第441章
第441章“goyourownway,andgodblessyouinit.…iknowyourpathisthepathofhonour!”hepaused.“imissedyouatbucharest.iwantedsomeonetosend…”andchangingthesubject,kutuzovbegantalkingoftheturkishwar,andofthepeacethathadbeenconcluded.“yes,ihavebeenroundlyabused,”hesaid,“bothforthewarandthepeace…butitallhappenedinthenickoftime.”“‘everythingcomesintimeforhimwhoknowshowtowait,’”hesaid,quotingthefrenchproverb.“andtherewereasmanycounsellorsthereashere,…”hewenton,returningtothesuperfluityofadvisers,asubjectwhichevidentlyoccupiedhismind.“ugh,counsellorsandcounsellors!”hesaid.“ifwehadlistenedtoallofthem,weshouldbeinturkeynow.weshouldnothavemadepeace,andthewarwouldneverhavebeenover.alwaysinhaste,andmorehaste,worsespeed.kamenskywouldhavecometogriefthere,ifhehadn’tdied.hewentstormingfortresseswiththirtythousandmen.it’seasyenoughtotakefortresses,butit’shardtofinishoffacampaignessfully.stormsandattacksarenotwhat’swanted,buttimeandpatience.kamenskysenthissoldierstoattackrustchuk,butitrustedtothemalone—timeandpatience—anditookmorefortressesthankamensky,andmadetheturkseathorseflesh!”heshookhishead.“andthefrenchshall,too.takemywordforit,”criedkutuzov,growingwarmerandslappinghimselfonthechest,“i’llmakethemeathorseflesh!”andagainhiseyewasdimwithtears.
“weshallhavetogivebattle,though,shan’twe?”saidprinceandrey.
“wemust,ifeveryonewantsto;thereisnohelpforit.…but,markmywords,mydearboy!thestrongestofallwarriorsarethesetwo—timeandpatience.theydoitall,andourwisecounsellorsn’entendentpasdecetteoreille,voilàlemal.somesayay,andsomesayno.what’sonetodo?”heasked,evidentlyexpectingareply.“come,whatwouldyouhavemedo?”herepeated,andhiseyestwinkledwithaprofound,shrewdexpression.“i’lltellyouwhattodo,”hesaid,sinceprinceandreystilldidnotanswer.“i’lltellyouwhattodo,andwhatido.dansledoute,moncher”—hepaused—“abstiens-toi.”hearticulateddeliberatelythefrenchsaying.
“well,good-bye,mydear.remember,withallmyheart,ifeelforyoursorrow,andthatforyoui’mnothishighness,norprince,norcommander-in-chief,butsimplyafathertoyou.ifyouwantanything,comestraighttome.good-bye,mydearboy!”againheembracedandkissedhim.
andbeforeprinceandreyhadclosedthedoor,kutuzovsettledhimselfcomfortablywithasigh,andrenewedtheunfinishednovelofmadamegenlis,leschevaliersducygne.
how,andwhyitwas,princeandreycouldnotexplain,butafterthisinterviewwithkutuzov,hewentbacktohisregimentfeelingreassuredastothefuturecourseofthewar,andastothemantowhomitsguidancewasintrusted.themoreclearlyheperceivedtheabsenceofeverythingpersonalintheoldleader,whoseemedtohavenothingleftofhisownbuthabitsofpassions,andinsteadofanintellectgraspingeventsandmakingplans,hadonlythecapacityforthecalmcontemplationofthecourseofevents,themoreconfidenthefeltthatallwouldbeasitshouldbe.“hewillputinnothingofhimself.hewillcontrivenothing,willundertakenothing,”thoughtprinceandrey;“buthewillheareverything,willthinkofeverything,willputeverythinginitsplace,willnothinderanythingthatcouldbeofuse,andwillnotallowanythingthatcoulddoharm.heknowsthatthereissomethingstrongerandmoreimportantthanhiswill—thatistheinevitablemarchofevents,andhecanseethem,cangrasptheirsignificance,and,seeingtheirsignificance,canabstainfrommeddling,fromfollowinghisownwill,andaimingatsomethingelse.andthechiefreason,”thoughtprinceandrey,“whyonebelievesinhimisthathe’srussian,inspiteofmadamegenlis’snovelandthefrenchproverbs,thathisvoiceshookwhenhesaid,‘whatwehavebeenbroughtto!’andthathechokedwhenhesaid‘hewouldmakethemeathorseflesh!’”
itwasthisfeeling,moreorlessconsciouslysharedbyall,thatdeterminedtheunanimousapprovalgiventotheappointmentofkutuzovtothechiefcommand,inaccordancewithnationalsentiment,andinoppositiontotheintriguesatcourt.