第374章

第374章tothethirdparty,inwhichthetsarwasdisposedtoplacemostconfidence,belongedthecourtiers,whotriedtoeffectacompromisebetweenthetwocontendingsides.themembersofthisparty—towhicharaktcheevbelonged—weremostlynotmilitarymen,andtheyspokeandreasonedasmenusuallydowhohavenoconvictions,butwishtopassforhavingthem.theyadmittedthatawarwithsuchageniusasbonaparte（theycalledhimbonaparteagainnow）didundoubtedlycallfortheprofoundesttacticalconsiderationsandthoroughscientificknowledge,andthatonthatsidepfuhlwasagenius.but,atthesametime,theyacknowledgedthatitcouldnotbedeniedthattheoristswereoftenone-sided,andsooneshouldnotputimplicitconfidenceinthem,butshouldlistentootowhatpfuhl’sopponentsurged,andalsototheviewsofpracticalmenwhohadexperience,andshouldtakeamiddlecourse.theyadvocatedmaintainingthecampatdrissaonpfuhl’splan,butalteringhisdispositionoftheothertwoarmies.thoughbythiscourseofactionneitheraimcouldbeattained,thisseemedtothepartyofcompromisethebestlinetoadopt.

ofthefourthsectionofopinions,themostprominentrepresentativewasthegrandduke,andheir-apparent,whocouldnotgetoverhisrudeawakeningatausterlitz.hehadriddenoutattheheadofhisguardsinhelmetandcuirassasthoughtoareview,expectinggallantlytoroutthefrench,andfindinghimselfunexpectedlyjustinthelineoftheenemy’sfire,hadwithdifficultyescapedinthegeneraldisorder.themembersofthispartyhadatoncethemeritandthedefectofsincerityintheirconvictions.theyfearednapoleon;theysawhisstrengthandtheirownweakness,andfranklyadmittedit.theysaid：“nothingbutahugedisgraceandruincancomeofthewar！wehaveabandonedvilna,andabandonedvitebsk,andweareabandoningthedrissatoo.theonlysensiblethingleftforustodoistoconcludepeace,andassoonaspossible,beforewehavebeendrivenoutofpetersburg！”

thisviewwaswidelydiffusedinthehighermilitarycircles,andfoundadherents,too,inpetersburg—oneofthembeingthechancellorrumyantsev,whoadvocatedpeaceonotherpoliticalconsiderations.

afifthsectionweretheadherentsofbarclaydetolly,notsomuchfromhisqualitiesasaman,asaministerofwarandcommander-in-chief.“whateverhemaybe,”theyalwaysbegan,“heisanhonest,practicalman,andthereisnobodybetter.lethimhavesoleresponsibility,sincewarcanneverbeprosecutedessfullyunderdividedauthorityandhewillshowwhathecando,ashedidinfinland.weoweitsimplytobarclaythatourarmyisstrongandwellorganised,andhasretreatedtothedrissawithoutdisaster.ifbarclayisreplacedbybennigsennow,everythingwillbelost;forbennigsenhasprovedhisincapacityalreadyin1807.”suchwasthelineofargumentofthefifthparty.

thesixthparty,thepartisansofbennigsen,maintainedonthecontrarythattherewasafterallnoonemorecapableandexperiencedthanbennigsen,andthatwhateverelseweredonetheywouldhavetocomebacktohim.theymaintainedthatthewholerussianretreattodrissahadbeenanuninterruptedseriesofshamefuldisastersandblunders.“letthemblundernowiftheywill,”theysaid;“themoreblundersthebetter,atleastitwillteachthemallthesoonerthatwecan’tgoonlikethis.andwewantnoneofyourbarclays,butamanlikebennigsen,whoshowedwhathewasin1807,sothatnapoleonhimselfhadtodohimjustice,andaman,too,isneededtowhomallwouldreadilyintrustauthority,andbennigsenistheonlysuchman.”

theseventhclasswerepersonssuchasarealwaysfoundincourts,andespeciallyinthecourtsofyoungsovereigns,andwereparticularlyplentifulinthesuiteofalexander—generalsandadjutants,whowerepassionatelydevotedtothetsar,notmerelyasanemperor,butsincerelyanddisinterestedlyadoredhimasaman,asrostovhadadoredhimin1805,andsawinhimeveryvirtueandgoodqualityofhumanity.thesepersons,whiletheywereecstaticoverthemodestyofthetsarindecliningthechiefcommandofthearmy,deploredthatexcessofmodesty,anddesiredandurgedonethingonly,thattheiradoredtsar,conqueringhisexcessivediffidence,wouldopenlyproclaimthatheputhimselfattheheadofthearmy,wouldgatherthestaffofthecommander-in-chiefabouthim,and,consultingexperiencedtheoristsandpracticalmenwherenecessary,wouldhimselfleadhisforces,whowouldbeexcitedtothehighestpitchofenthusiasmbythisstep.