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After all that Napoleon had said to him- those bursts of anger
and the last dryly spoken words: "I will detain you no longer,
General; you shall receive my letter," Balashev felt convinced
that Napoleon would not wish to see him, and would even avoid
another meeting with him- an insulted envoy- especially as he
had witnessed his unseemly anger. But, to his surprise, Balashev
received, through Duroc, an invitation to dine with the Emperor
that day.
Bessieres, Caulaincourt, and Berthier were present at that
dinner.
Napoleon met Balashev cheerfully and amiably. He not only
showed no sign of constraint or self-reproach on account of his
outburst that morning, but, on the contrary, tried to reassure
Balashev. It was evident that he had long been convinced that
it was impossible for him to make a mistake, and that in his perception
whatever he did was right, not because it harmonized with any
idea of right and wrong, but because he did it.
The Emperor was in very good spirits after his ride through
Vilna, where crowds of people had rapturously greeted and followed
him. From all the windows of the streets through which he rode,
rugs, flags, and his monogram were displayed, and the Polish ladies,
welcoming him, waved their handkerchiefs to him.
At dinner, having placed Balashev beside him, Napoleon not
only treated him amiably but behaved as if Balashev were one of
his own courtiers, one of those who sympathized with his plans
and ought to rejoice at his success. In the course of conversation
he mentioned Moscow and questioned Balashev about the Russian
capital, not merely as an interested traveler asks about a new
city he intends to visit, but as if convinced that Balashev, as
a Russian, must be flattered by his curiosity.
"How many inhabitants are there in Moscow? How many houses?
Is it true that Moscow is called 'Holy Moscow'? How many churches
are there in Moscow?" he asked.
And receiving the reply that there were more than two hundred
churches, he remarked:
"Why such a quantity of churches?"
"The Russians are very devout," replied Balashev.
"But a large number of monasteries and churches is always
a sign of the backwardness of a people," said Napoleon, turning
to Caulaincourt for appreciation of this remark.
Balashev respectfully ventured to disagree with the French
Emperor.
"Every country has its own character," said he.
"But nowhere in Europe is there anything like that,"
said Napoleon.
"I beg your Majesty's pardon," returned Balashev,
"besides Russia there is Spain, where there are also many
churches and monasteries."
This reply of Balashev's, which hinted at the recent defeats
of the French in Spain, was much appreciated when he related it
at Alexander's court, but it was not much appreciated at Napoleon's
dinner, where it passed unnoticed.
The uninterested and perplexed faces of the marshals showed
that they were puzzled as to what Balashev's tone suggested. "If
there is a point we don't see it, or it is not at all witty,"
their expressions seemed to say. So little was his rejoinder appreciated
that Napoleon did not notice it at all and naively asked Balashev
through what towns the direct road from there to Moscow passed.
Balashev, who was on the alert all through the dinner, replied
that just as "all roads lead to Rome," so all roads
lead to Moscow: there were many roads, and "among them the
road through Poltava, which Charles XII chose." Balashev
involuntarily flushed with pleasure at the aptitude of this reply,
but hardly had he uttered the word Poltava before Caulaincourt
began speaking of the badness of the road from Petersburg to Moscow
and of his Petersburg reminiscences.
After dinner they went to drink coffee in Napoleon's study,
which four days previously had been that of the Emperor Alexander.
Napoleon sat down, toying with his Sevres coffee cup, and motioned
Balashev to a chair beside him.
Napoleon was in that well-known after-dinner mood which, more
than any reasoned cause, makes a man contented with himself and
disposed to consider everyone his friend. It seemed to him that
he was surrounded by men who adored him: and he felt convinced
that, after his dinner, Balashev too was his friend and worshiper.
Napoleon turned to him with a pleasant, though slightly ironic,
smile.
"They tell me this is the room the Emperor Alexander
occupied? Strange, isn't it, General?" he said, evidently
not doubting that this remark would be agreeable to his hearer
since it went to prove his, Napoleon's, superiority to Alexander.
Balashev made no reply and bowed and bowed his head in silence.
"Yes. Four days ago in this room, Wintzingerode and Stein
were deliberating," continued Napoleon with the same derisive
and self-confident smile. "What I can't understand,"
he went on, "is that the Emperor Alexander has surrounded
himself with my personal enemies. That I do not... understand.
Has he not thought that I may the same?" and he turned inquiringly
to Balashev, and evidently this thought turned him back on to
the track of his morning's anger, which was still fresh in him.
"And let him know that I will do so!" said Napoleon,
rising and pushing his cup away with his hand. "I'll drive
all his Wurttemberg, Baden, and Weimar relations out of Germany....
Yes. I'll drive them out. Let him prepare an asylum for them in
Russia!"
Balashev bowed his head with an air indicating that he would
like to make his bow and leave, and only listened because he could
not help hearing what was said to him. Napoleon did not notice
this expression; he treated Balashev not as an envoy from his
enemy, but as a man now fully devoted to him and who must rejoice
at his former master's humiliation.
"And why has the Emperor Alexander taken command of the
armies? What is the good of that? War is my profession, but his
business is to reign and not to command armies! Why has he taken
on himself such a responsibility?"
Again Napoleon brought out his snuffbox, paced several times
up and down the room in silence, and then, suddenly and unexpectedly,
went up to Balashev and with a slight smile, as confidently, quickly,
and simply as if he were doing something not merely important
but pleasing to Balashev, he raised his hand to the forty-year-old
Russian general's face and, taking him by the ear, pulled it gently,
smiling with his lips only.
To have one's ear pulled by the Emperor was considered the
greatest honor and mark of favor at the French court.
"Well, adorer and courtier of the Emperor Alexander,
why don't you say anything?" said he, as if it was ridiculous,
in his presence, to be the adorer and courtier of anyone but himself,
Napoleon. "Are the horses ready for the general?" he
added, with a slight inclination of his head in reply to Balashev's
bow. "Let him have mine, he has a long way to go!"
The letter taken by Balashev was the last Napoleon sent to
Alexander. Every detail of the interview was communicated to the
Russian monarch, and the war began...
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