第418章

第418章onefair-hairedyoungsoldier—princeandreyknewhim—ofthethirdcompany，withastraproundthecalfofhisleg，steppedback，crossinghimself，togetagoodrun，andplungeintothewater.anotherswarthyandverytowzle-headedsergeantuptohiswaistinthewater，bendinghisfine，muscularfigure，wassnortingwithenjoyment，ashepouredthewateroverhisheadwithhisblackenedhands.therewasasoundofthemslappingeachother，andshrieksandcries.

onthebanks，onthedike，inthepond，everywheretherewaswhite，healthy，muscularflesh.timohin，theofficerwiththerednose，wasrubbinghimselfwithatowelonthedike，andwasabashedatseeingprinceandrey，butmadeuphismindtoaddresshim.

“it’spleasant，really，yourexcellency；youshouldtryit！”hesaid.

“it’sdirty，”saidprinceandrey，grimacing.

“wewillclearitoutforyouinaminute.”andundressedashewas，timohinrantoclearthemenout.“theprincewantstocome.”

“whatprince？ourprince？”criedvoices，andallofthemwereinsuchhastetomakewayforhimthatprinceandreyhardlyhadtimetocheckthem.hethoughtitwouldbebetterforhimtohaveabathinabarn.“flesh，meat，chairàcanon，”hethought，lookingtooathisownnakedbodyandshuddering，notsomuchfromcoldasfromtherepulsionandhorror，mysterioustohimself，thathehadfeltatthesightofthatimmensemultitudeofnakedbodiesflounderinginthemuddywater.

onthe7thofaugust，princebagration，athishalting-placeatmihalovkaonthesmolenskroad，hadwrittenalettertoaraktcheev.thoughtheletterwasaddressedtoaraktcheev，heknewitwouldbereadtothetsar，andthereforeheweighedeveryword，sofarashewascapableofdoingso.

“dearcountalexeyandreivitch，—ipresumethattheministerhasalreadyreportedtheabandonmentofsmolensktotheenemy.itissad，itispitiable，andthewholearmyisindespairatthemostimportantplacehavingbeenwantonlyabandoned.iformypartedhimpersonallyinthemosturgentmanner，andfinallywrotetohim；butnothingwouldpersuadehim.isweartoyouonmyhonourthatnapoleonwasinagreaterfixthanhehaseverbeen，andhemighthavelosthalfhisarmy，butcouldnothavetakensmolensk.ourtroopshavefoughtandarefightingasneverbefore.withfifteenthousandmenihaveheldtheenemyincheckforthirty-fivehoursandbeatenthem，buthewouldn’tholdhisgroundforfourteenhours.itisashameandastainonourarmy，andasforhimself，iconsiderheoughtnottobealive.ifhereportsthatourlossesweregreat，itisfalse；perhapsaboutfourthousand，notthat，butthatisnothing：ifithadbeententhousand，whatofit，that’swar.butontheotherhandtheenemy’slosseswereimmense.

“whatwouldithavecosthimtoholdhisgroundforacoupleofdays？inanycasetheymusthaveretiredoftheirownaccord；fortheyhadnowaterfortheirmenortheirhorses.hegavemehiswordhewouldnotretreat，butallofasuddensentanannouncementthathewaswithdrawinginthenight.wecannotfightinthisway，andwemaysoonbringtheenemyontomoscow.…

“thereisarumourafloatthatyouarethinkingofpeace.tomakepeace，godpreserveus！afterallthesacrificesthathavebeenmadeandaftersuchmadretreats—tomakepeace，youwillsetallrussiaagainstyou，andeveryoneofuswillfeelitadisgracetoweartheuniform.ifithascometothat，weoughttofightaslongasrussiacan，andaslongastherearemenabletostand.…

“theremustbeonemanincommand，nottwo.yourminister，maybe，isverywellintheministry；butasageneral，he’snotsimplyuseless，butcontemptible，andthefateofallourfatherlandhasbeenputinhishands…iamfrantic，truly，withrage；forgivemeforwritingabusively.itisplainthatthemandoesnotlovehissovereign，anddesirestheruinofusall，whoadvisespeacetobeconcludedandtheministertobeputincommandofthearmy.andsoiwritetoyouplainly：getthemilitiaready.fortheministerisleadingourvisitorstothecapitalinthemostskilfulmanner.theobjectofchiefsuspiciontothewholearmyistheaide-de-campwoltzogen.theysayhe’smorefornapoleonthanforus，andeverythingtheministerdoesisbyhisadvice.iamnotmerelyciviltohim，butobeyhimlikeacorporal，thoughiamhissenior.itishard：butlovingmysovereignandbenefactor，iobey.andigrieveforthetsarthatheintrustshisgallantarmytosuchaman.considerthatonourretreatwehavelostmorethanfifteenthousandmenfromfatigue，orleftsickinthehospitals；ifwehadattacked，thatwouldnothavebeenso.tellmeforgod’ssakewhatwillrussia—ourmother—sayatourdisplayingsuchcowardice，andwhyareweabandoningourgoodandgallantcountrytotherabbleandrousingthehatredandshameofeveryrussian？whyareweinapanic？whatareweafraidof？itisnotmyfaultthattheministerisvacillating，cowardly，unreasonable，dilatory，andhaseveryvice.allthearmyisbewailingitandloadinghimwithabuse.…”