NINE DAYS after the abandonment of Moscow, a courier from Kutuzov reached Petersburg with the official news of the surrender of Moscow. This courier was a Frenchman, Michaud, who did not know Russian, yet was, “though a foreigner, Russian in heart and soul,” as he used to say of himself.
The Tsar at once received the messenger in his study in the palace of Kamenny island. Michaud, who had never seen Moscow before the campaign, and did not know a word of Russian, yet felt deeply moved when he came before “notre très gracieux souverain” (as he wrote) with the news of the burning of Moscow, whose flames illumined his route.
Though the source of M. Michaud's sorrow must indeed have been different from that to which the grief of Russian people was due, Michaud had such a melancholy face when he was shown into the Tsar's study that the Tsar asked him at once:
“Do you bring me sad news, colonel?”
“Very sad, sire, the surrender of Moscow,” answered Michaud, casting his eyes down with a sigh.
“Can they have surrendered my ancient capital without a battle?” the Tsar asked quickly, suddenly flushing.
Michaud respectfully gave the message he had been commanded to give from Kutuzov, that is, that there was no possibility of fighting before Moscow, and that seeing there was no chance but either to lose the army and Moscow or to lose Moscow alone, the commander-in-chief had been obliged to choose the latter.
The Tsar listened without a word, not looking at Michaud.
“Has the enemy entered the city?” he asked.
“Yes, sire, and by now the city is in ashes. I left it all in flames,” said Michaud resolutely; but glancing at the Tsar, Michaud was horrified at what he had done. The Tsar was breathing hard and rapidly, his lower lip was twitching, and his fine blue eyes were for a moment wet with tears.
But that lasted only a moment. The Tsar suddenly frowned, as though vexed with himself for his own weakness; and raising his head, he addressed Michaud in a firm voice:
“I see, colonel, from all that is happening to us that Providence requires great sacrifices of us. I am ready to submit to His will in everything; but tell me, Michaud, how did you leave the army, seeing my ancient capital thus abandoned without striking a blow? Did you not perceive discouragement?”
Seeing that his most gracious sovereign had regained his composure, Michaud too regained his; but to the Tsar's direct question of a matter of fact which called for a direct answer, he had not yet an answer ready. “Sire, will you permit me to speak frankly, as a loyal soldier?” he said, to gain time.
“Colonel, I always expect it,” said the Tsar. “Hide nothing from me; I want to know absolutely how it is.”
“Sire!” said Michaud, with a delicate, scarcely perceptible smile on his lips, as he had now had time to prepare his answer in the form of a light and respectful play of words. “Sire! I left the whole army, from the commanders to the lowest soldier without exception, in extreme, in desperate terror.”
“How so?” the Tsar interrupted, frowning sternly. “My Russians let themselves be cast down by misfortune?…Never…”
This was just what Michaud was waiting for to get in his phrases.
“Sire,” he said, with a respectful playfulness of expression, “they fear only that your majesty through goodness of heart may let yourself be persuaded to make peace. They burn to fight,” said the plenipotentiary of the Russian people, “and to prove to your majesty by the sacrifice of their lives how devoted they are…”
“Ah!” said the Tsar, reassured, slapping Michaud on the shoulder, with a friendly light in his eyes. “You tranquillise me, colonel…”
The Tsar looked down, and for some time he was silent. “Well, go back to the army,” he said, drawing himself up to his full height and with a genial and majestic gesture addressing Michaud, “and tell our brave fellows, tell all my good subjects wherever you go, that when I have not a soldier left, I will put myself at the head of my dear nobility, of my good peasants, and so use the last resources of my empire. It offers me still more than my enemies suppose,” said the Tsar, more and more stirred. “But if it should be written in the decrees of divine Providence,” he said, and his fine, mild eyes, shining with emotion, were raised towards heaven, “that my dynasty should cease to reign on the throne of my ancestors, then after exhausting every means in my power, I would let my beard grow to here” (the Tsar put his hand halfway down his breast), “and go and eat potatoes with the meanest of my peasants rather than sign the shame of my country and my dear people, whose sacrifice I know how to appreciate.” Uttering these words in a voice of much feeling, the Tsar turned quickly away, as though wishing to conceal from Michaud the tears that were starting into his eyes, and he walked to the further end of his study. After standing there some instants, he strode back to Michaud, and with a vigorous action squeezed his arm below the elbow. The Tsar's fine, mild face was flushed, and his eyes gleamed with energy and anger. “Colonel Michaud, do not forget what I say to you here; perhaps one day we shall recall it with pleasure.…Napoleon or me,” he said, touching his breast, “we can no longer reign together. I have learned to know him. He will not deceive me again…” And the Tsar paused, frowning. Hearing these words, seeing the look of firm determination in the Tsar's eyes, Michaud, though a foreigner, Russian in heart and soul, felt (as he used to recount later) at that solemn moment moved to enthusiasm by what he had just heard; and in the following phrase he sought to give expression to his own feelings and those of the Russian people, whose representative he considered himself to be.
“Sire!” he said, “your majesty is signing at this moment the glory of the nation and the salvation of Europe!”
With a motion of his head the Tsar dismissed Michaud.
放弃莫斯科九天之后，库图佐夫派出的信使携带放弃莫斯科的正式报告来到彼得堡。信使是法国人米绍，不懂俄语，但他quoiqueétranger，Russedecoeuretd'ame（虽是外国人，心灵深处却是俄国人），他是这样评说自己的。
皇上立刻在石岛皇宫中的书斋接见了信使。米绍在战事发生之前从未亲眼看到莫斯科，也不懂俄语，在他带着莫斯科大火的消息，dontlesflammesèclairaientsaroute（火光照亮了他的旅途），觐见notretrèsgracieuxsouverain（我们最仁慈的君主）时，——如他所描述——，他自己仍然十分感动。
虽然米绍先生的chagrin（悲伤）与俄国人的悲伤本来不是出于同一的根源，但当他被引进皇上的书斋时，他带着一付悲戚的面容，皇上立即向他发问：
“M'apportezvousdetristesnouvelles，colonel？“Bientristes，sire，”米绍回答，叹着气垂下眼睛，“l'aban－dondeMoscou．”
“Auraitonlivrémnoanciennecapitalesanssebattre？”①皇上勃然大怒，话说得很快。
米绍恭敬地禀报了库图佐夫的命令他转达的内容，即：在莫斯科城下作战是不可能的，因为二者必择其一，或则损失军队又损失莫斯科，或则只损失莫斯科，陆军元帅应该选择后者。
皇上两眼不看米绍，默默地听完他的禀报。
“L'ennemiest—ilenville？”皇上问道。
“Oui，sire，etelleestencendresàl'heurequ'ilest．Jel'ailaisséetoutenflammes．”②米绍果断地说；但他朝皇上看了一眼之后，为他自己的举措吓坏了。皇上开始急促而沉重的呼吸，他的下嘴唇在抖动，美丽的蓝眼睛顿时被泪水湿润了。
①“您带给我怎样的消息？坏消息吗？上校？” “很坏的消息呢，陛下，放弃了莫斯科。” “难道是不战而让出我的古都？”
②“敌人进城了吗？” “是的，陛下，此刻莫斯科已化为灰烬。我离开它时，大火舌噬着它。”
但这只持续了一分钟。皇上突然皱紧眉头，仿佛责备自己的懦弱。他抬起头来用坚定的语气对米绍说：
“Jevois，colonel，partoutcequinousarrive，”他说，“quelaprovidenceexigedegrandssacrificesdenous……Jesuisprêtmesoumettreàtoutessesvolontés；maisditesmoi，Mich－aud，commentavez—vouslaissél'armée，envoyantainsi，sanscoupférir，abandonnermonanciennecapitale？
N'avezvouspasapercudude'couragement？…”①
米绍看到自己的trèsgracieuxsouverain（最仁慈的君主）平静下来，他也平静下来，但是并未准备好即刻回答皇上要求他正面回答的实质性问题。
“Sire，mepermettrez—vousdevousparlerfranchementenloyalmilitaire？”他为了赢得时间才这样说。
“Colonel，jel'exigetoujours．”②皇上说，“Nemecachezrien，jeveuxsavoirabsolumentcequ'ilenest．”③“Sire！”米绍嘴角上露出含蓄的几乎不易察觉的微笑说，终于准备好一句轻松的恭敬的jeudemots（俏皮话）来回答他。“Sire！J'ailaissétoutel'arméedepuisleschefsjusqu'auderniersoldat，sansexception，dansunecrainteépouvantable，effrayante…”④
“Commentca？”⑤皇上威严地皱起眉头，打断他的话。
①上校，我从所发生的一切看出，上帝要我们付出重大牺牲……我准备服从他的意旨；但请告诉我，米绍，军队既不战而退出我的古都，那现在军队的情形又怎样呢？您有没有注意到士气的低落？……
②陛下，您允许我照一个忠实军人的本份那样坦白地说话吗？ 上校，我一贯这样要求。
③什么也别隐瞒，我一定要知道全部真相。
④陛下，我离开队伍时，从各长官到每一士兵，毫不例处地都陷入深深的绝望的恐怖中……
⑤怎么会那样？
“MesRusseselaisseront—ilsabattreparlemalheur…Jamais！…①米绍专等这个机会来插进他的俏皮话。
“Sire，”他带着恭敬而快活的神态说，“ilscraignentseule－mentquevotreMajestéparbontédecoeurneselaissepersuaderdefairelapaix．Ilsbrùlentdecombattre，”这位俄国人民的全权代表说，“etdeprouveràvotreMajestéparlesacrificedeleurvie，combienilsluisontdevoués……”②“Ah！”皇上大感安慰，他眼里闪着柔和的光芒，拍拍米绍的肩膀说。“Vousmetronquillisez，colonel．”③
皇上低下头，沉默了片刻。
“Ehbien，retournezál'armée．”④他伸直整个身子，打着温和而尊严的手势对米绍说。“etditesànosbraves，ditesátousmesbonssujetspartoutoùvouspasserez，quequandjen'auraisplusaucunsoldat，jememettrai，moi—même，àlatêtedemachèrenoblesse，demesbonspaysansetj'useraiainsijusqu'àladernièreressourcedemonempire．Ilm'enoffreencoreplusquemesennemisnepensent，”⑤皇上越来越兴奋地说。“Maissijamaisilfutécritdanslesdécretsdeladivineprovidence，”⑥他抬起他那俊秀的温和的闪烁着激情的光辉的眼睛望着天空说道，“quemadynastiedutcesserderégnersurletronedemesancêtres，alors，aprèsavoirépuisétouslesmoyensquisontenmonpouvoir，jemelaisseraicroitrelabarbejusqu'ici（皇上用手在胸口比了比），etj'iraimangerdespommesdeterreavecledernierdemespaysansplulot，quedesignerlahontedemapatrieetdemachèrenation，dontjesaisapprécierlessacrifices！…”⑦皇上用激动的嗓音说完这些话后突然转过身去，像是要米绍看不见他那涌出眼眶的泪水，朝书斋深处走去。在那里停了几秒钟后，他大步走回米绍身旁，用有力的动作按住他的下臂。皇上那张俊秀的和霭的脸涨得通红、眼里射出意志坚定的愤怒的光芒。
①难道我的俄国人会在失败面前灰心丧气……绝不可能！……
②陛下，他们只怕陛下凭一片善心与敌方缔结和约呢。他们急于重新投入战斗用牺牲他们的性命来对陛下表明他们是多么忠诚……
③噢，您使我放下心了，上校。
④那末好啦，回军队去吧。
⑤在您所到之外，请告诉我们的勇士，告诉我的全体臣民，如果到了我连一个战士也不剩下的地步，我将亲自率领可爱的贵族和善良的农夫，不惜用尽我国的最后资源投入战斗。这些资源比我的敌人所想象的还要多。
⑥但是，万一天意注定。
⑦我这一朝将中止在我祖先的宝座上继续执政，那末，在用尽我手中的资源以后，我宁愿让我的胡子长到这里（皇帝用手在胸口比了比），去同我的农民一道吃同样的土豆，也绝不签署有辱我的祖国和我亲爱的人民的和约，我知道如何珍惜他们的牺牲！
“ColonelMichaud，n'oubliezpascequejevousdisici；peut－êtrequ'unjournousnouslerappelleronsavecplaisir…Napolêonoumoi，”皇帝用手按着胸口说。“NousnepouBvonsplusrégnerensemble．J'aiapprisáleconnaitre，ilnemetromperaplus…”①于是，皇上皱起眉头沉默下来。米绍听到这番话，看到皇上眼里流露的坚定的表情，他虽是外国人，但心里深处是俄国人，感到自己在这庄严的时刻entousiasmépartoutcequ'ilvenaitd'entender，”②（如他后来所说），他用以下一句话来表达自己的感情，即是俄国人民的感情，他认为他是俄国人民的全权代表。
①米绍上校，别忘了我在这里说的话；也许，将来我们会愉快地回忆起这些话……有拿破仑就没有我……我们两人不能同时执政。我现在认清他了，而他再也骗不了我啦……
②被听到的一切激起一阵狂喜，对此极为赞赏。
“Sire，”他说，“votreMajestésignedanscemonentlagloiredesanationtelesalutdeI'Europe！”
皇上御头一偏，让米绍走了。
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