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Prince Andrey went towards the door from which the sound of voices came。 But at the moment when he was going to open the door； the voices in the room paused； the door opened of itself； and Kutuzov with his eagle nose and podgy face appeared in the doorway。 Prince Andrey was standing exactly opposite Kutuzov； but from the expression of the commander…in…chief’s one seeing eye it was evident that thought and anxiety so engrossed him as to veil； as it were； his vision。 He looked straight into his adjutant’s face and did not recognise him。
“Well； have you finished？” he addressed Kozlovsky。
“In a second； your Excellency。”
Bagration； a short lean man； not yet elderly； with a resolute and impassive face of oriental type； came out after the commander…in…chief。
“I have the honour to report myself；” Prince Andrey said for the second time； rather loudly； as he handed Kutuzov an envelope。
“Ah； from Vienna？ Very good！ Later； later！” Kutuzov went out to the steps with Bagration。
“Well； prince； good…bye；” he said to Bagration。 “Christ be with you！ May my blessing bring you a great victory！” Kutuzov’s face suddenly softened； and there were tears in his eyes。 With his left arm he drew Bagration to him； while with his right hand； on which he wore a ring； he crossed him with a gesture evidently habitual。 He offered him his podgy cheek； but Bagration kissed him on the neck。 “Christ be with you！” repeated Kutuzov； and he went towards his carriage。 “Get in with me；” he said to Bolkonsky。
“Your Most High Excellency； I should have liked to be of use here。 Allow me to remain in Prince Bagration’s detachment。”
“Get in；” said Kutuzov； and noticing that Bolkonsky still delayed： “I have need of good officers myself； myself。”
They took their seats in the carriage and drove for some minutes in silence。
“There is a great deal； a great deal of everything still before us；” he said； with an expression of old…age clairvoyance； as though he saw all that was passing in Bolkonsky’s heart。 “If one…tenth part of his detachment comes in； I shall thank God；” added Kutuzov； as though talking to himself。
Prince Andrey glanced at Kutuzov； and unconsciously his eyes were caught by the carefully washed seams of the scar on his temple； where the bullet had gone through his head at Ismail； and the empty eyesocket； not a yard from him。 “Yes； he has the right to speak so calmly of the destruction of these men；” thought Bolkonsky。
“That’s why I ask you to send me to that detachment；” he said。
Kutuzov made no reply。 He seemed to have forgotten what was said to him； and sat plunged in thought。 Five minutes later； swaying easily in the soft carriage springs； Kutuzov addressed Prince Andrey。 There was no trace of emotion on his face now。 With delicate irony he questioned Prince Andrey about the details of his interview with the Emperor； about the comments he had heard at Court on the Krems engagement； and about ladies of their common acquaintance。
Chapter 14
KUTUZOV had； on the 1st of November； received from one of his spies information that showed the army he commanded to be in an almost hopeless position。 The spy reported that the French； after crossing the bridge at Vienna； were moving in immense force on Kutuzov’s line of communications with the reinforcements marching from Russia。 If Kutuzov were to determine to remain at Krems； Napoleon’s army of a hundred and fifty thousand men would cut him off from all communications； and would surround his exhausted army of forty thousand； and he would find himself in the position of Mack before Ulm。 If Kutuzov decided to leave the road leading to a junction with the Russian reinforcements； he would have to make his way with no road through unknown country to the mountains of Bohemia； pursued by the cream of the enemy’s forces； and to give up all hope of effecting a junction with Buxhevden。 If Kutuzov decided to march by the road from Krems to Olm？tz to join the forces from Russia he ran the risk of finding the French； who had crossed the Vienna bridge； in advance of him on this road； and so being forced to give battle on the march； encumbered with all his stores and transport； with an enemy three times as numerous and hemming him in on both sides。 Kutuzov chose the last course。
The French； after crossing the river； had； as the spy reported； set off at a quick march toward Znaim； which lay on Kutuzov’s line of routes more than a hundred versts in front of him。 To reach Znaim before the French offered the best hopes of saving the army。 To allow the French to get to Znaim before him would mean exposing the whole army to a disgrace like that of the Austrians at Ulm； or to complete destruction。 But to arrive there before the French with the whole army was impossible。 The road of the French army from Vienna to Znaim was shorter and better than the Russians’ road from Krems to Znaim。
On the night of receiving the news Kutuzov sent Bagration’s advance guard of four thousand soldiers to the right over the mountains from the Krems…Znaim road to the Vienna and Znaim road。 Bagration was to make a forced march； to halt facing towards Vienna and with his back to Znaim； and if he succeeded in getting on the road in advance of the French； he was to delay them as long as he could。 Kutuzov himself with all the transport was making straight for Znaim。
Bagration marched forty…five versts； by night in stormy weather； through the mountains； with no road； and with hungry； barefoot soldiers。 Leaving a third of his men straggling behind him； Bagration reached Hollabrunn； on the Vienna and Znaim road； a few hours before the French； who marched upon Hollabrunn from Vienna。 Kutuzov needed fully another twenty…four hours to get to Znaim with all the transport； and so to save the army Bagration would have had； with his four thousand hungry and exhausted soldiers； to have kept at bay the whole army of the enemy confronting him at Hollabrunn for four…and…twenty hours； and this was obviously impossible。 But a freak of fate made the impossible possible。 The success of the trick that had given the Vienna bridge into the hands of the French encouraged Murat to try and take in Kutuzov too。 Murat； on meeting Bagration’s weak detachment on the Znaim road； supposed it to be the whole army of Kutuzov。 To give this army a final and crushing defeat he waited for the troops still on the road from Vienna； and to that end he proposed a truce for three days； on the condition that neither army should change its position nor stir from where it was。 Murat averred that negotiations for peace were now proceeding； and that he proposed a truce therefore to avoid useless bloodshed。 The Austrian general； Nostits； who was in charge of the advance posts； believed the statements of Murat’s messengers and retired； leaving Bagration’s detachment unprotected。 The other messengers rode off to the Russian line to make the same announcement about peace negotiations； and to propose a truce of three days； to the Russian troops。 Bagration replied that he was not authorised to accept or to decline a truce； and sent his adjutant to Kutuzov with a report of the proposition made to him。
A truce gave Kutuzov the only possibility of gaining time； of