Part 10

Chapter 1

           

           NapoleonbeganthewarwithRussiabecausehecouldnotresistgoingtoDresden,couldnothelphavinghisheadturnedbythehomagehereceived,couldnothelpdonningaPolishuniformandyieldingtothestimulatinginfluenceofaJunemorning,andcouldnotrefrainfromburstsofangerinthepresenceofKurákinandthenofBalashëv.

           Alexanderrefusednegotiationsbecausehefelthimselftobepersonallyinsulted.BarclaydeTollytriedtocommandthearmyinthebestway,becausehewishedtofulfillhisdutyandearnfameasagreatcommander.RostóvchargedtheFrenchbecausehecouldnotrestrainhiswishforagallopacrossalevelfield;andinthesamewaytheinnumerablepeoplewhotookpartinthewaractedinaccordwiththeirpersonalcharacteristics,habits,circumstances,andaims.Theyweremovedbyfearorvanity,rejoicedorwereindignant,reasoned,imaginingthattheyknewwhattheyweredoinganddiditoftheirownfreewill,buttheyallwereinvoluntarytoolsofhistory,carryingonaworkconcealedfromthembutcomprehensibletous.Suchistheinevitablefateofmenofaction,andthehighertheystandinthesocialhierarchythelessaretheyfree.

           Theactorsof1812havelongsinceleftthestage,theirpersonalinterestshavevanishedleavingnotrace,andnothingremainsofthattimebutitshistoricresults.

           Providencecompelledallthesemen,strivingtoattainpersonalaims,tofurthertheaccomplishmentofastupendousresultnooneofthematallexpected—neitherNapoleon,norAlexander,norstilllessanyofthosewhodidtheactualfighting.

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