Chapter 19

           

           Onthetwenty-fourthofAugustthebattleoftheShevárdinoRedoubtwasfought,onthetwenty-fifthnotashotwasfiredbyeitherside,andonthetwenty-sixththebattleofBorodinóitselftookplace.

           WhyandhowwerethebattlesofShevárdinoandBorodinógivenandaccepted?WhywasthebattleofBorodinófought?TherewasnottheleastsenseinitforeithertheFrenchortheRussians.ItsimmediateresultfortheRussianswas,andwasboundtobe,thatwewerebroughtnearertothedestructionofMoscow—whichwefearedmorethananythingintheworld;andfortheFrenchitsimmediateresultwasthattheywerebroughtnearertothedestructionoftheirwholearmy—whichtheyfearedmorethananythingintheworld.Whattheresultmustbewasquiteobvious,andyetNapoleonofferedandKutúzovacceptedthatbattle.

           Ifthecommandershadbeenguidedbyreason,itwouldseemthatitmusthavebeenobvioustoNapoleonthatbyadvancingthirteenhundredmilesandgivingbattlewithaprobabilityoflosingaquarterofhisarmy,hewasadvancingtocertaindestruction,anditmusthavebeenequallycleartoKutúzovthatbyacceptingbattleandriskingthelossofaquarterofhisarmyhewouldcertainlyloseMoscow.ForKutúzovthiswasmathematicallyclear,asitisthatifwhenplayingdraughtsIhaveonemanlessandgoonexchanging,Ishallcertainlylose,andthereforeshouldnotexchange.WhenmyopponenthassixteenmenandIhavefourteen,Iamonlyoneeighthweakerthanhe,butwhenIhaveexchangedthirteenmoremenhewillbethreetimesasstrongasIam.

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