Війна і мир

Chapter 6

           

           “Thecampaignbeganonlyaweekago,andyouhaven’tevenbeenabletodefendVílna.YouarecutintwoandhavebeendrivenoutofthePolishprovinces.Yourarmyisgrumbling.”

           “Onthecontrary,YourMajesty,”saidBalashëv,hardlyabletorememberwhathadbeensaidtohimandfollowingtheseverbalfireworkswithdifficulty,“thetroopsareburningwitheagerness...”

           “Iknoweverything!”Napoleoninterruptedhim.“Iknoweverything.IknowthenumberofyourbattalionsasexactlyasIknowmyown.Youhavenottwohundredthousandmen,andIhavethreetimesthatnumber.Igiveyoumywordofhonor,”saidNapoleon,forgettingthathiswordofhonorcouldcarrynoweight—“IgiveyoumywordofhonorthatIhavefivehundredandthirtythousandmenthissideoftheVistula.TheTurkswillbeofnousetoyou;theyareworthnothingandhaveshownitbymakingpeacewithyou.AsfortheSwedes—itistheirfatetobegovernedbymadkings.Theirkingwasinsaneandtheychangedhimforanother—Bernadotte,whopromptlywentmad—fornoSwedewouldallyhimselfwithRussiaunlessheweremad.”

           Napoleongrinnedmaliciouslyandagainraisedhissnuffboxtohisnose.

           BalashëvknewhowtoreplytoeachofNapoleon’sremarks,andwouldhavedoneso;hecontinuallymadethegestureofamanwishingtosaysomething,butNapoleonalwaysinterruptedhim.TotheallegedinsanityoftheSwedes,BalashëvwishedtoreplythatwhenRussiaisonhersideSwedenispracticallyanisland:butNapoleongaveanangryexclamationtodrownhisvoice.

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