第380章

第380章thedebatelastedalongwhile,andthelongeritcontinuedthehotteritbecame,passingintoclamourandpersonalities,andthelesspossibleitwastodrawanysortofgeneralconclusionfromwhatwasuttered.princeandreysimplywonderedatwhattheywereallsayingashelistenedtotheconfusionofdifferenttongues,andthepropositions,theplans,theshouts,andtheobjections.theideawhichhadlongagoandoftenoccurredtohimduringtheperiodofhisactiveservice,thattherewasandcouldbenosortofmilitaryscience,andthatthereforetherecouldnotbesuchathingasmilitarygenius,seemedtohimnowtobeanabsolutelyobvioustruth.“whattheoryandsciencecantherebeofasubjectofwhichtheconditionsandcircumstancesareuncertainandcanneverbedefinitelyknown,inwhichthestrengthoftheactiveforcesengagedcanbeevenlessdefinitelymeasured？noonecan,orpossiblycould,knowtherelativepositionsofourarmyandtheenemy’sinanothertwenty-fourhours,andnoonecangaugetheforceofthisortheotherdetachment.sometimeswhenthereisnocowardinfronttocry,‘wearecutoff！’andtorun,butabrave,spiritedfellowleadstheway,shouting‘hurrah！’adetachmentoffivethousandisasgoodasthirtythousand,asitwasatsch？ngraben,whileattimesfiftythousandwillrunfromeightthousand,astheydidatausterlitz.howcantherebeascienceofwarinwhich,asineverypracticalmatter,nothingcanbedefiniteandeverythingdependsoncountlessconditions,theinfluenceofwhichbecomesmanifestallinamoment,andnoonecanknowwhenthatmomentiscoming.armfeldtdeclaresthatourarmyiscutoff,whileimaintainsthatwehavecaughtthefrencharmybetweentwofires;michaudassertsthatthedefectofthedrissacampishavingtheriverinitsrear,whilepfuhlproteststhatthatiswhatconstitutesitsstrength;tollproposesoneplan,armfeldtestsanother;andallaregoodandallarebad,andthesuitabilityofanypropositioncanonlybeseenatthemomentoftrial.andwhydotheyalltalkofmilitarygenius？isamantobecalledageniusbecauseheknowswhentoorderbiscuitstobegivenout,andwhentomarchhistroopstotherightandwhentotheleft？heisonlycalledageniusbecauseoftheglamourandauthoritywithwhichthemilitaryareinvested,andbecausemassesofsycophantsarealwaysreadytoflatterpower,andtoascribetoitqualitiesquitealientoit.thebestgeneralsihaveknownare,onthecontrary,stupidorabsent-mindedmen.thebestofthemisbagration—napoleonhimselfadmittedit.andbonapartehimself！irememberhisfatuousandlimitedfaceonthefieldofausterlitz.agoodgeneralhasnoneedofgenius,norofanygreatqualities;onthecontrary,heisthebetterfortheabsenceofthefinestandhighestofhumanqualities—love,poetry,tenderness,philosophicandinquiringdoubt.heshouldbelimited,firmlyconvincedthatwhatheisdoingisofgreatimportance（orhewouldneverhavepatiencetogothroughwithit）,andonlythenwillhebeagallantgeneral.godforbidheshouldbehumane,shouldfeelloveandcompassion,shouldpausetothinkwhatisrightandwrong.itisperfectlycomprehensiblethatthetheoryoftheirgeniusshouldhavebeenelaboratedlong,longago,forthesimplereasonthattheyaretherepresentativesofpower.thecreditofessinbattleisnotbyrighttheirs;forvictoryordefeatdependsinrealityonthesoldierintherankswhofirstshouts‘hurrah！’or‘wearelost！’anditisonlyintheranksthatonecanservewithperfectconviction,thatoneisofuse！”

suchwereprinceandrey’sreflectionsasheheardthediscussiongoingonaroundhim,andhewasonlyrousedfromhismusingwhenicalledtohimandthemeetingwasbreakingup.

nextdayatthereviewthetsaraskedprinceandreywherehedesiredtoserve;andbolkonskyruinedhischancesforeverinthecourtworldbyaskingtobesenttothefront,insteadofingforapostinattendanceonthetsar’sperson.