
Savishna (“nurse”)
Little Prince Nikolai (“baby”)
Princess Mariya
(is the marshal or field marshal supposed to be Kamensky or another character? There is also a courier mentioned)
(Count T. and Prince V. should probably be Tolstoy and Volkonsky)
Abridged Versions: end of Chapter 20 in Bell.
Gibian: Chapter 7
Gibian: Chapter 7
Fuller: entire chapter is cut
Komroff: Bilibin’s letter is unsurprisingly shortened, with all the army fighting each other and food shortage information cut. The letter refers to Kutuzov in an editorial decision by Komroff: “Kutuzov is angry with the emperor and…”
All of Andrei’s reaction to the letter and the finishing of the sickness plot set up in the last chapter (that Komroff cut) is cut. Line break.
All of Andrei’s reaction to the letter and the finishing of the sickness plot set up in the last chapter (that Komroff cut) is cut. Line break.
Kropotkin: Chapter 9: The letter from Bilibin is more or less preserved, but chapter 5 ends at the end of it, cutting the sick baby episode.
Simmons: Chapter 7: the entire letter is cut and replaced with "Bilibin's letter gives a picture of personal jealousy among the Russian commanders and of looting among their troops because of a lack of food." After Andrew finishes
the letter, the rest of the chapter is preserved.
the letter, the rest of the chapter is preserved.
Additional Notes:
Troyat: Page 48: “the German General Bennigsen, a gaunt giant of man, dry and serious, who had a reputation for courage and a level head.”
Davidov/Troubetzkoy: Page 40: (on Bennigsen) "Calculation and prudence were the hallmarks of our general's thinking and planning, the logical outcome of a sound, precise mind. But although equal to the task of grappling
with minds of a similar type, he was not up to dealing with flashes of genius, sudden events which defy foresight, and touches of inspiration founded upon classic rules. Bennigsen's orders and consequent tactics were all
concentrated on systematically resisting the attacks of Davout and St Hilaire: opposing bayonet to bayonet and firearm to firearm, but failing to address any unexpected, unconventional move or to forestall a strike out of the
blue against some position deemed in no danger from the enemy."
Speirs: Page 19: “One side of him hates and fears mysteries, as Prince Andrew does. There is a part of Tolstoy that fears the impersonality and passivity of Pierre--the part that craves for personal immortality. This gave Tolstoy his conscious reason for wanting to become a writer in the first place...On one level, War and Peace is about Tolstoy’s struggle to understand himself, about the modern individual’s struggle to break his connection with others, to be unique...Tolstoy’s neatly arranged conclusions about life in War and Peace are in marked contrast to the irregular flux which registers the thought and speech of his characters...The individual life is felt to be cheap, lost within a vast scheme which unfolds from generation to generation. This is a Russian feeling. The wastage is unthinkable, colossal...But Tolstoy, the Westernised aristocrat, must achieve a personal identity.”
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