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； to gain time。
“Colonel； I always expect it；” said the Tsar。 “Hide nothing from me； I want to know absolutely how it is。”
“Sire！” said Michaud； with a delicate； scarcely perceptible smile on his lips； as he had now had time to prepare his answer in the form of a light and respectful play of words。 “Sire！ I left the whole army； from the commanders to the lowest soldier without exception； in extreme； in desperate terror。”
“How so？” the Tsar interrupted； frowning sternly。 “My Russians let themselves be cast down by misfortune？…Never…”
This was just what Michaud was waiting for to get in his phrases。
“Sire；” he said； with a respectful playfulness of expression； “they fear only that your majesty through goodness of heart may let yourself be persuaded to make peace。 They burn to fight；” said the plenipotentiary of the Russian people； “and to prove to your majesty by the sacrifice of their lives how devoted they are…”
“Ah！” said the Tsar； reassured； slapping Michaud on the shoulder； with a friendly light in his eyes。 “You tranquillise me； colonel…”
The Tsar looked down； and for some time he was silent。 “Well； go back to the army；” he said； drawing himself up to his full height and with a genial and majestic gesture addressing Michaud； “and tell our brave fellows； tell all my good subjects wherever you go； that when I have not a soldier left； I will put myself at the head of my dear nobility； of my good peasants； and so use the last resources of my empire。 It offers me still more than my enemies suppose；” said the Tsar； more and more stirred。 “But if it should be written in the decrees of divine Providence；” he said； and his fine； mild eyes； shining with emotion； were raised towards heaven； “that my dynasty should cease to reign on the throne of my ancestors； then after exhausting every means in my power； I would let my beard grow to here” （the Tsar put his hand halfway down his breast）； “and go and eat potatoes with the meanest of my peasants rather than sign the shame of my country and my dear people； whose sacrifice I know how to appreciate。” Uttering these words in a voice of much feeling； the Tsar turned quickly away； as though wishing to conceal from Michaud the tears that were starting into his eyes； and he walked to the further end of his study。 After standing there some instants； he strode back to Michaud； and with a vigorous action squeezed his arm below the elbow。 The Tsar’s fine； mild face was flushed； and his eyes gleamed with energy and anger。 “Colonel Michaud； do not forget what I say to you here； perhaps one day we shall recall it with pleasure。…Napoleon or me；” he said； touching his breast； “we can no longer reign together。 I have learned to know him。 He will not deceive me again…” And the Tsar paused； frowning。 Hearing these words； seeing the look of firm determination in the Tsar’s eyes； Michaud； though a foreigner； Russian in heart and soul； felt （as he used to recount later） at that solemn moment moved to enthusiasm by what he had just heard； and in the following phrase he sought to give expression to his own feelings and those of the Russian people； whose representative he considered himself to be。
“Sire！” he said； “your majesty is signing at this moment the glory of the nation and the salvation of Europe！”
With a motion of his head the Tsar dismissed Michaud。
Chapter 4
WHILE HALF of Russia was conquered； and the inhabitants of Moscow were fleeing to remote provinces； and one levy of militia after another was being raised for the defence of the country； we； not living at the time； cannot help imagining that all the people in Russia； great and small alike； were engaged in doing nothing else but making sacrifices； saving their country； or weeping over its downfall。 The tales and descriptions of that period without exception tell us of nothing but the self…sacrifice； the patriotism； the despair； the grief； and the heroism of the Russians。 In reality； it was not at all like that。 It seems so to us； because we see out of the past only the general historical interest of that period； and we do not see all the personal human interests of the men of that time。 And yet in reality these personal interests of the immediate present are of so much greater importance than public interests； that they prevent the public interest from ever being felt—from being noticed at all； indeed。 The majority of the people of that period took no heed of the general progress of public affairs； and were only influenced by their immediate personal interests。 And those very people played the most useful part in the work of the time。
Those who were striving to grasp the general course of events； and trying by self…sacrifice and heroism to take a hand in it； were the most useless members of society； they saw everything upside down； and all that they did with the best intentions turned out to be useless folly； like Pierre’s regiment； and Mamonov’s； that spent their time pillaging the Russian villages； like the lint scraped by the ladies； that never reached the wounded； and so on。 Even those who； being fond of talking on intellectual subjects and expressing their feelings； discussed the position of Russia； unconsciously imported into their talk a shade of hypocrisy or falsity or else of useless fault…finding and bitterness against persons； whom they blamed for what could be nobody’s fault。
In historical events we see more plainly than ever the law that forbids us to taste of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge。 It is only unselfconscious activity that bears fruit； and the man who plays a part in an historical drama never understands its significance。 If he strives to comprehend it； he is stricken with barrenness
The significance of the drama taking place in Russia at that time was the less easy to grasp； the closer the share a man was taking in it。 In Petersburg； and in the provinces remote from Moscow； ladies and gentlemen in volunteer uniforms bewailed the fate of Russia and the ancient capital； and talked of self…sacrifice； and so on。 But in the army； which had retreated behind Moscow； men scarcely talked or thought at all about Moscow； and； gazing at the burning city； no one swore to be avenged on the French； but every one was thinking of the next quarter’s pay due to him； of the next halting…place； of Matryoshka the canteen…woman； and so on。
Nikolay Rostov； without any idea of self…sacrifice； simply because the war had happened to break out before he left the service； took an immediate and continuous part in the defence of his country； and consequently he looked upon what was happening in Russia without despair or gloomy prognostications。 If he had been asked what he thought of the present position of Russia； he would have said that it was not his business to think about it； that that was what Kutuzov and the rest of them were for； but that he had heard that the regiments were being filled up to their full complements； and that they must therefore be going to fight for a good time longer； and that under the present circumstances he might pretty easily obtain the command of a regiment within a couple of years。
Since this was his point of view； it was with no regret at taking no