War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy [646]
But by the time this letter, which proved that the essential correlation of forces was already reflected in Petersburg, was on its way, Kutuzov could no longer keep the army he commanded from attacking, and battle had already been offered.
On the second of October, the Cossack Shapovalov, while on patrol, killed one hare with his musket and wounded another. Pursuing the wounded hare, Shapovalov wandered deep into the forest and ran into the left flank of Murat’s army, which was camped there without any precautions. The Cossack, laughing, told his friends how he had almost been captured by the French. A cornet, hearing this story, told it to his commander.
The Cossack was summoned, questioned; the Cossack commanders wanted to use the occasion to capture some horses, but one of their superiors, who had acquaintances among the upper ranks of the army, reported this fact to a staff general. Lately the situation in the army staff had been strained to the utmost. Ermolov, a few days before, had come to Bennigsen and begged him to use his influence with the commander in chief to make him go on the offensive.
“If I didn’t know you, I’d think you don’t want what you’re asking for. I need only advise something for his serenity to be sure to do the opposite,” replied Bennigsen.
The news of the Cossacks, confirmed by patrols that were sent out, proved that the event had finally ripened. The taut string jumped, the clock hissed, the bells chimed. Despite all his imaginary power, his intelligence, experience, and knowledge of people, Kutuzov, taking into consideration the note from Bennigsen, who sent personal reports to the sovereign, the same wish expressed by all the generals, the supposed wish of the sovereign, and the information of the Cossacks, could no longer hold back the inevitable movement, and gave the order to do that which he considered useless and harmful—he blessed the accomplished fact.
IV
The note submitted by Bennigsen about the necessity to attack, and the information of the Cossacks about the exposed left flank of the French, were only the last signs of the necessity to order the attack, and the attack was fixed for the fifth of October.
On the morning of the fourth of October, Kutuzov signed the disposition. Toll read it to Ermolov, suggesting that he should occupy himself with the further arrangements.
“Very well, very well, I have no time now,” said Ermolov, and he left the cottage. The disposition drawn up by Toll was very good. As in the Austerlitz disposition, it was written, though not in German:
“Die erste Kolonne marschiert to such and such place, die zweite Kolonne marschiert*687 to such and such place,” and so on. And on paper all these columns arrived where they were supposed to at the appointed time and destroyed the enemy. As in all dispositions, everything was beautifully thought out, and, as with all dispositions, not a single column arrived where it was supposed to at the appointed time.
When the disposition had been prepared in the proper number of copies, an officer was summoned and sent to Ermolov to hand him the papers for execution. The young officer of the horse guards, Kutuzov’s orderly, pleased with the importance of the mission given to him, went to Ermolov’s quarters.
“He left,” said Ermolov’s orderly. The officer of the horse guards went to a general whom Ermolov frequented.
“No, and the general’s not here either.”
The officer of the horse guards mounted up and rode to yet another.
“No, he left.”
“I hope I won’t have to answer for the delay! How vexing!” thought the officer.