第520章

第520章onthenightofthe1stofseptemberkutuzovgavetherussiantroopsthecommandtofallbackacrossmoscowtotheryazanroad.

thefirsttroopsmovedthatnight,marchingdeliberatelyandinsteadyorder.butatdawntheretreatingtroopsonreachingthedorogomilovbridgesawbeforethem,crowdingontheotherside,andhurryingoverthebridge,andblockingthestreetsandalleysonthesameside,andbearingdownuponthemfrombehind,immensemassesofsoldiers.andthetroopswereovertakenbycauselesspanicandhaste.therewasageneralrushforwardtowardsthebridge,ontothebridge,tothefordsandtotheboats.kutuzovhadhimselfdrivenbybackstreetstotheothersideofmoscow.

atteno’clockinthemorningofthe2ndofseptembertheonlytroopsleftinthedorogomilovsuburbsweretheregimentsoftherear-guard,andthecrushwasover.thearmywasalreadyonthefurthersideofmoscow,andoutofthetownaltogether.

atthesametime,atteno’clockinthemorningofthe2ndofseptember,napoleonwasstandinginthemidstofhistroopsonpoklonnyhill,gazingatthespectaclethatlaybeforehim.fromthe26thofaugusttothe2ndofseptember,fromthedayofborodinototheentranceintomoscow,allthatagitating,thatmemorableweek,therehadbeenthatextraordinarilybeautifulautumnweather,whichalwayscomesasasurprise,whenthoughthesunislowintheskyitshinesmorewarmlythaninspring,wheneverythingisglisteninginthepure,limpidair,sothattheeyesaredazzled,whilethechestisbracedandrefreshedinhalingthefragrantautumnair;whenthenightsevenarewarm,andwheninthesedark,warmnightsgoldenstarsarecontinuallyfallingfromthesky,tothedelightorterrorofallwhowatchthem.

atteno’clockonthe2ndofseptemberthemorninglightwasfullofthebeautyoffairyland.frompoklonnyhillmoscowlaystretchingwidebelowwithherriver,hergardens,andherchurches,andseemedtobelivingalifeofherown,hercupolastwinklinglikestarsinthesunlight.

atthesightofthestrangetown,withitsnewformsofunfamiliararchitecture,napoleonfeltsomethingofthatenviousanduneasycuriositythatmenfeelatthesightoftheaspectsofastrangelife,knowingnothingofthem.itwasclearthatthattownwasteemingwithvigorouslife.bythoseindefinabletokensbywhichonecaninfalliblytellfromadistancealivebodyfromadeadone,napoleoncoulddetectfrompoklonnyhillthethroboflifeinthetown,andcouldfeel,asitwere,thebreathingofthatbeautiful,greatbeing.everyrussiangazingatmoscowfeelssheisthemother;everyforeignergazingather,andignorantofhersignificanceasthemothercity,mustbeawareofthefemininecharacterofthetown,andnapoleonfeltit.

“thisasiaticcitywiththeinnumerablechurches,moscowtheholy.hereitisatlast,thefamouscity！itwashightime,”saidnapoleon;anddismountingfromhishorsehebadethemopentheplanofmoscowbeforehim,andsentforhisinterpreter,lelormed’ideville.

“acityoccupiedbytheenemyislikeagirlwhohaslostherhonour,”hethought（itwasthephrasehehadutteredtotutchkovatsmolensk）.andfromthatpointofviewhegazedattheorientalbeautywholayforthefirsttimebeforehiseyes.hefeltitstrangehimselfthatthedesiresolongcherished,andthoughtsoimpossible,hadatlastcometopass.intheclearmorninglighthegazedatthetown,andthenattheplan,lookingupitsdetails,andthecertaintyofpossessingitagitatedandawedhim.

“buthowcoulditbeotherwise？”hethought.“hereisthiscapital,sheliesatmyfeetawaitingherfate.whereisalexandernow,andwhatishethinking？astrange,beautiful,andgrandcity！andastrangeandgrandmomentisthis！inwhatlightmustiappeartothem？”hemused,thinkingofhissoldiers.“hereisthecity—therewardforallthoseoflittlefaith,”hethought,lookingroundathissuiteandtheapproachingtroops,formingintoranks.