War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy [855]
I remain, etc.
(signed) Alexander.
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*396The king of Naples.
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*397The poor fellows, they don’t know that I’m leaving them tomorrow!
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†398I made you a King so that you would reign in my fashion, not in yours.
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‡399Delighted to make your acquaintance, General.
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§400Well, General, it’s all for war, it seems.
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#401Sire…the Emperor, my master, has no desire for war, and that Your Majesty can see.
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**402Royalty obliges.
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*403Eh, my dear general…I wish with all my heart that the Emperors may settle things between them and that the war begun in spite of me may end as soon as possible.
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†404I will not keep you any longer, General; I wish you success in your mission.
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*405Give it to me, I’ll send it to the Emperor.
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*406The trembling of my left calf is a great sign with me.
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*407All that he would have owed to my friendship…Ah, what a fine reign, what a fine reign!
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†408What a fine reign the reign of the emperor Alexander might have been!
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‡409A sovereign should not be with the army unless he’s a general.
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*410My word of honor that I have five hundred and thirty thousand men on this side of the Vistula.
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*411And yet what a fine reign your master might have had!
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†412I will not keep you any longer, General, you will receive my letter to the emperor.
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*413As all roads lead to Rome, so all roads lead to Moscow.
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*414To have your ear pulled by the Emperor.
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†415Well, so you say nothing, admirer and courtier of the emperor Alexander?
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*416Good-bye, Andrei! Remember that misfortunes come from God, and that men are never to blame.
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*417Linchpin
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*418Stupid man…Down with the whole thing…Something really pretty will come of it…
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†419A fine tactical war that must have been.
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*420I said then that the whole thing would go to the devil.
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*421As for the one who advised this camp, the camp of Drissa…As for the one, Sire…who advised the camp of Drissa, I see no other alternative than the madhouse or the gibbet.
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*422Of this Italian gentleman, very fine!
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†423Also good.
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‡424Child’s play!
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§425Isn’t it so, Your Excellency?
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#426Of course, what is there to explain?
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*427I surrender!
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*428Attire.
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*429It’s becoming dangerous to speak French in the streets.
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*430My most honorable opponent.
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†431Whom I do not have the honor of knowing.
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‡432Cannon fodder.
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*433My good friend…in the diplomatic salon of my daughter.
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†434A man of great merit.
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*435And he’ll stay there for all his trouble.
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*436Well, do you know the great news? Prince Kutuzov is marshal…Here at last is a man.
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†437But they say he’s blind, Prince?
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‡438Come now, he can see well enough.
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§439They say he blushed like a young lady to whom someone was reading “Joconde,” saying to him: “The sovereign and the country bestow this honor on you.”
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#440Perhaps his heart was not in it.
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**441Do you know what he said to the emperor?
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††442And what character. Oh, I’ve known him for a long time.
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*443Moscow,