War and Peace

Chapter 15

Suddenly, he was awakened by the earth-shattering chorus of the enemy on the opposite side.Innumerable torches were lit on the French camp opposite, and shouts grew louder and louder. These shouts resounded through the sky and shook the hearts of the people.

Duke Borgolagio and Duke Pruko rode to the front line to observe the strange situation in the enemy camp.Duke Pruco believed that this was just a ploy by the enemy before retreating, but Duke Bogorageo held a different view.Seeing this, Lostav asked to go to the front to inquire about the news.

"There are sentries on the mountain, my lord. They are still in the night position." After returning from scouting, Lostav reported to Duke Bogorageo. He couldn't help showing a smile. This scouting made him very happy.

"Very well, very well," said Bogorageo, "thank you, sir." "My lord," said Lostaff, "I would like to ask you something." "What is it, please? "

"Our cavalry company is in reserve tomorrow. How about transferring me to the [-]st cavalry company?"

"What's your name?" "Lord Rostaff." "Okay, you will be the herald with me tomorrow."

"Maybe I have a chance to see the emperor tomorrow." Lostav thought happily.The reason why the enemy soldiers lit the torches and shouted was because the emperor came, and the emperor himself suddenly rode to the front position. When the soldiers saw the emperor, they lit the torches one after another, and cheered in unison, "Long live the emperor!" run behind him.Napoleon's order was as follows:
warriors!The Russian troops have come to attack you in order to avenge the Austrian troops in Ulm.This is the army which you broke near Hollabrun, and which you have pursued from there to this place.The position we hold is impenetrable, and when they attack from my right side, they will expose the flank to me!warriors!I will personally direct your operations.If you beat the enemy to pieces with your usual valor, I will leave the battlefield; if there is a minute of doubt about the certainty of victory, you will see your emperor fighting side by side with you, because the victory cannot be shaken in the slightest , especially on this day when the honor of the French infantry is at stake, the battle must be won in the interest of our nation.

Don't disturb the lineup by transporting the wounded!Everyone must fight bravely to defeat these British mercenaries who hate our nation.This victory will conclude our expedition, and then we will return to our homeland, where we will be greeted by the newly formed French troops in France.At that time, I will personally sign the peace treaty and never fail my people, nor you nor myself.

[fourteen]
Napoleon

In the early morning, the Russian army began to attack, and they groped forward under the leadership of the Austrian army guide.The fog was so thick that although it was already bright, it was impossible to see anything ten paces away.The soldiers went very happily at first, but then they encountered obstructions caused by mistakes in movement, so that the excitement and enthusiasm of the procession at the beginning began to turn into complaints and accusations against the stupid commander and the Austrian guide.The Russians did not know the exact position of the French, whether they were ten miles away or in the fog of the valley—nobody knew until eight o'clock.

At nine o'clock in the morning, the dense fog had not cleared, but it had cleared at the field headquarters of Napoleon Station on the high ground in the village of Schlapanitz.Above Napoleon's head is the bright sky, and the round sun is like a huge red hollow balloon floating in the milky white fog sea.Napoleon himself, his staff, and the whole French army were not in the lowlands beyond the creek, but here they were so close to us that Napoleon could see our cavalry and infantry with his naked eyes.Napoleon rides an Arabian pony, wearing the blue cloak he wore on his expeditions to Italy, flanked by his marshals.He silently looked at the hills that seemed to emerge from the sea of ​​fog, on which the Russian army was moving.Not a single muscle was trembling on his slightly chubby face, and he was staring at one place intently.His judgment was not wrong.Part of the Russian army was reaching the valley, and part was leaving the Platz Heights, which he considered very important and intended to capture.In the valley near the village of Platz he observed Russian soldiers moving in one direction, their bayonets flickering, their columns disappearing one by one into the mist.From the information he had received last night, from the sound of wheels and footsteps heard at night, from the confusion of the Russian troops in action, from all this, he clearly guessed that the Russian-Austrian coalition forces had misjudged.Napoleon saw this. The troops moving near the Platz Heights were the central force of the Russian army. Moreover, the strength of this center was already very weak. He was fully capable of attacking, but he still did not give an order. Waiting for better times.

Today is his big day, the one-year anniversary of his coronation.He didn't sleep for a while until dawn, and when he got up, full of energy and high spirits, he rode out into the field with a happy mood full of confidence.He sat quietly on the horse, looking at the highlands emerging from the sea of ​​fog, and there was a kind of hard-to-find happiness on his fierce face, just like the self-satisfaction that lucky teenagers in love often show.The marshals stood silently behind him, fearing to distract him.Now and then he looked at Platts Heights, and now and then at the sun breaking through the mist.

When the sun had come fully out of the mist, and the sun was shining brightly on the fields and the mist, and as if waiting for his moment to strike, he took off the gloves from his handsome, white hands and greeted his marshal They waved.The order to fight was issued, and the marshals took their adjutants to convey the attack order in different directions. A few minutes later, the main force of the French army rushed to the Platz Heights with lightning speed, and as the Russian army continued to retreat to The valley on the left, Platts Heights, is getting more and more empty.

[fifteen]
At eight o'clock the Commander-in-Chief rode off to the village of Platz in front of Miloradovich's fourth column.Duke Andrele followed behind him.Duke Andrele felt very happy, very angry, and at the same time very calm, as one feels when a long-awaited moment is approaching.He firmly believes that today is the day when his wish will come true.He foresees that he will be sent to the most dangerous place, he thought: "There, I will charge into the battle, regardless of personal safety, and smash everything in front of me."

In the village of Platts, the entourage felt that Kotusov was in a bad mood today.An Austrian officer rode up to the commander and said that the emperor had asked whether the fourth column was in battle. The commander-in-chief did not answer, but sent André to order the third division to halt its advance and get ready for battle.

At this time, cheers sounded vaguely behind the commander-in-chief, and the sound was transmitted along the advancing Russian troops from far to near. Obviously, the person receiving the salute was moving forward at a fast horse.When the troops behind Kotusov began to cheer loudly, Kotusov steered his horse aside, looked back with a frown.A group of cavalry in gorgeous costumes galloped out of the village of Platts. The two riders walking in the forefront, one in black uniform and white tasseled cap, rode a white horse, the other in white uniform, rode Holding a mighty red horse, the one who comes is the emperor of the two countries.Kotusov posed like an old soldier from the front, shouted to his troops: "Attention!" and raised his hands in salute, walking towards the emperor.His whole figure and manner suddenly changed, and he became like a submissive child.He went forward to pay homage to the emperor with a very flattering air, which obviously displeased the emperor a little.

"Why haven't you attacked yet, Mikhail Ilarionovich?" Emperor Alexander said eagerly to the commander, looking politely at Emperor Franz.

"I'm waiting for the opportunity, Your Majesty." The commander bowed his head and replied.The emperor frowned slightly, and tilted his ears forward, as if he didn't understand. "I am waiting, Sire, the column is not yet in place," repeated the commander, and Duke Andrée observed that the commander's lips quivered involuntarily when he said "I am waiting."

The emperor understood this time, but he was very dissatisfied with the answer, he shrugged his slightly hunchbacked shoulders.

"Be clear that we are not on the parade ground, Mikhail Ilarionovich, the parade cannot begin until the regiments are in place," said the Emperor, who looked Emperor Franz in the eyes as if inviting him Participate in the matter, or at least see his opinion, but Emperor Franz is still looking around and not listening to him.

"That's why I didn't start, Your Majesty," the commander-in-chief said loudly, as if he was afraid that people would not understand, and there was some tremor on his face, "It is precisely because we are not in a military parade or an exercise ground, so I didn't start, Your Majesty." He said word by word.

The emperor's attendants immediately glanced at each other, and their faces showed displeasure and reproach.These faces seem to say: "No matter how old he is, he can't talk to the emperor like this."

The Emperor looked intently into the Commander's eyes to see if he had anything to say.The commander bowed his head respectfully, as if he was also waiting.There was probably silence for a few minutes.

"However, Your Majesty, if you give the order..." the commander raised his head and said, his tone was the same as before, appearing clumsy, thoughtless and obedient.

He called for the column commander, Miloradovich, and told the troops to move on.

[sixteen]
The Commander-in-Chief, accompanied by his adjutants, rode slowly behind the Lancers. "Look, look," suddenly exclaimed an adjutant, "French troops!" Duke André immediately saw the dense French column on the lower right, which was only five hundred paces from where the commander-in-chief stood.Suddenly, everything was covered by gunpowder smoke, and intense gunshots rang out nearby.A panicked voice shouted: "Comrades, the situation is not good!" The voice sounded like an order, and everyone ran back when they heard the shout.

A chaotic rout is hard to stop, and it's impossible not to run back with the crowd.But the Commander stood still, did not speak, and produced a handkerchief, bleeding from his cheek.The Duke Andrei pressed up to him.

"Are you wounded, Commander?" asked the Duke d'Andrew, his jaw trembling.

"The injury is not here, but over there!" The commander pressed his handkerchief on the injured cheek and said, pointing to the running soldiers.

"Stop them!" he cried, and, as if not convinced that they could be stopped, he rode off to the right.The soldiers continued to retreat, leaving only four of Kotusov's attendants.Everyone looked pale and looked at each other wordlessly.The French spotted the commander and started shooting at him.

"Ah... ah!" The commander shouted with a look of despair, and looked around again. "Bolkonski," he whispered, his voice trembling with the awareness of his own feebleness, "Bolkonski," he pointed to the retreating soldiers and then to the enemy, in a low voice Said, "How could this be?"

Before the commander had finished speaking, Duke Andrei felt tears of shame welling up in his eyes, and a pang of anger in his chest.He jumped off his horse and ran towards the flag.

"Go forward, brethren!" he cried in a child's thin voice. "Here is his chance!" thought the Duke André, as he seized the flagstaff and listened with pleasure to the whoosh of the bullets that were fired at him.Several fighters fell.

(End of this chapter)