Book 2 Chapter 3

ON RETURNING from the review, Kutuzov, accompanied by the Austrian general, went to his private room, and calling his adjutant, told him to give him certain papers, relating to the condition of the newly arrived troops, and letters, received from Archduke Ferdinand, who was in command of the army at the front. Prince Andrey Bolkonsky came into the commander-in-chief's room with the papers he had asked for. Kutuzov and the Austrian member of the Hofkriegsrath were sitting over a plan that lay unfolded on the table.

“Ah!” … said Kutuzov, looking round at Bolkonsky; and inviting his adjutant, as it were, by his word to wait, he went on in French with the conversation.

“I have only one thing to say, general,” said Kutuzov, with an agreeable elegance of expression and intonation, that forced one to listen for each deliberately uttered word. It was evident that Kutuzov himself listened to his voice with pleasure. “I can only say one thing, that if the matter depended on my personal wishes, the desire of his majesty, the Emperor Francis, should long ago have been accomplished; I should long ago have joined the archduke. And, upon my honour, believe me that for me personally to hand over the chief command of the army to more experienced and skilful generals—such as Austria is so rich in—and to throw off all this weighty responsibility, for me personally would be a relief. But circumstances are too strong for us, general.” And Kutuzov smiled with an expression that seemed to say: “You are perfectly at liberty not to believe me, and indeed it's a matter of perfect indifference to me whether you believe me or not, but you have no grounds for saying so. And that's the whole point.” The Austrian general looked dissatisfied, but he had no choice but to answer Kutuzov in the same tone.

“On the contrary,” he said in a querulous and irritated voice, that contrasted with the flattering intention of the words he uttered; “On the contrary, the participation of your most high excellency in common action is highly appreciated by his majesty. But we imagine that the present delay robs the gallant Russian troops and their commander-in-chief of the laurels they are accustomed to winning in action,” he concluded a phrase he had evidently prepared beforehand.

Kutuzov bowed, still with the same smile.

“But I am convinced of this, and relying on the last letter with which his Highness the Archduke Ferdinand has honoured me, I imagine that the Austrian troops under the command of so talented a leader as General Mack, have by now gained a decisive victory and have no longer need of our aid,” said Kutuzov.

The general frowned. Though there was no positive news of the defeat of the Austrians, there were too many circumstances in confirmation of the unfavourable reports; and so Kutuzov's supposition in regard to an Austrian victory sounded very much like a sneer. But Kutuzov smiled blandly, still with the same expression, which seemed to say that he had a right to suppose so. And in fact the last letter he had received from the army of General Mack had given him news of victory, and of the most favourable strategical position of the army.

“Give me that letter,” said Kutuzov, addressing Prince Andrey. “Here, if you will kindly look”—and Kutuzov, with an ironical smile about the corners of his mouth, read in German the following passage from the letter of the Archduke Ferdinand:

“We have a force, perfectly kept together, of nearly 70,000 men, in order to attack and defeat the enemy if they should pass the Lech. As we are masters of Ulm, we cannot lose the advantage of remaining masters also of both sides of the Danube; and moreover able, should the enemy not cross the Lech, to pass over the Danube at any moment, throw ourselves upon their line of communications, recross the Danube lower down, and entirely resist the enemy's aim if they should attempt to turn their whole force upon our faithful ally. In this way we shall await courageously the moment when the Imperial Russian is ready, and shall then, in conjunction, easily find a possibility of preparing for the foe that fate which he so richly deserves.”

Kutuzov concluded this period with a heavy sigh and looked intently and genially at the member of the Hofkriegsrath.

“But you know, your excellency, the sage precept to prepare for the worst,” said the Austrian general, obviously wishing to have done with jests and to come to business. He could not help glancing round at the adjutant.

“Excuse me, general,” Kutuzov interrupted him, and he, too, turned to Prince Andrey. “Here, my dear boy, get all the reports from our scouts from Kozlovsky. Here are two letters from Count Nostits, here is a letter from his Highness the Archduke Ferdinand, here is another,” he said, giving him several papers. “And of all this make out clearly in French a memorandum showing all the information we have had of the movements of the Austrian Army. Well, do so, and then show it to his excellency.”

Prince Andrey bowed in token of understanding from the first word not merely what had been said, but also what Kutuzov would have liked to have said to him. He gathered up the papers, and making a comprehensive bow, stepped softly over the carpet and went out into the reception-room.

Although so short a time had passed since Prince Andrey had left Russia, he had changed greatly during that time. In the expression of his face, in his gestures, in his gait, there was scarcely a trace to be seen now of his former affectation, ennui, and indolence. He had the air of a man who has not time to think of the impression he is making on others, and is absorbed in work, both agreeable and interesting. His face showed more satisfaction with himself and those around him. His smile and his glance were more light-hearted and attractive.

Kutuzov, whom he had overtaken in Poland, had received him very cordially, had promised not to forget him, had marked him out among the other adjutants, had taken him with him to Vienna and given him the more serious commissions. From Vienna, Kutuzov had written to his old comrade, Prince Andrey's father.

“Your son,” he wrote, “gives promise of becoming an officer, who will make his name by his industry, firmness, and conscientiousness. I consider myself lucky to have such an assistant at hand.”

On Kutuzov's staff, among his fellow-officers, and in the army generally, Prince Andrey had, as he had had in Petersburg society, two quite opposite reputations. Some, the minority, regarded Prince Andrey as a being different from themselves and from all other men, expected great things of him, listened to him, were enthusiastic in his praise, and imitated him, and with such people Prince Andrey was frank and agreeable. Others, the majority, did not like Prince Andrey, and regarded him as a sulky, cold, and disagreeable person. But with the latter class, too, Prince Andrey knew how to behave so that he was respected and even feared by them.

Coming out of Kutuzov's room into the reception-room, Prince Andrey went in with his papers to his comrade, the adjutant on duty, Kozlovsky, who was sitting in the window with a book.

“What is it, prince?” queried Kozlovsky.

“I am told to make a note of the reason why we are not moving forward.”

“And why aren't we?”

Prince Andrey shrugged his shoulders

“No news from Mack?” asked Kozlovsky.

“No.”

“If it were true that he had been beaten, news would have come.”

“Most likely,” said Prince Andrey, and he moved towards the door to go out. But he was met on the way by a tall man who at that instant walked into the reception-room, slamming the door. The stranger, who had obviously just arrived, was an Austrian general in a long coat, with a black kerchief tied round his head, and the order of Maria Theresa on his neck. Prince Andrey stopped short.

“Commander-in-chief Kutuzov?” the general asked quickly, speaking with a harsh German accent. He looked about him on both sides, and without a pause walked to the door of the private room.

“The commander-in-chief is engaged,” said Kozlovsky, hurriedly going up to the unknown general and barring his way to the door. “Whom am I to announce?”

The unknown general looked disdainfully down at the short figure of Kozlovsky, as though surprised that they could be ignorant of his identity.

“The commander-in-chief is engaged,” Kozlovsky repeated tranquilly.

The general's face contracted, his lips twitched and quivered. He took out a notebook, hurriedly scribbled something in pencil, tore out the leaf, handed it to Kozlovsky, and with rapid steps walked to the window, dropped on to a chair and looked round at the persons in the room, as though asking what they were looking at him for. Then the general lifted his head, craned his neck forward as though intending to say something, but immediately, as though carelessly beginning to hum to himself, uttered a strange sound which broke off at once. The door of the private room opened, and Kutuzov appeared in the doorway.

The general with the bandaged head, bent forward as though fleeing from danger, strode towards Kutuzov, his thin legs moving swiftly.

“You see the unfortunate Mack,” he articulated in French in a breaking voice.

The face of Kutuzov, as he stood in the doorway, remained for several instants perfectly unmoved. Then a frown seemed to run over his face, like a wave, leaving his forehead smooth again; he bowed his head respectfully, closed his eyes, ushered Mack in before him without a word, and closed the door behind him.

The report, which had been in circulation before this, of the defeat of the Austrians and the surrender of the whole army at Ulm, turned out to be the truth. Within half an hour adjutants had been despatched in various directions with orders. It was evident that the Russian troops which had hitherto been inactive, were destined soon to meet the enemy.

Prince Andrey was one of those rare staff-officers whose interests were concentrated on the general progress of the war. On seeing Mack and learning the details of his overthrow, he grasped the fact that half the campaign was lost; he perceived all the difficulty of the position of the Russian troops, and vividly pictured to himself what lay before the Army, and the part he would have to play in the work in store for them. He could not help feeling a rush of joyful emotion at the thought of the humiliation of self-confident Austria, and the prospect within a week, perhaps, of seeing and taking part in the meeting of the Russians with the French, the first since Suvorov's day. But he was afraid of the genius of Bonaparte, which might turn out to be more powerful than all the bravery of the Russian troops; and at the same time he could not bear to entertain the idea of the disgrace of his favourite hero.

Excited and irritated by these ideas, Prince Andrey went towards his own room to write to his father, to whom he wrote every day. In the corridor he met Nesvitsky, the comrade with whom he shared a room, and the comic man, Zherkov. They were, as usual, laughing at some joke.

“What are you looking so dismal about?” asked Nesvitsky, noticing Prince Andrey's pale face and gleaming eyes.

“There's nothing to be gay about,” answered Bolkonsky.

Just as Prince Andrey met Nesvitsky and Zherkov, there came towards them from the other end of the corridor Strauch, an Austrian general, who was on Kutuzov's staff in charge of the provisioning of the Russian army, and the member of the Hofkriegsrath, who had arrived the previous evening. There was plenty of room in the wide corridor for the generals to pass the three officers easily. But Zherkov, pulling Nesvitsky back by the arm, cried in a breathless voice:

“They are coming! … they are coming! … move aside, make way! please, make way.”

The generals advanced with an air of wishing to avoid burdensome honours. The face of the comic man, Zherkov, suddenly wore a stupid smile of glee, which he seemed unable to suppress.

“Your Excellency,” he said in German, moving forward and addressing the Austrian general, “I have the honour to congratulate you.” He bowed, and awkwardly, as children do at dancing-lessons, he began scraping first with one leg and then with the other. The member of the Hofkriegsrath looked severely at him, but seeing the seriousness of his stupid smile, he could not refuse him a moment's attention. He screwed up his eyes and showed that he was listening.

“I have the honour to congratulate you. General Mack has arrived, quite well, only slightly wounded here,” he added, pointing with a beaming smile to his head.

The general frowned, turned away and went on.

“Gott, wie na?v!” he said angrily, when he was a few steps away.

Nesvitsky with a chuckle threw his arms round Prince Andrey, but Bolkonsky, turning even paler, pushed him away with a furious expression, and turned to Zherkov. The nervous irritability, into which he had been thrown by the sight of Mack, the news of his defeat and the thought of what lay before the Russian army, found a vent in anger at the misplaced jest of Zherkov.

“If you, sir,” he began cuttingly, with a slight trembling in his lower jaw, “like to be a clown, I can't prevent your being so, but if you dare to play the fool another time in my presence, I'll teach you how to behave.”

Nesvitsky and Zherkov were so astounded at this outburst that they gazed at Bolkonsky with open eyes.

“Why, I only congratulated them,” said Zherkov.

“I am not jesting with you; be silent, please!” shouted Bolkonsky, and taking Nesvitsky's arm, he walked away from Zherkov, who could not find any reply.

“Come, what is the matter, my dear boy?” said Nesvitsky, trying to soothe him.

“What's the matter?” said Prince Andrey, standing still from excitement. “Why, you ought to understand that we're either officers, who serve their Tsar and their country and rejoice in the success, and grieve at the defeat of the common cause, or we're hirelings, who have no interest in our master's business. Forty thousand men massacred and the army of our allies destroyed, and you find something in that to laugh at,” he said, as though by this French phrase he were strengthening his view. “It is all very well for a worthless fellow like that individual of whom you have made a friend, but not for you, not for you. None but schoolboys can find amusement in such jokes,” Prince Andrey added in Russian, uttering the word with a French accent. He noticed that Zherkov could still hear him, and waited to see whether the cornet would not reply. But the cornet turned and went out of the corridor.

阅兵归来之后，库图佐夫在奥国将军陪伴下，走进办公室，他把一名副官喊来，吩咐他将开到本地的部队的实际情况的文件和指挥先头部队的费迪南大公的函件一并拿来。安德烈·博尔孔斯基公爵随身带着总司令必需的文件走进他的办公室。库图佐夫和军事参议院的奥籍参议员坐在一份摆在桌上的作战方案前面。

“啊……”库图佐夫望着博尔孔斯基说道，他说一声“啊”好像是要副官等候片刻功夫，这之后便用法国话把已经开始的谈话继续谈下去。

“将军，我只说这么一件事，”库图佐夫说道，用词优美，语调动听，迫使对话人倾听他不慌不忙说出的每一个词。显然，库图佐夫本人也乐于倾听自己说话。“将军，我只说这么一件事，如果这件事取决于我本人的愿望，弗朗茨国王陛下的圣旨老早就履行了。我老早就和大公会合了。请您相信我的人格，对我本人来说，把统率军队的最高权力转交给比我更有造诣、更高明的将军，而奥地利是大有人在的，只要从我身上卸去一切责任的重担，那末对我本人来说，这真是一大乐事。将军，不过实际情况常比我们的愿望更富有说服力。”

库图佐夫微微一笑，那神色好像是说：“您满有理由不相信我，姑无论您相信还是不相信，我是根本不在乎的，但是您没有根据对我说出这种话。这也就是问题的症结。”

奥国将军现出不满意的样子，所以他不能不用同样的口吻回答库图佐夫。

“与此相反，”他用埋怨的愤怒的口气说，这种口气和他含有谄媚意味的话语相抵触，“与此相反，陛下高度赞赏阁下参与我们的共同事业。但是我们一直认为，目下的延宕会使俄国军队及其总司令丧失他们通常在大战中所赢得的胜利的桂冠。”看来他已把事先准备要说的话说完了。

库图佐夫脸上仍然保持着笑意，行了一鞠躬礼。

“然以费迪南大公殿下迩近惠赐的大函作为根据，我坚定地相信并且认为，奥国军队在马克将军如此高明的副司令官统率之下，现已赢得决定性胜利，再也不需要我们援助了。”

库图佐夫说道。

奥国将军蹙起了额角。尽管还没有传出有关奥国军队败北的确切消息，但有多种情形业已证明普遍失利的传说，因此，库图佐夫关于奥国军队获胜的推测很像是一种嘲笑。但是库图佐夫却面露温顺的微笑，他一直带着那种神态，仿佛是表示他有推测此事的权利。他从马克军队中最近收到的来函，的确向他通报了奥国军队的胜利及其最为有利的战略地位。

“把信拿到这里来吧，”库图佐夫把脸转向安德烈公爵，说道，“请你看看，”库图佐夫嘴角边流露出讽刺的微笑，用德国话向奥国将军念出费迪南大公来札中的如下内容：

WirhabenvollkommengehalteneKrafte，nahean70000Maun，umdenFeind，wennerdenLechpassirte，angreifenundschlagenzukonnen，Wirkonnen，dawirMeistervon

Ulmsind，denVortheil，auchvonbeidenufernderDonauMeisterzubleiben，nichtvertieren，mithinauchjedenAuBgenblick，wennderFeinddenLechnichtpassirte，dieDonau，ubersetzen，unsaufseineCommunika－tions－Liniewerfen，dieDonauunterhalbrepassirenuhddemFeinde，wennersichgegenunseretreueAllirtemitganzerMachtwendenwollte，seineAbsichtalsbald，vereiteln，WirwerdenaufsolcheWeisedenZeitpunkt，wodiekaiserlich－RussisBcheArmeeausgerüstetseinwird，muthigentgegenharren，undsodannleichtgemeinschaftlichdieMoglichkeitfinden，demFeindedasSchicksalzuznbereiten，soerverdivent。①

①德语：我们具备有充分集中的兵力，约计七万人，如果敌人横渡莱希河，我们一定能够发动进攻，一举歼灭敌人。因为我们占有乌尔姆，我们则可继续控制多瑙河两岸的有利形势；因此，如果敌人不横渡莱希河，我们定能随时渡过多瑙河，冲至敌人的交通线，并从多瑙河下游渡河返回原地，如果敌人欲以全部兵力进犯我们的忠实盟军，我们决不允许敌人实现这一企图。因此，我们要振奋精神，等待俄皇军队完成备战任务，然后我们上下一致，不难觅得良机，使敌人面临其理应遭遇的厄运。

库图佐夫念完了这段信，心情沉重地吸了一口气，他用留心的目光亲热地望望军事参议院的参议员。

“可是，阁下，您知道有一条明哲的行为准则：要作最坏的打算，”奥国将军说道，显然他想借助于戏言来结束闲谈，下一步说点什么正经事儿。

他现出不满意的神态，回头望了望副官。

“将军，对不起，”库图佐夫打断他的话，他也向安德烈公爵转过脸去。“亲爱的，你听我说，你向科兹洛夫斯基索取我们侦察员的全部情报吧。这儿是诺斯蒂茨伯爵的两封疏函，这儿是费迪南大公殿下的疏函，还有另一些，”他说道，一面把几份公文递给他。“依据这全部公文用法文清晰地编写一份用memorandum，①把我们所掌握的奥军军事行动的全部消息编写成一份呈文。喂，照此办理，然后送呈大人达览。”

①法语：官方记事公文。

安德烈公爵低下头来，表示一听见库图佐夫开腔，他就非但明白他说了什么话，而且也明白，他想对他说什么话。他收拾好文件，向二位行了一鞠躬礼，就从地毯上迈起徐缓的脚步朝接待室走去了。

虽然安德烈公爵离开俄国以来还没有度过多少时光，但在这段时间里他却变得多了。他的面部表情、动作和步态上几乎看不见从前那种虚假、劳累和懒惰的样子。他那种神态，就像某人没有时间去想他对旁人产生什么印象，而只是忙着干一件悦意而饶有兴趣的活儿似的。他脸上现出过分的自满和对周围的人表示满意的样子。他的笑容和眼神显得更快活、更惹人喜爱了。

他在波兰就赶上了库图佐夫，库图佐夫待他十分周到，答应他不会把他忘记，他和其他副官不同，库图佐夫非常赏识他，把他带到维也纳，委托他办理比较重要的事情。库图佐夫在维也纳给他的老同僚——安德烈公爵的父亲写了一封信。

“令郎，”他写道，“因为他兢兢业业、立场坚定、勤勤恳恳，有希望当上一名与众不同的军官。我身边能有这样一名手下人，我觉得自己非常幸运。”

在库图佐夫的司令部里，泛而言之，即是在军队里，安德烈公爵在同事之间素有两种截然相反的名声。有一些人，也就是少数人，承认安德烈公爵是个与己与众有所不同的特殊人物，预期他将来有所造诣，都服从他，佩服他，并且效法他。安德烈公爵对这些人都很大方、憨厚，和他们共事时，他觉得心情愉快。而另一些人，即是多数人，都不喜欢安德烈公爵，认为他是个盛气凌人、冷淡、令人厌恶的人物。安德烈公爵善于应付这些人，要他们尊敬他，甚至畏惧他。

安德烈公爵走出库图佐夫办公室，来到接待室，他随身带着公文问一个同事——正在窗前看书的值班副官科兹洛夫斯基面前走去。

“喂，公爵，怎么啦？”科兹洛夫基斯问。

“接到命令要拟出一份官方记事公文，借以说明我们为什么不向前推进。”

“为什么呢？”

安德烈公爵耸耸肩膀。

“没有马克方面的消息？”科兹洛夫斯基问道。

“没有。”

“假如他确实已被击溃，消息是会传来的。”

“大概是这样的吧。”安德烈公爵说道，就向门口走去了。但是正在这个时候，一个身材高大、看来像是刚从外地抵达的奥国将军迈着飞快的脚步迎面走进接待室，砰的一声把门关上了。他身穿常礼服，头上裹着黑头巾，颈上佩戴着玛丽亚·特雷西娅勋章。安德烈公爵停步了。

“库图佐夫上将在吗？”刚从外地来到的将军带着刺耳的德国口音飞快地说道，一方面向两旁张望，不停步地向办公室门口走去。

“上将没有空，”科兹洛夫斯基说道，急忙走到不相识的将军前面，拦住门前的通道，“请问尊姓大名？”

这个不相识的将军鄙薄地从上到下把那身材不高的科兹洛夫斯基打量一番，好像觉得惊讶，竟有人会不认识他。

“上将没有空。”科兹洛夫斯基心平气和地重说了一句。

将军皱起了眉头，现出阴郁的脸色，他的嘴唇抽搐一下，颤栗起来了。他取出笔记本，用铅笔飞快地写了几只字，撕下一页纸递给科兹洛夫斯基，然后他就飞快地向窗口走去，一屁股坐在椅子上，朝房里的人瞥了一眼，好像心里在问：他们为什么都望着我呢？之后将军抬起头来，伸直了颈项，仿佛他想说句什么话，但是随即又像是漫不经心地暗自吟唱，唱出一种古怪的声音，这声音立即中断了。办公室的门敞开了，库图佐夫在门坎前面出现了。裹着头巾的将军有如躲避危险似的，弯下腰去，他那消瘦的两腿迈着飞快的脚步，向库图佐夫面前走了。

“VousvoyezlemalheureuxMack．”①他突然改变声调说道。

①法语：您亲眼看见了不幸的马克。

库图佐夫站在办公室门口，脸部的表情有一阵子滞然不动了。然后，他脸上闪现出一条波浪似的皱纹。前额舒展开了；他毕恭毕敬地低下头，合上眼睛，默不作声地让马克从身边走过去，随手把门关上了。

原先传说奥国人已被击溃并在乌尔姆城下全军投降的消息原来是真实的。过了半小时，副官们已被派至各处传达命令，命令表明，直至目前尚未采取行动的俄军也快要和敌人交锋了。

司令部里只有寥寥无几的军官才很关心战事的全部进程，安德烈公爵是其中之一。安德烈公爵看见马克并听见他的军队覆没的详情之后，他心中明白，半个战局已经输完了，俄军的处境极其艰难。他很生动地想到军队即将面临何种局面，他在军队中应当发挥何种作用。当他一想到过于自信的奥国遭到可耻的失败，再过一个礼拜也许会亲眼看到并且参与苏沃洛夫之后的史无前例的俄法武装冲突，他就禁不住会产生一种激动的喜悦的感情。但是他害怕那比俄军英勇更胜一筹的波拿巴的天才，同时他也不能容许自己的英雄蒙受奇耻大辱。

这些心事使安德烈公爵感到激动和恼怒，他向自己房里走去，给父亲写信，他每日都给父亲写信，他在走廊上碰见同屋居住的涅斯维茨基和诙谐的热尔科夫。同平日那样，他们不知道为什么而笑。

“你怎么这样忧愁？”涅斯维茨基发现安德烈公爵脸色苍白，两眼闪闪发光，于是问道。

“没有什么可开心的。”博尔孔斯基答道。

当安德烈公爵碰见涅斯维茨基和热尔科夫时，昨日刚刚抵达的奥国将军施特劳赫和奥国军事参议院参议员从走廊的另一边迎面走来；这个奥国将军留驻于库图佐夫司令部，监察俄国军队的粮食供应。走廊很宽绰，有空地方可供两个将军和三个军官自由通行；但是热尔科夫把涅斯维茨基推开，气喘吁吁地说道：

“他们来了！……他们来了！……闪到一边去吧，让路！

请让路！”

两个将军走过去，他们都摆出一副想回避麻烦礼节的样子。诙谐的热尔科夫脸上忽然流露出似乎忍耐不住的欢快的蠢笑。

“大人，”他向前迈出几步，把脸转向奥国将军用德国话说道，“向您道贺，我深感荣幸。”

他低下头来，就像那学跳舞的儿童一样，呆笨地时而伸出左脚，时而伸出右脚，开始并足致礼。

奥国军事参议院参议员将军严肃地瞟了他一眼，可是发现他一本正经地蠢笑，不能不注意一会儿。将军眯缝起眼睛，表示正在听他说话。

“马克将军来到了，他安然无恙，只是这个地方碰伤了，向他道贺，我深感荣幸。”他指了指自己的头部，微露笑容地补充了一句。

将军蹙起了额头，转过身子向前走去了。

“Gott，wienaiv！”①他走开几步，愤怒地说道。

①法语：我的天啊，多么天真！

涅斯维茨基哈哈大笑起来，抱住了安德烈公爵，但是博尔孔斯基的脸色显得更加苍白，他现出愤恨的神色把他推开，向热尔科夫转过脸去。马克的神色、他遭到失败的消息以及俄军所面临的局面引起的万端思绪，使他陷入了神经兴奋的状态。热尔科夫不合时宜地逗乐，他觉得忿恨，这一切就在他愤怒时向热尔科夫发泄出来了。

“阁下，”他的下颔微微颤抖，嗓音刺耳地说道，“如果您想当一名侍从丑角，这事儿我不能阻拦。但是我向您公开声明，如果您再敢当着我的面逗乐子，我可要把您教训教训，要您懂得怎样做人。”

涅斯维茨基和热尔科夫对这种乖张行为表示惊奇，瞪大了眼睛，默默地望着博尔孔斯基。

“怎么啦，我只是道贺罢了。”热尔科夫说道。

“我不和您闹着玩，请别开腔！”博尔孔斯基喊了一声，用力抓住涅斯维茨基的手，就从那没法回答的热尔科夫身边走开了。

“喂，老弟，你怎么啦？”涅斯维茨基用安慰的口气说道。

“说什么怎么啦？”安德烈公爵说道，激动得停步了，“你可要明白，我们或者是一些为国王和祖国效力的军官，为共同的胜利而欢乐，为共同的失败而悲伤；我们或者是一些对君主的事业无关痛痒的走狗。Quarantemilleshommesmassacrésetl'arméedenosalliésdétruite，etvoustroucezlàlemotpourrive，”他说道，好像要用这句法国话认证自己的意见。”C'estbienpourungarconderien，commecetindiBvidu，dontvousavezfaitunami，maispaspourvous，paspourvous①，只有乳臭未干的孩子才能这样逗乐哩。”安德烈公爵发现热尔科夫还能听见他说话，就用俄国话补充了一句，而且带法国口音说出孩子这个词。

①法国：四万人捐躯了，我们的盟军被歼灭了，可是你们居然开这种玩笑。您和这个先生交朋友，像他这样的小人，还情有可原，而您，而您就不可饶恕了。

他等了一会儿，看骑兵少尉是否回答。可是骑兵少尉转过身去，从走廊里走出去了。