第559章

第559章whilehalfofrussiawasconquered,andtheinhabitantsofmoscowwerefleeingtoremoteprovinces,andonelevyofmilitiaafteranotherwasbeingraisedforthedefenceofthecountry,we,notlivingatthetime,cannothelpimaginingthatallthepeopleinrussia,greatandsmallalike,wereengagedindoingnothingelsebutmakingsacrifices,savingtheircountry,orweepingoveritsdownfall.thetalesanddescriptionsofthatperiodwithoutexceptiontellusofnothingbuttheself-sacrifice,thepatriotism,thedespair,thegrief,andtheheroismoftherussians.inreality,itwasnotatalllikethat.itseemssotous,becauseweseeoutofthepastonlythegeneralhistoricalinterestofthatperiod,andwedonotseeallthepersonalhumaninterestsofthemenofthattime.andyetinrealitythesepersonalinterestsoftheimmediatepresentareofsomuchgreaterimportancethanpublicinterests,thattheypreventthepublicinterestfromeverbeingfelt—frombeingnoticedatall,indeed.themajorityofthepeopleofthatperiodtooknoheedofthegeneralprogressofpublicaffairs,andwereonlyinfluencedbytheirimmediatepersonalinterests.andthoseverypeopleplayedthemostusefulpartintheworkofthetime.

thosewhowerestrivingtograspthegeneralcourseofevents,andtryingbyself-sacrificeandheroismtotakeahandinit,werethemostuselessmembersofsociety;theysaweverythingupsidedown,andallthattheydidwiththebestintentionsturnedouttobeuselessfolly,likepierre’sregiment,andmamonov’s,thatspenttheirtimepillagingtherussianvillages,likethelintscrapedbytheladies,thatneverreachedthewounded,andsoon.eventhosewho,beingfondoftalkingonintellectualsubjectsandexpressingtheirfeelings,discussedthepositionofrussia,unconsciouslyimportedintotheirtalkashadeofhypocrisyorfalsityorelseofuselessfault-findingandbitternessagainstpersons,whomtheyblamedforwhatcouldbenobody’sfault.

inhistoricaleventsweseemoreplainlythaneverthelawthatforbidsustotasteofthefruitofthetreeofknowledge.itisonlyunselfconsciousactivitythatbearsfruit,andthemanwhoplaysapartinanhistoricaldramaneverunderstandsitssignificance.ifhestrivestocomprehendit,heisstrickenwithbarrenness

thesignificanceofthedramatakingplaceinrussiaatthattimewasthelesseasytograsp,theclosertheshareamanwastakinginit.inpetersburg,andintheprovincesremotefrommoscow,ladiesandgentlemeninvolunteeruniformsbewailedthefateofrussiaandtheancientcapital,andtalkedofself-sacrifice,andsoon.butinthearmy,whichhadretreatedbehindmoscow,menscarcelytalkedorthoughtatallaboutmoscow,and,gazingattheburningcity,noonesworetobeavengedonthefrench,buteveryonewasthinkingofthenextquarter’spayduetohim,ofthenexthalting-place,ofmatryoshkathecanteen-woman,andsoon.

nikolayrostov,withoutanyideaofself-sacrifice,simplybecausethewarhadhappenedtobreakoutbeforehelefttheservice,tookanimmediateandcontinuouspartinthedefenceofhiscountry,andconsequentlyhelookeduponwhatwashappeninginrussiawithoutdespairorgloomyprognostications.ifhehadbeenaskedwhathethoughtofthepresentpositionofrussia,hewouldhavesaidthatitwasnothisbusinesstothinkaboutit,thatthatwaswhatkutuzovandtherestofthemwerefor,butthathehadheardthattheregimentswerebeingfilleduptotheirfullcomplements,andthattheymustthereforebegoingtofightforagoodtimelonger,andthatunderthepresentcircumstanceshemightprettyeasilyobtainthecommandofaregimentwithinacoupleofyears.

sincethiswashispointofview,itwaswithnoregretattakingnopartintheapproachingbattle,butwiththegreatestsatisfaction—whichhedidnotconceal,andhiscomradesfullyunderstood—thathereceivedthenewsofhisappointmenttogotovoronezhtopurchaseremountsforhisdivision.

afewdaysbeforethebattleofborodino,nikolayreceivedthesumsofmoneyandofficialwarrantsrequired,and,sendingsomehussarsonbeforehim,hedrovewithposting-horsestovoronezh.

onlyonewhohashadthesameexperience—thatis,hasspentseveralmonthscontinuouslyintheatmosphereofanarmyinthefield—canimaginethedelightnikolayfeltwhenhegotoutoftheregionoverspreadbythetroopswiththeirforagingparties,trainsofprovisions,andhospitals;whenhesawnomoresoldiers,armyons,andfilthytracesofthecamp,butvillagesofpeasantsandpeasantwomen,gentlemen’scountryhouses,fieldswithgrazingoxen,andstation-housesandsleepyoverseers,herejoicedasthoughhewereseeingitallforthefirsttime.whatinparticularremainedforalongwhileawonderandajoytohimwasthesightofwomen,youngandhealthy,withoutdozensofofficershangingabouteveryoneofthem;andwomen,too,whowerepleasedandflatteredatanofficer’scrackingjokeswiththem.

inthehappiestframeofmind,nikolayreachedthehotelatvoronezhatnight,orderedeverythingofwhichhehadsolongbeendeprivedinthearmy,andnextday,aftershavingwithspecialcareandputtingonthefull-dressuniformhehadnotwornforsolongpast,hedroveofftopresenthimselftotheauthorities.

thecommanderofthemilitiaofthedistrictwasaciviliangeneral,anoldgentleman,whoevidentlyfoundamusementinhismilitarydutiesandrank.hegavenikolayabrusquereception（supposingthatthiswasthemilitarymanner）,andcross-examininghimwithanimportantair,asthoughhehadarighttodoso,heexpressedhisapprovalanddisapproval,asthoughcalledupontogivehisverdictonthemanagementofthewar.nikolaywasinsuchhighspiritsthatthisonlyamusedhim.