Book 14 Chapter 16

FROM THE 28TH of October, when the frosts began, the flight of the French assumed a more tragic¹ aspect, from the men being frozen or roasted to death by the camp-fires, while the Emperor, and kings, and dukes, still drove on with their stolen booty in fur cloaks and closed carriages. But in its essentials, the process of the flight and disintegration² of the French army went on unchanged.

From Moscow to Vyazma of the seventy-three thousands of the French army (not reckoning the Guards, who had done nothing but pillage³ all through the war), only thirty-six thousand were left, though only five thousand had been killed in battle. Here we have the first term of a progression, by which the remaining terms are determined⁴ with mathematical exactness. The French army went on melting away and disappearing in the same ratio from Moscow to Vyazma, from Vyazma to Smolensk, from Smolensk to the Berezina, from the Berezina to Vilna, apart from the greater or less degree of cold, the pursuit and barring of the way, and all other conditions taken separately. After Vyazma, instead of three columns, the French troops formed a single mass, and so they marched on to the end. This is how Berthier wrote to the Emperor (and we know that generals feel it permissible⁵ to depart rather widely from the truth in describing the condition of their armies):—

“I think it my duty to report to your majesty⁶ the condition of the various corps⁷ under my observation on the march the last two or three days. They are almost disbanded. Hardly a quarter of the men remain with the flags of their regiments⁸; the rest wander off on their own account in different directions, trying to seek food and to escape discipline. All think only of Smolensk, where they hope to recover. During the last few days many soldiers have been observed to throw away their cartridges⁹ and muskets¹⁰. In such a condition of affairs, whatever your further plans may be, the interests of your majesty's service make it essential to muster¹¹ the army at Smolensk, and to rid them of ineffectives, such as cavalry¹² men without horses, as well as of superfluous¹³ baggage and a part of the artillery¹⁴, which is now out of proportion with the numbers of the effective army. Supplies and some days' rest are essential: the soldiers are exhausted¹⁵ by hunger and fatigue¹⁶; during the last few days many have died by the roadside or in the bivouacs. This state of things is growing continually worse, and if steps are not quickly taken for averting¹⁷ the danger, we shall be exposed to the risk of being unable to control the army in the event of a battle.

“November 9. Thirty versts from Smolensk.”

After struggling into Smolensk, the promised land of their dreams, the French killed one another fighting over the food there, sacked their own stores, and when everything had been pillaged¹⁸, they ran on further. All hastened on, not knowing whither or for what end they were going; least of all knew that great genius, Napoleon, since there was no one to give him orders. But still he and those about him clung to their old habits: wrote commands, letters, reports, orders of the day; called each other your majesty, mon frère, Prince d'Eckmühl, roi de Naples, and so on. But the orders and reports were all on paper: no attempt was made to carry them out, because they could not be carried out. And although they addressed each other as “majesty,” “highness,” and “mon cousin,” they all felt that they were pitiful and loathsome¹⁹ creatures, who had done a great wrong, for which they had now to pay the penalty. And in spite of their pretence²⁰ of caring for the army, each was thinking only of himself, and how to make his escape as quickly as possible to safety.

自十月二十八以后，大地开始上冻。法国军队溃逃的境遇更加悲惨：有的被冻死，有的在火堆旁烤死。而皇帝、总督和公爵们身穿皮衣，驾着马车，携带抢来的财物，继续往前赶路；但是法国军队自从莫斯科撤退后就一直溃不成军。这种现象一直没有丝毫变化。

从莫斯科到维亚济马，法军原有七万三千人（不包括近卫军，他们除了抢劫，在整个战争中什么事情也不干），现在只剩下三万六千人了（在战争中阵亡的约五千人）。这是第一阶段的数字，以后的数字完全可以用算术计算出来了。

从莫斯科到维亚济马，从维亚济马到斯摩棱斯克，从斯摩棱斯克到别列济纳，从别列济纳到维也纳，法军就是按照上述比例减员和毁灭的，法军的减员和毁灭与天气寒冷的程度、追击、道路阻障以及一切其他的条件无关。到达维亚济马后，原先分三路纵队行进的法军，已缩成一团，就这样一直走到最后。贝蒂埃向皇帝上了一道奏章（众所周知，这些官员报告军队状况，与真实情况相距甚远了）。他写道：

“我有责任向陛下报告，这三天我在各军团行军中所见到的情况，这些军团已溃不成军，军旗下只有四分之一的士兵，余者四散奔逃，去寻找食物或逃避执行军务。都想早日赶到斯摩棱斯克，以便能获得喘息的机会。

这几天许多士兵把枪支弹药扔掉。不论陛下今后如何打算，我们都必须在斯摩棱斯克进行休整，应当清除徒步的骑兵、徒手的士兵，不必要的辎重以及与目前兵力不相适应的炮兵用品。军队需要补充给养和休息。由于饥饿和劳累，士兵们已精疲力尽，最近几天有许多士兵死于行军途中和宿营地。这种情况继续在恶化，如不迅速采取补救措施，一旦发生战斗，我们手中将没有可用之兵。

十一月九日，离斯摩棱斯克三十俄里。①

①这篇奏章是作者用法文写的——译者注。

法国人蜂拥进入他们看作是天堂的斯摩棱斯克之后，为了夺得食物，互相残杀或抢劫自己的仓库。把什么都抢光之后，又继续奔逃。

法国人一味向前奔逃，他们不知道去哪里，也不知道为了什么。可怜，天才的拿破仑比别人知道得更少，因为没有人给他下指令。但是他和他周围的人依然保持惯例：下命令，发公函，写报告，下Ordredujour①彼此称呼：“Sire，moncousin，princed'Ekmuhl，roideNaples”②等等。所有这些都是废纸一堆，因为已不可能办到，他们虽然以陛下、殿下和贤弟相称，但是已经意识到，由于作恶多端，现在正得到报应，已经成为可怜虫。他们伪装得很关心军队，其实每个人心里都只有自己，只想能逃出一条命来。

①法语：每日报表。

②法语：陛下、贤弟、埃克木尔王、那不勒斯王。

1 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

2 disintegration   

n.分散，解体

参考例句：

• This defeat led to the disintegration of the empire.这次战败道致了帝国的瓦解。
• The incident has hastened the disintegration of the club.这一事件加速了该俱乐部的解体。

3 pillage   

v.抢劫；掠夺；n.抢劫，掠夺；掠夺物

参考例句：

• The invading troops were guilty of rape and pillage.侵略军犯了抢劫和强奸的罪。
• It was almost pillage.这简直是一场洗劫。

4 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

5 permissible   

adj.可允许的，许可的

参考例句：

• Is smoking permissible in the theatre?在剧院里允许吸烟吗？
• Delay is not permissible,even for a single day.不得延误，即使一日亦不可。

6 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

7 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

8 regiments   

（军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物

参考例句：

• The three regiments are all under the command of you. 这三个团全归你节制。
• The town was garrisoned with two regiments. 该镇有两团士兵驻守。

9 cartridges   

子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头

参考例句：

• computer consumables such as disks and printer cartridges 如磁盘、打印机墨盒之类的电脑耗材
• My new video game player came with three game cartridges included. 我的新电子游戏机附有三盘游戏带。

10 muskets   

n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The watch below, all hands to load muskets. 另一组人都来帮着给枪装火药。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• Deep ditch, single drawbridge, massive stone walls, eight at towers, cannon, muskets, fire and smoke. 深深的壕堑，单吊桥，厚重的石壁，八座巨大的塔楼。大炮、毛瑟枪、火焰与烟雾。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

11 muster   

v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册

参考例句：

• Go and muster all the men you can find.去集合所有你能找到的人。
• I had to muster my courage up to ask him that question.我必须鼓起勇气向他问那个问题。

12 cavalry   

n.骑兵；轻装甲部队

参考例句：

• We were taken in flank by a troop of cavalry. 我们翼侧受到一队骑兵的袭击。
• The enemy cavalry rode our men down. 敌人的骑兵撞倒了我们的人。

13 superfluous   

adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的

参考例句：

• She fined away superfluous matter in the design. 她删去了这图案中多余的东西。
• That request seemed superfluous when I wrote it.我这样写的时候觉得这个请求似乎是多此一举。

14 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

15 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

16 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

17 averting   

防止，避免( avert的现在分词 )； 转移

参考例句：

• The margin of time for averting crisis was melting away. 可以用来消弥这一危机的些许时光正在逝去。
• These results underscore the value of rescue medications in averting psychotic relapse. 这些结果显示了救护性治疗对避免精神病复发的价值。

18 pillaged   

v.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They are to be pillaged and terrorised in Hitler's fury and revenge. 在希特勒的狂怒和报复下，他们还遭到掠夺和恐怖统治。 来自辞典例句
• They villages were pillaged and their crops destroyed. 他们的村子被抢，他们的庄稼被毁。 来自辞典例句

19 loathsome   

adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的

参考例句：

• The witch hid her loathsome face with her hands.巫婆用手掩住她那张令人恶心的脸。
• Some people think that snakes are loathsome creatures.有些人觉得蛇是令人憎恶的动物。

20 pretence   

n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰

参考例句：

• The government abandoned any pretence of reform. 政府不再装模作样地进行改革。
• He made a pretence of being happy at the party.晚会上他假装很高兴。