Chapter 19 Chapter Nineteen

On the evening of September 1, Kutuzov issued an order for the Russian army to retreat to the Ryazan road via Moscow. The first troops were mobilized at night, and this night march was slow and solemn, but when the troops that set out at dawn were about to reach the Dorogomilov Bridge, they looked forward, and on the other side, there was a crowded The troops rushing across the bridge, and on this side, are the troops congesting the streets and alleys, and behind the team, there is a huge team that can't see the end.Unwarranted haste and panic reigned in the army.Everyone is scrambling to get to the bridgehead, to get on the bridge, or to the shallows, to get on the ferry.Kutuzov ordered his entourage to drive the carriage round the back streets to the other side of Moscow.

By ten o'clock in the morning on September 2, only the rear guard remained on the Dorogomilov field.Troops have reached the other side of Moscow, and some have reached beyond Moscow. Meanwhile, at ten o'clock in the morning on September 2nd, Napoleon stood with his army on the Poklonn hill, watching the landscape that opened before him.From August 26th to September 2nd, it means nothing. Afterwards, Song Confucians generally believed that there was no need to set up Taiji above or beyond it. From the Battle of Borodino to the enemy's occupation of Moscow, All the days of this frightening and memorable week were uncommon and startlingly good autumn, when the low sun shone warmer than in spring, and everything shone and dazzled in the clear clear air. , to breathe this clean air, so refreshing and comforting to the heart, and even the nights are warm, and it is a surprise and a joy to have golden stars falling from the sky now and then during the dark and warm nights of the week.

At ten o'clock in the morning on September 2, the weather was like this.The morning light is magical.Moscow stretches out from the Poklonn Hills, with meandering rivers, dotted with gardens and churches, and the vaults of houses twinkle like stars in the sun, and it seems to be living its daily life. Facing the strange city with strange architectural styles that he had never seen before, Napoleon inevitably felt a little jealous and uneasy curiosity, just like people face the alien way of life that is separated from each other.Evidently, the city was still running at full throttle and running as usual, and from the vague signs in the distance, he could still unmistakably distinguish the living body from the dead body, Napoleon watched from the Poklonn To the pulse of life in the city, it seems that this huge and beautiful body is breathing.

Any Russian, when looking at Moscow, will feel that it is a mother; any foreigner, when looking at it, if he does not understand the connotation of its mother Napoleon also felt the femininity of the city. "Cettevilleasiatiqueauxinnombrableseglises, Moscoulasainte. La-voiladoncenfin, cettefameuseville! Iletaittemps," said Napoleon, climbing down from the saddle, ordering the map of the Moscue to be spread out to him, and calling to him the interpreter, Lelogne Dudeville. "Unevilleoccupeparl'ennemiressembieaunefillequaperdusonhonneur," he thought (as he said to Tuchkov in Smolensk).At the same time, from this point of view, he looked at the oriental beauty lying at his feet, which he had never seen before.He himself finds it strange that his long-awaited wish, which once seemed impossible, has finally come true.In the bright morning light, he looked now at the city and now at the map, examining the details of the city, thrilled and terrified by the firm determination to occupy it.

"Could it not be so?" he thought. "This is it, this capital; it lies at my feet, waiting for doom. Where is Alexander now, and what is he thinking? Strange beautiful and majestic city What a strange and solemn moment! How am I going to meet them?" He thought of his army. "This is it—the reward for all officers and soldiers who are not loyal enough," he thought, scanning the surroundings, and walking. Gather the assembled team. "One word, one show of my hand, and this ancient capital of desczars is finished. Maismaclmenceesttoujoursprompteadescendresurlesvaimcus4. I should be generous and really great... But no, no, I am not real in Moscow," the thought suddenly appeared in his mind. "But it is plain at my feet, showing off its golden vaults and crosses in the sun. But I will spare it. On the old monument of barbarism and strangeness, I will write the great words of justice and mercy... . . . that is what Alexander understood best, and I know him. (Napoleon felt that the main significance of what was going on was his personal struggle with Alexander.) From the towers of the Kremlin,—yes, This is the Kremlin, yes - I will issue just laws, I will tell them what true civilization means, and I will make generations of ministers remember the name of the conqueror with love. I will tell the delegation , I did not and do not want war; I am only waging a war against the wrong policy of their court, I love Alexander and respectfully, I will accept in Moscow the terms of peace consistent with my dignity and the dignity of my people. I do not want to take advantage of the war to humiliate Your Majesty. Ministers - I tell them - I do not want war, and I want peace and well-being for all my subjects. And, I know, that their presence is a pleasure to me, and I will speak as I have always said , speak to them clearly, solemnly and greatly. But is it true that I have arrived in Moscow? Yes, that is it!”

-------- ① There are countless churches in this Asian city, Moscow, their holy Moscow!Finally arrived at this famous city!The time has come. ②A city occupied by the enemy is like a maiden who has lost her virginity. ③The tsars of all dynasties. ④ But my mercy is always ready to bestow upon the defeated. "Qu'onm'ameneles boyars," he said to his attendants.A general with a handsome retinue immediately rode to call the Russian minister. -------- ① Go and summon the ministers. Two hours passed.Napoleon had eaten his breakfast, and stood where he had just stood on the Poklon hill, waiting for the delegation.The speech to the Russian minister already had a clear outline in his mind.The speech was full of dignity, full of greatness as Napoleon understood it.

Napoleon admired himself quite a bit in the tolerant tone he set for his actions in Moscow.He fixed in his mind the date of union dans le palais desczars, when the dignitaries of Russia would meet with the dignitaries of the emperor of France.He mentally appointed a governor, someone who could win over the inhabitants.Knowing that there were many benevolent institutions in Moscow, he resolved in imagination that all of them should benefit from his bounty.He thought that as in Africa one needs to sit in a mosque in a cloak and cloak, so in Moscow one needs to be as merciful as a tsar.In order to touch the heart of Russia thoroughly, he, like every Frenchman, could think of no emotional words except for machre, matender, mapauvremre, so he decided to write in capital letters at his command in all these institutions. : Etablissementdedieamachere③.No, just write: Maison de mamere, at his own discretion. "Have I arrived in Moscow? Yes, it's under my feet, so why hasn't the city delegation shown up for so long?" he thought to himself, while behind the emperor's retinue the generals and marshals lowered their voices The discussion started excitedly.The attendants who went to ask the delegation brought back news that Moscow was empty, and all the people left in cars, in cars and on foot.The faces of the generals who gathered together to discuss turned pale with anger.They were alarmed, not by the evacuation of Moscow (however important that might be), but by the terms in which the emperor should be explained why he would not be in that dreadful situation which the French call a ridicule. , how to explain to him that he had waited so long in vain, that there was no sign of the Russian minister, only groups of drunks, and no one else.Some people said that in any case, a delegation should be called at random.Some people refuted this opinion, saying that they should act cautiously and skillfully, so that the emperor was prepared, and then told the truth.

-------- ① Imperial meeting. ②My dear, gentle, poor mother. ③ An institution to commemorate my gentle mother. - My mother's house. ④ Embarrassment. "Ilfaudraleluidiretoutdememe..." said the aides. "Maismessieurs..." ②The situation became more serious, because the emperor was deliberating on his benevolent plan, sometimes approaching the map patiently, and sometimes looking at the road to Moscow with a tent in his hands, smiling happily and proudly. "Maisc'est impossible . . . " shrugged the aides, hesitating for fear of uttering the dreaded word that everyone thought: leridicule  …

-------- ①But you have to tell him... ②But gentlemen... ③ But inconvenient... Impossible... Then the Emperor, weary with vain waiting, sensed with an actor's keenness that solemn moments were being dragged on too long and were beginning to lose their dignity, and he made a gesture.The monotonous sound of the signal guns was fired, and the besieging troops marched into Moscow through the gates of Tver, Kaluzhsky, and Dorogomilov.The army walked faster and faster, chasing each other, advancing at a brisk pace or trot, gradually disappearing in the dust and mist raised by their own footsteps, and the collective roar shook the sky.

Fascinated by the march of the army, Napoleon rode with the team to the Dorogomilov gate, but stopped there again, dismounted and walked back and forth by the earthen wall of the branch for a while, waiting for the delegation.