第33章

第33章atthemen’sendofthetabletheconversationwasbecomingmoreandmorelively.thecolonelwasassertingthattheproclamationofthedeclarationofwarhadalreadybeenissuedinpetersburg,andthatacopy,whichhehadseenhimself,hadthatdaybeenbroughtbyacouriertothecommander-in-chief.

“andwhatevilspiritmustmakeusgotowarwithbonaparte？”saidshinshin.“hehasalreadymadeaustriatakeabackseat.iamafraiditmaybeourturnthistime.”

thecolonelwasastout,tall,andplethoricgerman,evidentlyazealousofficerandgoodpatriot.heresentedshinshin’swords.

“thereasonwhy,mygoodsir,”hesaid,speakingwithagermanaccent,“isjustthattheemperorknowsthat.inhisproclamationhesaysthathecannotbeholdwithequanimitythedangerthreateningrussia,andthesecurityoftheempire,itsdignity,andthesacrednessofitsalliances.”helaidaspecialemphasisonthewordalliances,asthoughthegistofthematterlayinthatword.andwiththeunfailingmemoryforofficialmattersthatwaspeculiartohim,herepeatedtheintroductorywordsoftheproclamation…“andthedesire,whichconstitutesthesovereign’ssoleandimmutableaim,toestablishpeaceonasecurefoundation,havedeterminedhimtodespatchnowapartofthetroopsabroad,andtomakedispositionsforcarryingoutthisnewproject.thatisthereasonwhy,mydearsir,”heconcluded,tossingoffaglassofwineinedifyingfashion,andlookingtowardsthecountforencouragement.

“doyouknowtheproverb,‘erema,erema,you’dbetterstayathomeandmindyourspindle’？”saidshinshin,frowningandsmiling.“thatsuitsustoahair.why,suvorovevenwasdefeatedhollow,andwhereareoursuvorovsnowadays？ijustaskyouthat,”hesaid,continuallyshiftingfromrussiantofrenchandbackagain.

“weoughttofighttothelastdropofourblood,”saidthecolonel,thumpingthetable,“andtodieforouremperor,andthenallwillbewell.andtodiscussitaslittleaspossible,”heconcluded,turningagaintothecount,anddrawlingouttheword“possible.”“that’showweoldhussarslookatit;that’sallwehavetosay.andhowdoyoulookatit,youngmanandyounghussar？”headded,addressingnikolay,who,catchingthatitwasthewartheywerediscussing,haddroppedhisconversationwithjulie,andwasalleyesandallears,intentonthecolonel.

“iperfectlyagreewithyou,”answerednikolay,growinghotallover,twistinghisplateround,andchangingtheplacesoftheglasseswithafaceasdesperateanddeterminedasthoughhewereexposedtogreatdangeratthatactualmoment.“iamconvincedthattherussiansmustdieorconquer,”hesaid.hewashimself,liketherestoftheparty,consciousafterthewordswereutteredthathehadspokenwithanenthusiasmandfervouroutofkeepingwiththeoccasion,andsohewasembarrassed.

“thatwasveryfine,whatyoujustsaid,”juliesittingbesidehimsaidbreathlessly.sonyatrembledalloverandcrimsonedtoherears,andbehindherears,anddownherneckandshoulders,whilenikolaywasspeaking.pierrelistenedtothecolonel’sremarks,andnoddedhisheadapprovingly.

“that’scapital,”saidhe.