War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy [856]
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*444One of Platov’s Cossacks…Very intelligent and talkative!
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†445The Cossack, unaware of the company he found himself in, for Napoleon’s simplicity had nothing that could reveal to an Oriental imagination the presence of a sovereign, conversed with extreme familiarity about the affairs of the present war.
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*446If battle is given within three days, the French will win, but if it should be given later, God only knows what will happen.
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†447The young Cossack made his powerful interlocutor smile.
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‡448On this child of the Don.
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§449Hardly had Napoleon’s translator spoken when the Cossack, seized by a sort of amazement, offered not a word more and rode on with his eyes constantly fixed on this conqueror, whose name had penetrated as far as him, across the steppes of the East. All his loquacity had suddenly stopped, to give place to a feeling of naïve and silent admiration. Napoleon, after rewarding him, set him free, like a bird that one sends back to the fields where it was born.
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*450Mlle Bourienne will do him the honors of Bogucharovo.
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*451Everything comes at the right time to him who knows how to wait.
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†452Don’t hear with that ear, that’s the trouble.
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‡453When in doubt, my dear…abstain.
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*454Reflect well, get into the boat, and don’t make it a boat of Charon.
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*455When one…
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†456Poor specimen.
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*457It’s the talk of all Moscow. I admire you, word of honor.
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†458What is the talk of all Moscow?
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‡459He who excuses himself, accuses himself.
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*460A bit in love with the young man.
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*461As soon as Leppich is ready, make him up a cockpit crew of trustworthy and intelligent men and send a courier to General Kutuzov to inform him of it. I have told him about it. Urge Leppich, I beg you, to be very careful about where he lands for the first time, so as not to make a mistake and fall into the hands of the enemy. It is indispensable that he coordinate his movements with the general in chief.
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*462I’ll do you the honors of the camp.
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†463Between us.
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*464A kind of fortification (Tolstoy’s note).
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*465What the devil!
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*466Well, then you’re ahead of everyone else.
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*467War must be extended in space. I cannot put too high a price on this view.
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†468Oh, yes…The aim is to weaken the enemy, so one cannot pay attention to the loss of private persons.
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*469Do it hard, keep going…
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*470No prisoners…They’re getting themselves annihilated. So much the worse for the Russian army.
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†471That’s enough! Have M. de Beausset come in, along with Fabvier.
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‡472See you later.
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§473Sire, all Paris is sorry for your absence.
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#474I regret having made you come such a long way.
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*475Sire! I expected no less than to find you at the gates of Moscow.
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†476The king of Rome.
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*477Brief and energetic!
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†478Your Majesty is too good.
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*479That is, Borodino (Tolstoy’s note).
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*480And the face of the world would have been changed.
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*481The wine is drawn and it must be drunk.
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*482Empress’s household.
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†483Well, Rapp, do you think things will go well for us today?
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‡484Without any doubt, Sire.
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§485Remember, Sire, what you did me the honor of saying at Smolensk…the wine is drawn, it must be drunk.
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#486This poor army…has much diminished since Smolensk. Fortune is an arrant courtesan, Rapp; I always said