A minute later the big, heavy figure of the old man in full parade uniform, his breast covered with orders, and a scarf drawn tight about his bulky person, walked with a rolling gait on to the steps. He put his cocked hat on, with the flat side foremost, took his gloves in his hand, and going sideways with difficulty down the steps, took in his hand the report, that had been prepared to give the Tsar.
Bustle and hurry and whispering, another set of three horses dashing furiously up, and all eyes were turned on the approaching sledge, in which the figures of the Tsar and Volkonsky could already be distinguished.
From the habit of fifty years, all this had a physically agitating effect on the old man. Fie felt himself over with nervous haste, set his hat straight, and pulling himself together and standing erect at the very moment when the Tsar stepping out of the sledge, turned his eyes upon him, he handed him the report, and began speaking in his measured, ingratiating voice.
The Tsar scanned Kutuzov from head to foot in a rapid glance, frowned for an instant; but at once overcoming his feelings, went up to him, and opening his arms, embraced the old general. Again, through old habitual association of ideas, arousing some deep feeling in his own heart, this embrace had its usual effect on Kutuzov: he gave a sob.
The Tsar greeted the officers and the Semyonovsky guard of honour; and once more shaking hands with the old man, he went with him into 1 the castle.
When he was alone with the commander-in-chief, the Tsar gave expression to his displeasure at the slowness of the pursuit of the enemy, and the blunders made at Krasnoe and the Berezina, and to his views as to the coming campaign abroad. Kutuzov made no observation or explanation. The same expression of unreasoning submission with which seven years before he had listened to the Tsar’s commands on the field of Austerlitz remained fixed now on his face.
When Kutuzov had left the room, and with downcast head walked across the reception-hall with his heavy, waddling step, a voice stopped him.
‘Your highness,’ said some one.
He raised his head, and looked into the face of Count Tolstoy, who stood facing him with a small object on a silver dish. Kutuzov seemed for some time unable to grasp what was wanted of him.
All at once he seemed to recollect himself; a faint smile gleamed on his pudgy face, and with a low, respectful bow, he picked up the object on the dish. It was the Order of St. George of the first rank.
XI
'he next day the commander-in-chief gave a dinner and a ball, which re Tsar honoured with his presence.
Kutuzov had received the Order of St. George of the first rank; the 'sar had shown him the highest marks of respect, but every one was ware that the Tsar was displeased with the commander-in-chief. The roprieties were observed, and the Tsar set the first example in doing so. iut every one knew that the old man was in fault, and had shown his acapacity. When, in accordance with the old custom of Catherine's time, lutuzov gave orders for the captured standards to be lowered at the 'sar’s feet on his entering the ball-room, the Tsar frowned with vexation, nd muttered words, which some heard as: ‘The old comedian.’
The Tsar’s displeasure was increased at Vilna by Kutuzov’s obvious nwillingness or incapacity to see the importance of the approaching ampaign.
When next morning the Tsar said to the officers gathered about him: ifou have not only saved Russia, you have saved Europe,’ every one new at once that the war was not over.
Kutuzov alone refused to see this, and frankly gave it as his opinion hat no fresh war could improve the position of Russia, or add to her lory; that it could but weaken her position, and cast her down from hat high pinnacle of glory at which in his view Russia was standing now. le tried to show the Tsar the impossibility of levying fresh troops, and alked of the hardships the people were suffering, the possibility of failure, nd so on.
Such being his attitude on the subject, the commander-in-chief could aturally be looked upon only as a hindrance and a drag on the progress f the coming campaign.
To avoid friction with the old man, the obvious resource was—as with im at Austerlitz and with Barclay at the beginning of the war—to with- raw all real power from the commander-in-chief, without disturbing im by any open explanation on the matter, and to transfer it to the Tsar. With this object, the staff was gradually transformed, and all the eal power of Kutuzov’s staff was removed and transferred to the Tsar, 'oil, Konovnitsyn, and Yermolov received new appointments. Every ne talked openly of the commander-in-chief’s great weakness and failing ealth.
He was bound to be in failing health, so as to make way for his suc- essor. And his health was, in fact, failing.
