War and Peace (Oxford World's Classics) by Tolstoy Leo & Maude Louise and Aylmer & Mandelker Amy

Author:Tolstoy, Leo & Maude, Louise and Aylmer & Mandelker, Amy [Tolstoy, Leo]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2010-10-14T04:00:00+00:00

10

THIS letter had not yet been presented to the Emperor when Barclay one day at dinner informed Bolkonsky that the sovereign wished to see him personally, to question him about Turkey, and that Prince Andrei was to present himself at Bennigsen’s quarters at six that evening.

News was received at the Emperor’s quarters that very day of a fresh movement by Napoleon which might endanger the army—news subsequently found to be false. And that morning Colonel Michaud had ridden round the Drissa fortifications with the Emperor and had pointed out to him that this fortified camp constructed by Pfuel, and till then considered a chef-d’oeuvre of tactical science which would ensure Napoleon’s destruction, was an absurdity, threatening the destruction of the Russian army.

Prince Andrei arrived at Bennigsen’s quarters—a country gentleman’s house of moderate size situated on the very banks of the river. Neither Bennigsen nor the Emperor was there, but Chernyshov, the Emperor’s aide-de-camp, received Bolkonsky and informed him that the Emperor, accompanied by General Bennigsen and Marquis Paulucci, had gone a second time that day to inspect the fortifications of the Drissa camp, of the suitability of which serious doubts were beginning to be felt.

Chernyshov was sitting at a window in the first room with a French novel in his hand. This room had probably been a music-room, there was still an organ in it on which some rugs were piled, and in one corner stood the folding bedstead of Bennigsen’s adjutant. This adjutant was also there, and sat dozing on the rolled-up bedding, evidently exhausted by work or by feasting. Two doors led from the room, one straight on into what had been the drawing-room, and another on the right to the study. Through the first door came the sound of voices conversing in German and occasionally in French. In that drawing-room were gathered by the Emperor’s wish, not a military council (the Emperor preferred indefiniteness) but certain persons whose opinions he wished to know in view of the impending difficulties. It was not a council of war, but, as it were, a council to elucidate certain questions for the Emperor personally. To this semi-council had been invited the Swedish General Armfelt, Adjutant-General Wolzogen, Wintzingerode (whom Napoleon had referred to as a renegade French subject), Michaud, Toll,* Count Stein who was not a military man at all, and Pfuel himself, who as Prince Andrei had heard was the mainspring of the whole affair. Prince Andrei had an opportunity of getting a good look at him, for Pfuel arrived soon after himself, and in passing through to the drawing-room stopped a minute to speak to Chernyshov.

At first sight Pfuel, in his ill-made uniform of a Russian general, which fitted him badly like a fancy costume, seemed familiar to Prince Andrei though he saw him now for the first time. There was about him something of Weyrother, Mack, and Schmidt, and many other German theorist-generals whom Prince Andrei had seen in 1805, but he was more typical than any of them.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.