第588章

第588章thefamousobliquemovementconsistedsimplyinthis.therussiantroops,whichhadbeenretreatingdirectlybackfromthefrench,assoonasthefrenchattackceased,turnedofffromthatdirection,andseeingtheywerenotpursued,movednaturallyinthedirectionwheretheyweredrawnbytheabundanceofsupplies.

ifweimagine,insteadofgeneralsofgeniusattheheadoftherussianarmy,anarmyactingalone,withoutleadershipofanykind,suchanarmycouldhavedonenothingelsebutmovebackagaintowardsmoscow,describingasemicirclethroughthecountrythatwasbestprovidedwithnecessaries,andwheresuppliesweremostplentiful.

sonaturalwasthisobliquemovementfromthenizhnitotheryazan,tula,andkalugaroad,thatthatdirectionwastheonetakenbytheflyingbandsofmaraudersfromtherussianarmy,andtheonewhichtheauthoritiesinpetersburginsisteduponkutuzov’staking.attarutinokutuzovreceivedwhatwasalmostareprimandfromthetsarformovingthearmytotheryazanroad,andhewasdirectedtotakeuptheverypositionfacingkaluga,inwhichhewasencampedatthetimewhenthetsar’sletterreachedhim.

afterrecoilinginthedirectionoftheshockreceivedduringthewholecampaign,andatthebattleofborodino,theballoftherussianarmy,astheforceofthatblowspentitself,andnonewblowcame,tookthedirectionthatwasnaturalforit.

kutuzov’smeritlayinnosortofmilitarygenius,asitiscalled,innostrategicman？uvre,butinthefactthathealonegraspedthesignificanceofwhathadtakenplace.healonegraspedeventhenthesignificanceoftheinactivityofthefrencharmy;healonepersistedinmaintainingthatthebattleofborodinowasavictory;healone—themanwhofromhispositionascommander-in-chiefmighthavebeenexpectedtobethefirsttobeeagerforbattle—healonedideverythinginhispowertoholdtherussianarmybackfromuselessfighting.

thewildbeastwoundedatborodinolaywherethefleeinghunterhadlefthim;butwhetheraliveandstrong,oronlyfeigning,thehunterknewnot.allatonceamoanwasheardfromthecreature.themoanofthatwoundedcreature,thefrencharmy,thatbetrayeditshopelessplight,wasthedespatchoflauristontothecampofkutuzovwithoverturesforpeace.

napoleon,withhisconvictionthatnotwhatwasrightwasright,butwhatevercameintohisheadwasright,wrotetokutuzovthefirstwordsthatoccurredtohismind,wordsthathadnomeaningatall.

“m.leprincekoutouzoff,”hewrote,“iamsendingyouoneofmyaides-de-camptoconversewithyouonvariousinterestingsubjects.idesirethatyourhighnesswillputfaithinwhathesays,especiallywhenheexpressesthesentimentsofesteemandparticularconsiderationthatihavelongentertainedforyourperson.thisletterhavingnootherobject,ipraygodtohaveyouinhisholyandpowerfulkeeping.

（signed）napoleon.

“moscow,october30,1812.”

“ishouldbecursedbyposterityifiwereregardedasthefirstinstigatorofanysortofsettlement.telestl’espritactueldemanation,”answeredkutuzov,andwentondoingeverythinginhispowertoholdthearmybackfromadvance.

amonthspentbythefrencharmyinpillagingmoscow,andbytherussianarmyquietlyencampedattarutino,broughtaboutachangeintherelativestrengthofthetwoarmies,achangebothinspiritandinnumbers,whichwasalltotheadvantageoftherussians.althoughthepositionofthefrencharmyanditsnumberswereunknowntotherussians,assoonastheirrelativestrengthhadchanged,agreatnumberofsignsbegantoshowthatanattackwouldbeinevitable.amongthecausesthatcontributedtobringaboutthisresultwerelauriston’smission,andtheabundanceofprovisionsattarutino,andthereportsthatwerecontinuallycominginfromallsidesoftheinactivityandlackofdisciplineinthefrencharmy,andthefillingupofourregimentsbyrecruits,andthefineweather,andthelongrestenjoyedbytherussiansoldiers,andtheimpatiencetodotheworkforwhichtheyhavebeenbroughttogether,thatalwaysarisesintroopsafterrepose,andcuriositytoknowwhatwasgoingoninthefrencharmy,ofwhichtheyhadsolongseennothing,andthedaringwithwhichtherussianoutpostsdashedinamongthefrenchencampedattarutino,andthenewsoftheeasyvictoriesgainedbybandsofpeasantsandfree-lancesoverthefrench,andtheenvyarousedbythem,andthedesireofrevenge,thateverymancherishedatheartsolongasthefrenchwereinmoscow;and—strongerthanall—thevaguesensegrowingupineverysoldier’sheartthattherelativestrengthofthearmieshadchanged,andthepreponderancewasnowonourside.therelativestrengthofthearmieshadreallychanged,andadvancehadbecomeinevitable.andatonce,assurelyasthechimesinaclockbegintobeatandplaywhenthehandhasmadethefullroundofthedial,wasthischangereflectedintheincreasedactivity,andbustleandstirofwheelswithinwheelsinthehigherspheres.