第599章

第599章but，strangetosay，allthesearrangements，theseeffortsandplans，whichwerenowhitinferiortothosethathadbeenmadeonsimilaroccasionsbefore，nevertouchedtherootofthematter；likethehandsonthefaceofaclock，whendetachedfromthemechanism，theyturnedaimlesslyandarbitrarily，withoutcatchingthewheels.

theplanofcampaign，thatworkofgenius，ofwhichthierssays，thathisgeniusneverimaginedanythingmoreprofound，moreskilful，andmoreadmirable，andenteringintoapolemicaldiscussionwithm.fenn，provesthatthecompositionofthisworkofgeniusistobereferred，nottothe4th，buttothe15thofoctober—thatplanneverwasandnevercouldbeputintoexecution，becauseithadnothingincommonwiththeactualfactsoftheposition.thefortificationofthekremlin，forwhichitwasnecessarytopulldownlamosquée（asnapoleoncalledthechurchofvassilytheblessed）turnedouttobeperfectlyuseless.theminingofthekremlinwasonlyofuseforcarryingoutthedesiretheemperorexpressedonleavingmoscow，toblowupthekremlin，likeachildthatbeatstheflooragainstwhichithashurtitself.thepursuitoftherussianarmy，onwhichnapoleonlaidsomuchstress，ledtoanunheard-ofresult.thefrenchgeneralslostsightofthesixtythousandmenoftherussianarmy，anditwasonly，inthewordsofthiers，thankstotheskill，andapparentlyalsothegenius，ofmuratthattheyeededatlastinfinding，likealostpin，thisarmyofsixtythousandmen.

onthediplomaticside，allnapoleon’sexpositionsofhismagnanimityandjustice，bothtotutolminandtoyakovlev（thelatterwasprincipallyinterestedinfindinghimselfagreat-coatandaconveyancefortravelling）turnedouttobefruitless.alexanderwouldnotreceivetheseenvoys，andmadenoreplytothemessagetheybrought.

onthesideoflaw，oforder，aftertheexecutionofthesupposedincendiaries，theotherhalfofmoscowwasburntdown.

theestablishmentofamunicipalcouncildidnotcheckpillage，andwasnobenefittoanyonebutthefewpersons，whoweremembersofit，andwereableonthepretextofpreservingordertoplundermoscowontheirownaccount，ortosavetheirownpropertyfrombeingplundered.

onthereligiousside，thedifficultyhadsoeasilybeensettledbynapoleon’svisittoamosqueinegypt，butheresimilarmeasuresledtonoresultswhatever.twoorthreepriests，pickedupinmoscow，didattempttocarryoutnapoleon’sdesire；butoneofthemwasslappedinthefacebyafrenchsoldierduringtheservice，andinregardtotheother，thefollowingreportwasmadebyafrenchofficial：“thepriest，whomihaddiscoveredandinvitedtoresumesayingthemass，cleanedandclosedthechurch.inthenighttheycameagaintobreakinthedoors，breakthepadlocks，tearthebooks，andcommitotherdisorders.”

asfortheencouragementofcommerce，theproclamationto“industriousartisansandpeasants，”metwithnoresponseatall.industriousartisanstherewerenoneinmoscow，andthepeasantssetuponthemessengerswhoventuredtoofarfromthetownwiththisproclamationandkilledthem.

theattemptstoentertainthepeopleandthetroopswiththeatreswereequallyessful.thetheatressetupinthekremlinandpoznyakov’shousewereclosedagainimmediately，becausetheactorsandactresseswerestrippedoftheirbelongingsbythesoldiers.

evenphilanthropydidnotbringthedesiredresults.moscowwasfullofpapermoney，genuineandcounterfeit，andthenoteshadnovalue.thefrench，accumulatingbooty，caredfornothingbutgold.thecounterfeitnotes，whichnapoleonsogenerouslybestowedontheunfortunate，wereofnovalue，andevensilverfellbelowitsstandardvalueinrelationtogold.