Chapter 11 Chapter Eleven

The next day, the king stayed in Visau.The king summoned Villiers, the physician several times.News of the king's eucharistic malaise was reported from the headquarters and nearby troops.He hadn't eaten and couldn't sleep peacefully at night, and his cronies all mentioned this.The reason for the king's eucharistic discomfort is that he was deeply moved by the sight of the dead and wounded soldiers, and thus made a strong impression. At dawn on the 17th, a French officer was escorted from the outpost to Visau. He came with the banner of a military envoy and asked to see the king.The officer was Savary.The king had just fallen asleep, so Savary had to wait.At noon he was admitted to the Emperor, and an hour later he set off with Prince Dolgorukov to the French outpost.

According to reports, Savary was sent to Russia to advise Emperor Alexander to meet Napoleon.The proposal to meet privately has been rejected, much to the joy and pride of the Army.Duke Dolgorukov, the victor of the Battle of Visau, accepted the dispatch order and together with Savary went to meet Napoleon instead of the Russian emperor to hold negotiations. I hope this negotiation is contrary to expectations and the two sides can have peace sincerity. At night Dolgorukov came back, went straight to the king, and remained alone with him for a long time. On November 18th and 19th, the troops marched non-stop for two days and nights. After a brief exchange of fire, the enemy's outposts retreated.From noon on the 19th, the upper echelons of the army began to carry out very tense and busy activities, which continued until the next day-the morning of November 20th, when they launched a very memorable Battle of Austerlitz.

Until noon on the 19th, people were only carrying out activities in the headquarters of the two emperors. They talked enthusiastically, or ran around, or sent several adjutants out.After noon that day, activity spread to Kutuzov's headquarters and to the headquarters of the column commander.In the evening this activity was spread by the adjutant to all branches of the army.On the 19th, the coalition troops with 80,000 horses got up from the camp, laughing loudly, crowded with people, like a giant oil painting ten miles long, and set off in a mighty way. The concerted activity which began early in the morning in the headquarters of the two emperors, was like the first activity initiated by the central main wheel of the great clock on the tower, which gave impetus to all subsequent activities.One main wheel rotates slowly, and the second and third rotate accordingly. These large gears, pulleys, and small gears rotate more and more rapidly, and the chiming clock starts to chime to announce the time. to move around and display the results of the operation.

Whether it is a clock or a military machine, it is difficult to stop once it is started, and the final result is bound to be obtained. Some parts that have not yet operated are also stagnant before the transmission.The gears on the axle creaked, the spinning pulley hissed as it turned rapidly, and the adjacent gear stood still, as if it would stand still for hundreds of years, but when it came time to move, it was caught The lever seized, and then obeyed the law of motion, turning with a creaking noise, merging into a common turning whose result and purpose it did not understand. Just as the result of the combined rotation of countless different gears and pulleys in a clock is only the slow and uniform movement of the hour hand, so the complex movements of these 160,000 Russian and French soldiers--all the passions of these men Wishes, remorse, humiliation, pain, arrogance, terror, and ecstasy - the results could only lead to the defeat of the battle of Austerlitz, the battle waged by the so-called three emperors, where the clock of world history is on the dial of human history. Slow movement on top.

Prince Andrew was on duty that day and never left the commander-in-chief. At five o'clock in the afternoon Kutuzov arrived at the emperor's headquarters, and after a short stay with the king he went to Count Tolstoy, minister of court affairs. Bolkonsky took this opportunity to drop by Dolgorukov to inquire about the details of the campaign.Prince Andrew felt that Kutuzov was somehow very disappointed, and he was very dissatisfied.Everyone in the base camp expressed dissatisfaction with him, and the people in the emperor's base camp used that tone when dealing with him. It sounded like some people knew things that others didn't, so he wanted to talk to Dolgolu Cove talk.

"How do you do, my dear," said Dolgorukov and Bilibin, as they sat together over tea, "tomorrow is a holiday. How is your old man? Is he in a bad mood?" "I'm not saying he's in a bad mood, I'm saying he wants to be heard." "However, everyone has heard him speak at the military council. As long as he speaks serious words, everyone will still listen to him; but when Bonaparte is now most afraid of a big war, delaying and waiting are not acceptable." "Yes, did you see him?" said Prince Andrew. "Well, what about Bonaparte? What impression did he make on you?"

"Yes, I have seen and believed that what he fears most in this world is a great war," repeated Dolgorukov, evidently cherishing the general conclusion he had reached during his meeting with Napoleon. "If he's not afraid of a big fight, why would he ask for this meeting, why should he be negotiating; mainly why would he retreat, and retreat would be against his whole way of fighting, wouldn't he? Believe me, he's afraid, Fearing a great war, the time has come for him to suffer. These are the words I want to say to you." "But tell me, please, what kind of man is he?" Prince Andrey asked again.

"He was a man in a gray frock coat who wanted me to say 'Your Majesty' to his displeasure because he didn't have any titles that I bestowed upon him. He was such a man that he had nothing else to say That's right," replied Dolgorukov, looking at Bilibin with a smile. "Although I have great respect for old Kutuzov," he went on, "it would be hard if we just bided our time and let Bonaparte take the opportunity to escape or deceive us, and now he does fall on us. On hand. No, Suvorov and his code of conduct should not be forgotten: do not put yourself in a position to be attacked, make an attack yourself. Believe me, the vigor of young people is often better in war than the experience of indecisive old people Can point the way more firmly."

"But from what position we are attacking him: I have been to the outposts today and cannot tell where his main force is," said Prince Andrew. He wanted to tell Dolgorukov the plan he had drawn up. "Well, it's all the same," Dolgorukov said hastily, standing up, opening the map on the table, "everything is foreseen, and if he is stationed near Brunn..." Prince Dolgorukov gave a hurried and unclear account of Weirother's plan for a flanking maneuver. Prince Andrei began to dissent, proving that his plan was comparable to that of Weirother's, which, unfortunately, had already passed.Prince Andrew had at first proved the flaws of the plan, the superiority of his own, and Dolgorukov stopped listening to him, was absent-minded, looked up not at the map, but at Prince Andrew's face.

"However, Kutuzov is holding a military council today, where you can tell the whole story," said Dolgorukov. "I will take care of it," said Prince Andrew, walking away from the map. "Gentlemen, what are your concerns?" said Bilibin, listening to their conversation with a pleasant smile until now, evidently wanting to joke now. "Tomorrow, victory or defeat, the glory of the Russian Armed Forces is assured. Apart from your Kutuzov, there is no longer a Russian column commander. There are such officers: Herrgeneral Wimpfen, le comte de Langeron, leprince de Lichtenstein, leprince de HohenloeetenfinPrsch ...prsch...etainsidesuite, commetouslesnomspolonais."①

"Taisezvous, mauvaiselangue." ② Dolgorukov said, "what you say is a lie, there are already two Russians: Miloradovich and Dokhturov, and there may be a third One, that is Count Arakcheyev, but his nerves are weak." "But I think Mikhail Illarionovitch has come out," said Prince Andrew. "Gentlemen, I wish you happiness and success," he added, shaking the hands of Dolgorukov and Bilibin, and went out. When Prince Andrei returned, he couldn't help himself, and asked Kutuzov, who was sitting silently beside him, what he thought about tomorrow's battle? Kutuzov looked gravely at his adjutant, was silent for a moment, and replied: "I think the battle is lost, and I told Count Tolstoy the same, and asked him to pass it on to the king. What do you think he said to me? Eh, moncher general, Jememelederizetdescotelettes, melezvousdesaffairesdelaguerre, 3 Yes, that's what he answered me!" -------- ①French and German: Herr General Wimpfen, Count Langeron, Duke Lichtenstein, Duke Hohenlohe and Pursch...Pursch...all Polish names. ②French: Those who love to tell stories, please shut up. ③French: Lovely General!I'm busy cooking, making meatballs, and you're studying the military.