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The Emperor of Russia had, meanwhile, been in Vilna for more
than a month. reviewing troops and holding maneuvers. Nothing
was ready for the war that everyone expected and to prepare for
which the Emperor had come from Petersburg. There was no general
plan of action. The vacillation between the various plans that
were proposed had even increased after the Emperor had been at
headquarters for a month. Each of the three armies had its own
commander in chief, but there was no supreme commander of all
the forces, and the Emperor did not assume that responsibility
himself.
The longer the Emperor remained in Vilna the less did everybody-
tired of waiting- prepare for the war. All the efforts of those
who surrounded the sovereign seemed directed merely to making
him spend his time pleasantly and forget that war was impending.
In June, after many balls and fetes given by the Polish magnates,
by the courtiers, and by the Emperor himself, it occurred to one
of the Polish aides-de-camp in attendance that a dinner and ball
should be given for the Emperor by his aides-de-camp. This idea
was eagerly received. The Emperor gave his consent. The aides-de-camp
collected money by subscription. The lady who was thought to be
most pleasing to the Emperor was invited to act as hostess. Count
Bennigsen, being a landowner in the Vilna province, offered his
country house for the fete, and the thirteenth of June was fixed
for a ball, dinner, regatta, and fireworks at Zakret, Count Bennigsen's
country seat.
The very day that Napoleon issued the order to cross the Niemen,
and his vanguard, driving off the Cossacks, crossed the Russian
frontier, Alexander spent the evening at the entertainment given
by his aides-de-camp at Bennigsen's country house.
It was a gay and brilliant fete. Connoisseurs of such matters
declared that rarely had so many beautiful women been assembled
in one place. Countess Bezukhova was present among other Russian
ladies who had followed the sovereign from Petersburg to Vilna
and eclipsed the refined Polish ladies by her massive, so called
Russian type of beauty. The Emperor noticed her and honored her
with a dance.
Boris Drubetskoy, having left his wife in Moscow and being
for the present en garcon (as he phrased it), was also there and,
though not an aide-de-camp, had subscribed a large sum toward
the expenses. Boris was now a rich man who had risen to high honors
and no longer sought patronage but stood on an equal footing with
the highest of those of his own age. He was meeting Helene in
Vilna after not having seen her for a long time and did not recall
the past, but as Helene was enjoying the favors of a very important
personage and Boris had only recently married, they met as good
friends of long standing.
At midnight dancing was still going on. Helene, not having
a suitable partner, herself offered to dance the mazurka with
Boris. They were the third couple. Boris, coolly looking at Helene's
dazzling bare shoulders which emerged from a dark, gold-embroidered,
gauze gown, talked to her of old acquaintances and at the same
time, unaware of it himself and unnoticed by others, never for
an instant ceased to observe the Emperor who was in the same room.
The Emperor was not dancing, he stood in the doorway, stopping
now one pair and now another with gracious words which he alone
knew how to utter.
As the mazurka began, Boris saw that Adjutant General Balashev,
one of those in closest attendance on the Emperor, went up to
him and contrary to court etiquette stood near him while he was
talking to a Polish lady. Having finished speaking to her, the
Emperor looked inquiringly at Balashev and, evidently understanding
that he only acted thus because there were important reasons for
so doing, nodded slightly to the lady and turned to him. Hardly
had Balashev begun to speak before a look of amazement appeared
on the Emperor's face. He took Balashev by the arm and crossed
the room with him, unconsciously clearing a path seven yards wide
as the people on both sides made way for him. Boris noticed Arakcheev's
excited face when the sovereign went out with Balashev. Arakcheev
looked at the Emperor from under his brow and, sniffing with his
red nose, stepped forward from the crowd as if expecting the Emperor
to address him. (Boris understood that Arakcheev envied Balashev
and was displeased that evidently important news had reached the
Emperor otherwise than through himself.)
But the Emperor and Balashev passed out into the illuminated
garden without noticing Arakcheev who, holding his sword and glancing
wrathfully around, followed some twenty paces behind them.
All the time Boris was going through the figures of the mazurka,
he was worried by the question of what news Balashev had brought
and how he could find it out before others. In the figure in which
he had to choose two ladies, he whispered to Helene that he meant
to choose Countess Potocka who, he thought, had gone out onto
the veranda, and glided over the parquet to the door opening into
the garden, where, seeing Balashev and the Emperor returning to
the veranda, he stood still. They were moving toward the door.
Boris, fluttering as if he had not had time to withdraw, respectfully
pressed close to the doorpost with bowed head.
The Emperor, with the agitation of one who has been personally
affronted, was finishing with these words:
"To enter Russia without declaring war! I will not make
peace as long as a single armed enemy remains in my country!"
It seemed to Boris that it gave the Emperor pleasure to utter
these words. He was satisfied with the form in which he had expressed
his thoughts, but displeased that Boris had overheard it.
"Let no one know of it! " the Emperor added with
a frown.
Boris understood that this was meant for him and, closing
his eyes, slightly bowed his head. The Emperor re-entered the
ballroom and remained there about another half-hour.
Boris was thus the first to learn the news that the French
army had crossed the Niemen and, thanks to this, was able to show
certain important personages that much that was concealed from
others was usually known to him, and by this means he rose higher
in their estimation.
The unexpected news of the French having crossed the Niemen
was particularly startling after a month of unfulfilled expectations,
and at a ball. On first receiving the news, under the influence
of indignation and resentment the Emperor had found a phrase that
pleased him, fully expressed his feelings, and has since become
famous. On returning home at two o'clock that night he sent for
his secretary, Shishkov, and told him to write an order to the
troops and a rescript to Field Marshal Prince Saltykov, in which
he insisted on the words being inserted that he would not make
peace so long as a single armed Frenchman remained on Russian
soil.
Next day the following letter was sent to Napoleon:
Monsieur mon frere,
Yesterday I learned that, despite the loyalty which I have
kept my engagements with Your Majesty, your troops have crossed
the Russian frontier, and I have this moment received from Petersburg
a note, in which Count Lauriston informs me, as a reason for this
aggression, that Your Majesty has considered yourself to be in
a state of war with me from the time Prince Kuragin asked for
his passports. The reasons on which the Duc de Bassano based his
refusal to deliver them to him would never have led me to suppose
that that could serve as a pretext for aggression. In fact, the
ambassador, as he himself has declared, was never authorized to
make that demand, and as soon as I was informed of it I let him
know how much I disapproved of it and ordered him to remain at
his post. If Your Majesty does not intend to shed the blood of
our peoples for such a misunderstanding, and consents to withdraw
your troops from Russian territory, I will regard what has passed
as not having occurred and an understanding between us will be
possible. In the contrary case, Your Majesty, I shall see myself
forced to repel an attack that nothing on my part has provoked.
It still depends on Your Majesty to preserve humanity from the
calamity of another war. I am, etc.
(signed) Alexander
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