War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy [864]
‡719Password?
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§720Tell me, is Colonel Gérard here?
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#721When an officer is making his rounds, the sentries do not ask for the password…I ask you, is the colonel here?
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*722Oh, he’s a hard nut to crack.
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†723He’ll make the rabbits scurry…
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‡724Is that you, Clément?…Where the devil…
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§725If you’re counting on the evening soup, you’re too late.
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#726The brigands are everywhere.
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*727Nasty business dragging these corpses behind you. Better to shoot the scum.
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†728Good night.
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*729To your places!
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†730What did he say? What did he say?…
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*731Have you understood, my child?
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†732Have you understood, damn it?
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‡733It’s all the same to him…brigand. Get out!
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*734I believe it my duty to inform Your Majesty of the state of his troops in the different corps of the army that I have been able to observe over the past two or three days in different visits. They are on the point of disbanding. The number of soldiers following the colors is in the proportion of a quarter at most in almost all the regiments; the rest march separately in different directions and on their own, in the hope of finding subsistence and to be rid of discipline. In general they consider Smolensk as the point where they must recuperate. In the last few days many soldiers have been seen throwing down their cartridges and weapons. In this state of affairs, the interest of Your Majesty’s service, whatever his further plans, demands that we rally the army at Smolensk, beginning by ridding it of noncombatants, such as men without horses, and of useless baggage and the artillery matériel, which is no longer in proportion to our present forces. Besides days of rest, subsistence is also necessary for the soldiers, who are exhausted by hunger and fatigue; many have died over these last days on the road and in the bivouacs. This state of affairs keeps worsening and makes one fear that, if a prompt remedy is not applied, one will no longer be in control of the troops in case of combat.
9 November, 30 versts from Smolensk.
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*735Order of the day.
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*736I have been emperor long enough, it is time to be a general.
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†737It is great.
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‡738There is only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.
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*739A knight without fear and without reproach.
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*740Bogdanovich’s History of the Year 1812: characteristics of Kutuzov and considerations of the insufficient results of the fighting at Krasnoe. (Tolstoy’s note.)
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*741Oh, my fine fellows, oh, my good, my good friends! Here’s men for you! Oh, my fine fellows, my good friends!
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†742Long live Henry the Fourth, / Long live that valiant king…/That quadruple devil…
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*743Who had the triple talent / To drink, to fight, / And to be a hearty gallant…
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*744You mean to say I have nothing to eat from…On the contrary, I can furnish you with everything in case you should want to give dinners.
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†745I only mean to say to you what I’m saying.
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*746It is a sacrilege to make war on a people like yours.
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†747You’re getting rusty, my dear.
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*748Dear Marie, he’s sleeping, I think; he’s so tired.
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*749No, Monsieur Dessales, I’ll ask my aunt to let me stay.
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†750I’ll bring him back to you right away, Monsieur Dessales. Good evening.
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*751Without faith or law.
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†752All that sort.
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*753Watchword.
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*754I’m your man!
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*755Open up a career.
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*756The thread of the Virgin.
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†757Are you unwell?
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*758The Social Contract.
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*759After the publication of my first part and the description of the battle of Sch