第364章

第364章thoughbalashovwasaccustomedtothepompofcourts,hewasimpressedbythesplendourandluxuryofnapoleon’scourt.

countdeturenneledhimintothegreatreception-room,whereanumberofgenerals,gentlemen-in-waiting,andpolishmagnateswerewaitingtoseetheemperor.manyofthembalashovhadseenatthecourtoftherussianemperor.duroctoldhimthattheemperornapoleonwouldreceivetherussiangeneralbeforegoingoutforhisride.

afteradelayofseveralmoments,agentleman-in-waitingcameintothegreatreception-room,andbowingcourteouslytobalashov,invitedhimtofollowhim.

balashovwentintothelittlereception-room,fromwhichonedoorledtothestudy,theroomwherehehadreceivedtherussianemperor’slastchargesbeforesettingoff.balashovstoodforacoupleofminuteswaiting.hurriedstepswereaudiblethroughthedoor.bothhalvesofthedoorwereswiftlythrownopen,andinthecompletestillnessthatfollowedotherfirmandresolutestepscouldbeheardfromthestudy：itwasnapoleon.hehadonlyjustfinisheddressingforhisride.hewaswearingablueuniform,openoverawhitewaistcoat,thatcamelowdownoverhisroundbelly,riding-boots,andwhitedoeskinbreeches,fittingtightlyoverhisfat,shortlegs.hisshorthairhadevidentlyjustbeenbrushed,butonelockhungdowninthemiddleofhisbroadforehead.hisplump,whiteneckstoodoutinsharpcontrasttotheblackcollarofhisuniform;hesmeltofeau-de-cologne.hisstillyoung-looking,fullface,withitsprominentchin,woreanexpressionofimperialgraciousnessandmajesticallycondescendingwelcome.

hewalkedoutwithaquiveringstrut,hisheadthrownalittleback.hiswholestout,shortfigure,withhisbroad,fatshouldersandhisprominentstomachandchest,hadthatimposingairofdignitycommoninmenoffortywholiveincomfort.itwasevident,too,thathehappenedthatdaytobeinaparticularlygoodhumour.

henoddedinacknowledgmentofbalashov’slowandrespectfulbow,andgoinguptohim,begantotalkatoncelikeamanwhovalueseveryminuteofhistime,andwillnotdeigntoprefacewhatheisgoingtosay,asheissureofalwaysspeakingwellandsayingtherightthing.

“good-day,general！”saidhe.“ihavereceivedtheemperoralexander’sletterthatyoubrought,andiamverygladtoseeyou.”heglancedatbalashov’sfacewithhislargeeyes,andimmediatelylookedpasthim.

itwasobviousthathetooknointerestinbalashov’spersonality.itwasplainthatonlywhatwaspassinginhissoulhadforhimanyinterest.allthatwasoutsidehimhadnosignificanceforhim,becauseeverythingintheworlddepended,ashefancied,onhiswill.

“idonot,anddidnot,desirewar,”hesaid,“butyouhaveforcedmetoit.evennow”（hethrewemphasisontheword）“iamreadytoreceiveanyexplanationsyoucangiveme.”andhebeganbrieflyandclearlyexplainingthegroundsofhisdispleasurewiththerussiangovernment.

judgingfromthestudiouslycomposedandamicabletoneofthefrenchemperor,balashovwasthoroughlypersuadedthathewasdesirousofpeace,andintendedtoenterintonegotiations.

“sire！theemperor,mysovereign,”balashovbegan,meaningtoutterthespeechhehadpreparedlongbeforeassoonasnapoleonhadfinishedspeaking,andlookedinquiringlyathim.butthelooktheemperorturneduponhimdisconcertedhim.“youareembarrassed;recoveryourself,”napoleonseemedtosay,aswithahardlyperceptiblesmilehescannedbalashov’sswordanduniform.balashovregainedhiscomposure,andbegantospeak.hesaidthattheemperoralexanderdidnotregardkurakin’saskingforhispassportasufficientcauseforwar;thatkurakinhadactedonhisowninitiativewithoutthetsar’sconsent;thatthetsardidnotdesirewar,andthathehadnorelationswithengland.

“notasyet,”napoleonputin,andasthoughafraidtoabandonhimselftohisfeelings,hefrownedandnoddedslightlyasasigntobalashovthathemightcontinue.

aftersayingallhehadbeeninstructedtosay,balashovwoundupbysayingthattheemperoralexanderwasdesirousofpeace,butthathewouldnotenterintonegotiationsexceptuponconditionthat…atthatpointbalashovhesitated;herecollectedwordstheemperoralexanderhadnotwritteninhisletter,buthadinsistedoninsertingintherescripttosaltykov,andhadcommandedbalashovtorepeattonapoleon.balashovrememberedthosewords：“aslongasasingleenemyunderarmsremainsonrussiansoil,”butsomecomplicatedfeelingcheckedhisutteranceofthem.hecouldnotutterthosewords,thoughhetriedtodoso.hestammered,andsaid：“onconditionthefrenchtroopsretreatbeyondtheniemen.”

napoleonobservedbalashov’sembarrassmentintheutteranceofthoselastwords：hisfacequivered,andthecalfofhisleftlegbegantwitchingrhythmically.notmovingfromwherehestood,hebeganspeakinginalouderandmorehurriedvoicethanbefore.duringthespeechthatfollowedbalashovcouldnothelpstaringatthetwitchingofnapoleon’sleftleg,whichgrewmoremarkedashisvoicegrewlouder.

“iamnolessdesirousofpeacethantheemperoralexander,”hebegan.“haven’tibeendoingeverythingforthelasteighteenmonthstoobtainit？foreighteenmonthsihavebeenwaitingforanexplanation,butbeforeopeningnegotiations,whatisitthat’srequiredofme？”hesaid,frowningandmakingavigorousgesticulationwithhisfat,littlewhitehand.

“thewithdrawaloftheforcesbeyondtheniemen,sire,”saidbalashov.

“beyondtheniemen？”repeatednapoleon.“sonowyouwantmetoretreatbeyondtheniemen—onlybeyondtheniemen？”repeatednapoleon,lookingstraightatbalashov.

balashovbowedhisheadrespectfully.

fourmonthsbeforehehadbeenaskedtowithdrawfrompomerania;nowwithdrawalbeyondtheniemenwasallthatwasrequired.napoleonturnedquicklyaway,andbeganwalkingupanddowntheroom.