第408章

第408章atthecampatdrissaitwasproposedtotakeastand.buttheenergyofi,schemingtobecomealeadinggeneral,affectedalexander;andpfuhl’swholeplanwasabandoned,andtheschemeofcampaignintrustedtobarclay.butasthelatterdidnotinspirecompleteconfidence,hispowertoowaslimited.thearmiesweresplitup,therewasnounity,nosupremecommand：barclaywasunpopular.butononesidetheconfusionanddivisionandunpopularityofthegermancommander-in-chiefledtovacillationandtoavoidingabattle,whichwouldhavebeeninevitablehadthearmiesbeenunitedandanyonebutbarclayincommandofthem.andontheotherhand,itallledtoagrowingindignationwiththegermansandagrowingfervourofpatriotism.

atlastthetsarleftthearmy,and,astheonlysuitableexcusetogetridofhim,thehappyestionwasmadethathemustrouseupthepeopleinthecapitalstowagethewaronatrulynationalscale.andthetsar’svisittomoscowdidinfacttrebletheforcesoftherussianarmy.thetsarleftthearmyinthehopethatthecommander-in-chiefwouldbeabletoactalone,andthatmoredecisivemeasureswouldbetaken.butthecommander’spositionbecameweakerandevenmoredifficult.bennigsen,thegrandduke,andaswarmofadjutantgenerals,remainedwiththearmytowatchovertheactionsofthecommander-in-chief,andtourgehimtogreateractivity;andbarclay,feelinglessthaneverfreetoactunderthewatchfulgazeofallthese“eyesofthetsar,”becamestillmorecautiousandanxioustoavoidapitchedbattle,andclungtoaprudentinaction.thegranddukehintedattreachery,anddemandedageneralengagement.lubomirsky,bronnitsky,vlotsky,andothersofthesamesort,helpedtoswelltheclamourtosuchapointthatbarclay,onthepretextofsendingpaperstothetsarinpetersburg,gotridofthepolishgenerals,andenteredintoopenconflictwithbennigsenandthegrandduke.

insmolensk,inspiteofbagration’swishestothecontrary,thearmieswereatlastunited.

bagrationdroveupinhiscarriagetothehouseoccupiedbybarclay.barclayputonhisofficialscarf,andcameouttogreetandtopresenthisreporttohisseniorofficer,bagration.bagration,torivalhismagnanimity,acknowledgedbarclayashissuperiorofficer,inspiteofhisownseniority;buthewaslessinaccordwithhimthanever.atthetsar’scommand,hesentreportspersonallytohim,andwrotetoaraktcheev：“mysovereign’swillislaw,buticandonothingactingwiththeminister”（sohecalledbarclay）.“forgod’ssake,sendmesomewhereelse,ifonlyincommandofaregiment,forhereicandonothing.thehead-quartersarecrammedfullofgermans,there’snolivinghereforarussian,andnomakingheadortailofanything.isupposediwasservingmysovereignandmycountry,butinpracticeitcomestoservingbarclay.imustownidonotcareto.”

theswarmofbronnitskys,wintzengerodes,andotherslikethem,embitteredthefeudbetweenthecommandersstillfurther,andtherewaslessunitythanever.preparationsweremadetoattackthefrenchbeforesmolensk.ageneralwassenttoreviewtheposition.thisgeneral,detestingbarclay,visitsafriendofhisown,acommanderofacorps,andafterspendingthedaywithhim,returnsandcondemnsoneverypointtheproposedfieldofbattlewithouthavingseenit.

whiledisputesandintriguesweregoingonastothesuitablespotforabattle,andwhilewewerelookingforthefrenchandmistakingtheirlineofadvance,thefrenchfelluponnevyerovsky’sdivision,andadvanceduponthewallsofsmolenskitself.

weweresurprisedintohavingtofightatsmolensktosaveourcommunications.abattlewasfought.thousandswereslainonbothsides.

smolenskwasabandonedagainstthewillofthetsarandthewholepeople.butsmolenskwasburntbyitsowninhabitants,whohadbeendeceivedbytheirgovernor.andthoseruinedinhabitants,aftersettinganexampletotherestofrussia,fulloftheirlosses,andburningwithhatredoftheenemy,movedontomoscow.napoleonadvances;weretreat;andsotheveryresultisattainedthatisdestinedtooverthrownapoleon.