Chapter 4 Chapter Four

At two o'clock in the middle of the night on June 13, the Emperor summoned Balashov, read to him the letter he had written to Napoleon, and ordered the letter to be delivered to the French Emperor himself.When Balashev was dispatched, the Emperor repeated to him the words that he would not make peace as long as one armed enemy remained on Russian soil, and ordered Balashev to convey this to Napoleon. sentence.The emperor did not include this in his letter to Napoleon, because he, in his manner, found it inappropriate to say such words in an attempt at reconciliation; but he ordered Balashev to convey this to Napoleon himself. sentence.

On the night of the thirteenth, Balashev set off with a trumpeter and two Cossacks. Before dawn, he arrived at the French outpost village on the right bank of the Nieman River. He was stopped by the French cavalry. A hussar sergeant (sergeant) in a crimson uniform and a shaggy cap ordered the approaching Balashev to stop.Balashov did not stop immediately, but continued to walk slowly along the road. The sergeant frowned and muttered curses, Tima blocked Balashov, holding a saber in his hand, and rudely reprimanded the Russian general Shui's "Guan Zi".He thinks that water is the origin of all things and the clan of all living beings; he asked him if he is deaf and cannot hear what is said to him.Balashov announced his identity.The sergeant sent a soldier to find the officer.

The non-commissioned officer ignored Balashev and began talking to his colleagues about his team, without looking at the Russian general. Balashov, who had always been close to the highest authority, had spoken to the Emperor three hours before, was used to being respected by virtue of his position.And now on Russian soil he was amazed at such a hostile attitude, above all such rudeness towards him. As soon as the sun came up from behind the clouds, the air was fresh and dewy.The herds had been driven from the villages to the road.The larks sang loud and clear songs, one after another like bubbles in spring water, fluttering up from the field.

Balashov looked around himself while waiting for the officer from the village.The Russian Cossacks and trumpeters and the French hussars also looked at each other silently from time to time. A colonel of French hussars, apparently just up, came out of the village with two hussars on a handsome fat gray horse.Whether it's the officers, the soldiers, or their mounts, they all look triumphant and ostentatious. The army still had its neat peacetime appearance, almost as if it were preparing for a parade in peacetime, but the costumes had that air of excitement and sagacity that is often seen at the beginning of a war.This is the beginning of the war.

The French colonel tried his best not to yawn, but he was very polite, and it seemed that he understood the whole meaning of Balashev.He led Balashev around his own soldiers to the rear of the skirmisher line, and told him that his wish to see the Emperor would probably be granted soon, since, as far as he knew, the Emperor lived not far away. place. They passed by the hitching grounds of the French hussars, passed through the village of Recomte, past sentries and soldiers who saluted their colonel and looked curiously at the Russian uniforms, to the other side of the village.According to the colonel, the division commander was just two kilometers away, and he would receive Balashev and take him where he was going.

The sun had risen and shone merrily on the bright green grass. When they came to the back of a small tavern and were about to go up the hill, a group of people on horseback appeared at the foot of the hill. The leader was a black horse, the harness was shining in the sun, and the rider was tall and tall, with a hat stuck in his hat. Feather, black hair hanging down the shoulders, wearing a red cape-like dress, with two long legs stretched forward like a Frenchman riding a horse.The man galloped towards Balashov, the feathers on his hat, the jewels, and the gold ornaments glittered and fluttered in the June sun.

Balashev was only about two horses away from the horseman who was running towards him when the French colonel Urignier murmured respectfully, "Leroide Naples."The man had a dignified stage face, with bracelets, necklaces, and jewels all over his body.Sure enough, this was the Murat who was called King of Naples.Although why he was king of Naples is a matter of complete inexplicability, yet he was called that, and he himself was sure of it, and therefore appeared more dignified and great than before.He believed that he was really the king of Naples, and when he was walking with his wife in the street the day before his departure from Naples, some Italians shouted to him: "Vivailre!" ② Turning to his wife with a sad smile, he said: "Lesmalheureux, ilnesaventpasquejelesquittedemain!"③

-------- ① French: King of Naples. ② French: Long live the king! ③French: Poor people, they don't know that I'm leaving them tomorrow. Although he firmly believes that he is the king of Naples, and is sorry for the sorrow of the subjects who are about to part with him, but recently, after he was ordered to return to the army, especially after seeing Napoleon in Danzig (OHISUT), when the Supreme Brother-in-law told him Saying: "jevousaifaitroipourregneramamaniere, maispasalavoAtre," he happily pursued his familiar occupations, feeling himself harnessed like a fattened but not too fat horse, romping in the shafts, and dressed up. Possibly luxurious, joyful, triumphantly running along the Polish roads, not knowing where and why.

As soon as he saw the Russian general, he assumed the air of a king, raised his black-haired head majestically, and looked questioningly at the French colonel.The Colonel respectfully conveyed Balashov's mission to his Majesty, whose surname he could not name. "Barry Matherf!" said the king, overcoming the colonel's difficulties with his firm determination, "Charmed faire vot reconnaissance, general," he added, with royal magnanimity.The King spoke quickly and loudly at first, but in an instant his royal majesty faded away, and he unconsciously changed into his own familiar, easy-going tone.He put his hand on the mane of Balashov's mount.

"Enbien, general, toutestalaguerre, acepu'ilparait," he said, as if regretting the situation which he could not judge. -------- ①French: I made you king so that you could rule in my way and not in your own way. ②French: Nice to meet you, General. ③French: How about it, General, everything seems to be going to war. "Sire," replied Balashev, "I'empereurmoumal Atrenedesire pointlaguerre, et comme Votre Majestelevoit," said Balashev, slurring "Votremajeste," the appellation was still a novelty to the man called it, but It's a bit pretentious to use this appellation so much.

While listening to Herr Balashov's speech, Murat had a look of foolish triumph.But royauteoblige③, he felt that as king and ally, it was necessary to talk about national affairs with Alexander's envoy.He got off his horse, took Balashov's arm, and walked a few paces away from the waiting entourage, talking as meaningfully as he could.He mentioned that the Emperor Napoleon had been insulted by the demand for the withdrawal of troops from Prussia, especially since such demand had been made public and thus offended the dignity of France.Balashov said that there was nothing offensive about the request, because... Murat interrupted him: "So you don't think the mastermind was not the Emperor Alexander?" he said suddenly with a mild and foolish smile. Balashov said why he really thought Napoleon was the initiator of the war. "Eh, moncher general (ah, dear general)," Murat interrupted him again, "jedesiredetoutmoncoeurquelesempereurss'arrangententreeux, etquelaguerrecommenceemalgremoisetermineleplusfoAtpossible." The tone of the servant's conversation.Then he turned to inquiring about the Grand Duke, asking about his health, and recalling the pleasant and cheerful times he had spent with him in Naples.Then, as if suddenly awakened to the majesty of his king, Murat straightened up majestically, assumed a coronation posture, waved his right hand and said: "Jenevousretiensplus, general; jesouhaitelesuccesdevotremission." The embroidered red cloak and fine plumage, gleaming with jewels all over, went to the attendants who waited for him. -------- ①French: Your Majesty, the Emperor of Russia does not want war, Your Majesty knows it. ②French: Your Majesty. ③ French: As a king, he has his due obligations. ④ French: Ah, dear general, I sincerely hope that the two emperors can reach an agreement to end the war against my will as soon as possible. ⑤French: I will not delay you any longer, general; I wish you success in completing your mission. Balashev rode on and, judging from Murat's words, would soon meet Napoleon himself.But instead of that, in the next village he met a sentinel of Napoleon's Davu infantry corps, and as in the case of the forward skirmish line, he was stopped again, and an aide-de-camp was summoned to send him to the village. Go to Marshal Davu.