Chapter 5

           

           In1812and1813Kutúzovwasopenlyaccusedofblundering.TheEmperorwasdissatisfiedwithhim.AndinahistoryrecentlywrittenbyorderoftheHighestAuthoritiesitissaidthatKutúzovwasacunningcourtliar,frightenedofthenameofNapoleon,andthatbyhisblundersatKrásnoeandtheBerëzinahedeprivedtheRussianarmyofthegloryofcompletevictoryovertheFrench.*

           *Historyoftheyear1812.ThecharacterofKutúzovand

           reflectionsontheunsatisfactoryresultsofthebattlesat

           Krásnoe,byBogdánovich.

           Suchisthefatenotofgreatmen(grandshommes)whomtheRussianminddoesnotacknowledge,butofthoserareandalwayssolitaryindividualswho,discerningthewillofProvidence,submittheirpersonalwilltoit.Thehatredandcontemptofthecrowdpunishsuchmenfordiscerningthehigherlaws.

           ForRussianhistorians,strangeandterribletosay,Napoleon—thatmostinsignificanttoolofhistorywhoneveranywhere,eveninexile,showedhumandignity—Napoleonistheobjectofadulationandenthusiasm;heisgrand.ButKutúzov—themanwhofromthebeginningtotheendofhisactivityin1812,neveronceswervingbywordordeedfromBorodinótoVílna,presentedanexampleexceptionalinhistoryofself-sacrificeandapresentconsciousnessofthefutureimportanceofwhatwashappening—Kutúzovseemstothemsomethingindefiniteandpitiful,andwhenspeakingofhimandoftheyear1812theyalwaysseemalittleashamed.

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