Chapter 17

           

           Kutúzovlikealloldpeopledidnotsleepmuchatnight.Heoftenfellasleepunexpectedlyinthedaytime,butatnight,lyingonhisbedwithoutundressing,hegenerallyremainedawakethinking.

           Sohelaynowonhisbed,supportinghislarge,heavy,scarredheadonhisplumphand,withhisoneeyeopen,meditatingandpeeringintothedarkness.

           SinceBennigsen,whocorrespondedwiththeEmperorandhadmoreinfluencethananyoneelseonthestaff,hadbeguntoavoidhim,Kutúzovwasmoreateaseastothepossibilityofhimselfandhistroopsbeingobligedtotakepartinuselessaggressivemovements.ThelessonoftheTarútinobattleandofthedaybeforeit,whichKutúzovrememberedwithpain,must,hethought,havesomeeffectonotherstoo.

           “Theymustunderstandthatwecanonlylosebytakingtheoffensive.Patienceandtimearemywarriors,mychampions,”thoughtKutúzov.Heknewthatanappleshouldnotbepluckedwhileitisgreen.Itwillfallofitselfwhenripe,butifpickedunripetheappleisspoiled,thetreeisharmed,andyourteetharesetonedge.Likeanexperiencedsportsmanheknewthatthebeastwaswounded,andwoundedasonlythewholestrengthofRussiacouldhavewoundedit,butwhetheritwasmortallywoundedornotwasstillanundecidedquestion.NowbythefactofLauristonandBarthélemihavingbeensent,andbythereportsoftheguerrillas,Kutúzovwasalmostsurethatthewoundwasmortal.Butheneededfurtherproofsanditwasnecessarytowait.

           “Theywanttoruntoseehowtheyhavewoundedit.

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