第210章

第210章bilibinwasnowinadiplomaticcapacityattheheadquartersofthearmy，andthoughhewroteinfrench，withfrenchjests，andfrenchturnsofspeech，hedescribedthewholecampaignwithanimpartialself-criticismandself-mockeryexclusivelyrussian.bilibinwrotethattheobligationofdiplomaticdiscretionwasatorturetohim，andthathewashappytohaveinprinceandreyatrustworthycorrespondenttowhomhecouldpouroutallthespleenthathadbeenaccumulatinginhimatthesightofwhatwasgoingoninthearmy.theletterwasdatedsometimeback，beforethebattleofeylau.

“sinceourgreatessatausterlitz，youknow，mydearprince，”wrotebilibin，“thatihavenotleftheadquarters.decidedlyihaveacquiredatasteforwarfare，anditisjustaswellforme.whatihaveseeninthesethreemonthsisincredible.

“iwillbeginabovo.‘theenemyofthehumanrace，’asyouknow，isattackingtheprussians.theprussiansareourfaithfulallies，whohaveonlydeceivedusthreetimesinthreeyears.westandupforthem.butitoccursthattheenemyofthehumanracepaysnoattentiontoourfinespeeches，andinhisuncivilandsavagewayflingshimselfupontheprussianswithoutgivingthemtimetofinishtheparadethattheyhadbegun，andbyacoupleofconjuringtricksthrashesthemcompletely，andgoestotakeuphisquartersinthepalaceofpotsdam.

“‘imostearnestlydesire，’writesthekingofprussiatobonaparte，‘thatyourmajestymaybereceivedandtreatedinmypalaceinamanneragreeabletoyou，andihavehastenedtotakeallthemeasurestothatendwhichcircumstancesallowed.mayihaveeeded！’theprussiangeneralspridethemselvesontheirpolitenesstowardsthefrench，andlaydowntheirarmsatthefirstsummons.

“theheadofthegarrisonatglogau，whohastenthousandmen，asksthekingofprussiawhatheistodoifheissummonedtosurrender.…alltheseareactualfacts.

“inshort，hopingonlytoproduceaneffectbyourmilitaryattitude，wefindourselvesatwaringoodearnest，and，whatismore，atwaronourownfrontierswithandforthekingofprussia.everythingisfullyready，weonlywantonelittlething，thatisthecommander-in-chief.asitisthoughtthattheessesatausterlitzmighthavebeenmoredecisiveifthecommander-in-chiefhadnotbeensoyoung，themenofeightyhavebeenpassedinreview，andofprosorovskyandkamenskythelatterispreferred.thegeneralcomestousinak？bikafterthefashionofsuvorov，andisgreetedwithacclamationsofjoyandtriumph.

“onthe4thcomesthefirstpostfrompetersburg.themailsaretakentothemarshal’sroom，forhelikestodoeverythinghimself.iamcalledtosortthelettersandtakethosemeantforus.themarshallooksonwhilewedoit，andwaitsforthepacketsaddressedtohim.weseek—therearenone.themarshalgetsimpatient，setstoworkhimself，andfindslettersfromtheemperorforcountt.，princev.，andothers.thenhethrowshimselfintooneofhisfuries.heragesagainsteverybody，snatchesholdoftheletters，opensthem，andreadsthosefromtheemperortootherpeople.

“‘ah，sothat’showi’mbeingtreated！noconfidenceinme！oh，orderedtokeepaneyeonme，verywell；getalongwithyou！’

“andthenhewritesthefamousorderofthedaytogeneralbennigsen：

“‘iamwounded，icannotrideonhorseback，consequentlycannotcommandthearmy.youhaveledyourcorpsd’arméedefeatedtopultusk！hereitremainsexposedanddestituteofwoodandofforage，andinneedofassistance，andso，asyoureportedyourselftocountbuxhevdenyesterday，youmustthinkofretreattoourfrontier，andsodotoday.’

“‘allmyexpeditionsonhorseback，’hewritestotheemperor，‘havegivenmeasaddlesore，which，aftermyformerjourneys，quitepreventsmysittingahorse，andcommandinganarmysowidelyscattered；andthereforeihavehandedoverthesaidcommandtothegeneralnextinsenioritytome，countbuxhevden，havingdespatchedtohimallmysuiteandappurtenancesofthesame，advisinghim，ifbreadshouldrunshort，toretreatfurtherintotheinteriorofprussia，seeingthatbreadforoneday’srationsonlyisleft，andsomeregimentshavenone，asthecommandersostermanandsedmoretskyhavereported，andthepeasantryofthecountryhavehadeverythingeatenup.ishallmyselfremaininthehospitalatostrolenkatilliamcured.inregardtowhichimusthumblysubmitthereportthatifthearmyremainsanotherfortnightinitspresentbivouac，byspringnotamanwillbeleftinhealth.

“‘graciouslydischargefromhisdutyanoldmanwhoissufficientlydisgracedbyhisinabilitytoperformthegreatandglorioustaskforwhichhewaschosen.ishallawaithereinthehospitalyourmostgraciousacceptanceofmyretirement，thatimaynothavetoactthepartofasecretaryratherthanacommander.myremovalisnotproducingtheslightestsensation—ablindmanisleavingthearmy，thatisall.morelikemecanbefoundinrussiabythousands！’

“themarshalisangrywiththeemperorandpunishesallofus；isn’titlogical！