War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy [401]
Balashov rode on, supposing from Murat’s words that he would quite soon be introduced to Napoleon himself. But instead of meeting Napoleon soon, he was detained by sentinels of Davout’s infantry corps at the next village, as he had been at the front line, and the summoned adjutant of the corps commander took him to the village to Marshal Davout.
V
Davout was the emperor Napoleon’s Arakcheev—a noncowardly Arakcheev, but equally efficient, cruel, and incapable of expressing his devotion otherwise than by cruelty.
In the mechanism of the state organism these people are necessary, as wolves are necessary in nature’s organism, and they always exist, always appear and hold out, however incongruous their presence and closeness to the head of the government may seem. Only this necessity can explain how the cruel Arakcheev, who personally tore out grenadiers’ mustaches, whose nerves were too weak for him to endure danger, an uneducated and uncourtly man, could hold on to such power next to the chivalrously noble and gentle character of Alexander.
Balashov found Marshal Davout in the shed of a peasant cottage, sitting on a barrel and busy with written work (he was checking the accounts). An adjutant stood next to him. It would have been possible to find a better location, but Marshal Davout was one of those people who deliberately set themselves up in the most gloomy conditions of life, so as to have the right to be gloomy. For the same reason they are always in a hurry and stubbornly busy. “How can I think about the happy side of human life, when, as you see, I’m sitting on a barrel in a dirty shed and working,” said the expression of his face. The chief pleasure and need of these people, on meeting life’s animation, consists in throwing their gloomy, stubborn activity into the eyes of that animation. Davout allowed himself this pleasure when Balashov was brought to him. He immersed himself still more in his work when the Russian general came in, and, looking through his spectacles at Balashov’s face, animated by the impression of the beautiful morning and the conversation with Murat, he did not stand up, did not even stir, but frowned still more and grinned spitefully.
Noticing on Balashov’s face the unpleasant impression produced by this reception, Davout raised his head and coldly asked what he wanted.
Supposing that such a reception could be given him only because Davout did not know that he was the emperor Alexander’s adjutant general and even his representative before Napoleon, Balashov hastened to inform him of his rank and purpose. Contrary to his expectation, Davout, having heard Balashov out, became still more stern and rude.
“Where’s your packet?” he said. “Donnez-le moi, je l’enverrai à l’Empereur.”*405
Balashov said he was under orders to personally deliver the packet to the emperor.
“Your emperor’s orders are carried out in your army, but here,” said Davout, “you should do as you’re told.”
And, as if to let the Russian general feel still more his dependence on brute force, Davout sent his adjutant for the officer on duty.
Balashov took out the packet that contained the sovereign’s letter and placed it on the table (a table consisting of a door with ripped off hinges sticking out from it, laid