NINE DAYS after the abandonment of Moscow, a courier from Kutuzov reached Petersburg with the official news of the surrender of Moscow. —
莫斯科被放弃后的九天，有一名从库图佐夫派来的信使带着官方消息抵达圣彼得堡，宣布莫斯科的投降。 —

This courier was a Frenchman, Michaud, who did not know Russian, yet was, “though a foreigner, Russian in heart and soul,” as he used to say of himself.
这名信使是一位法国人，名叫米舍，虽然他不会说俄语，但他自称自己是一位“外国人却有俄国人的心和灵魂”。

The Tsar at once received the messenger in his study in the palace of Kamenny island. —
拿到消息后，沙皇立即在卡门尼岛宫的书房里接见了这位信使。 —

Michaud, who had never seen Moscow before the campaign, and did not know a word of Russian, yet felt deeply moved when he came before “notre très gracieux souverain” (as he wrote) with the news of the burning of Moscow, whose flames illumined his route.
汉密告束这场战役之前从未见过莫斯科，也不懂俄语，但当他站在“我们极受宠爱的君主”面前，将莫斯科着火的消息带来时，他深感震撼，火焰反射在他的行进路线上。

Though the source of M. Michaud’s sorrow must indeed have been different from that to which the grief of Russian people was due, Michaud had such a melancholy face when he was shown into the Tsar’s study that the Tsar asked him at once:
莫斯科人民的痛苦源头与米舍的悲伤感受当然不同，但当米舍被带进沙皇的书房时，他的面孔显得非常忧郁，于是沙皇马上问道：

“Do you bring me sad news, colonel?”
“你给我带来了不好的消息，上校吗？”

“Very sad, sire, the surrender of Moscow,” answered Michaud, casting his eyes down with a sigh.
“非常悲痛，陛下，莫斯科投降了，”米舍叹了口气，低下了眼睛回答道。

“Can they have surrendered my ancient capital without a battle? —
“他们竟然在没有战斗的情况下投降了我的古都？”沙皇快速地问道，突然面红耳赤起来。 —

” the Tsar asked quickly, suddenly flushing.
米舍恭敬地传达了他从库图佐夫那里得到的消息，即在莫斯科前不可能进行战斗，既然没有选择把士兵和莫斯科都失去，只能选择失去莫斯科。

Michaud respectfully gave the message he had been commanded to give from Kutuzov, that is, that there was no possibility of fighting before Moscow, and that seeing there was no chance but either to lose the army and Moscow or to lose Moscow alone, the commander-in-chief had been obliged to choose the latter.
没有说一句话，沙皇默默地听着，没有看向米舍。

The Tsar listened without a word, not looking at Michaud.
“敌人已经进城了吗？”他问道。

“Has the enemy entered the city?” he asked.
“是的，陛下，现在城市已经成为一片废墟。我把它留给火焰吞噬了，”米舍坚定地说道；

“Yes, sire, and by now the city is in ashes. I left it all in flames,” said Michaud resolutely; —
但他看着沙皇时，惊恐不已，对自己所做的事感到恐惧。 —

but glancing at the Tsar, Michaud was horrified at what he had done. —
沙皇呼吸急促而急速，下唇抖动了一下，他那美丽的蓝眼睛一时湿润了起来。 —

The Tsar was breathing hard and rapidly, his lower lip was twitching, and his fine blue eyes were for a moment wet with tears.
但这只持续了一瞬间。沙皇突然皱起眉头，仿佛对自己的软弱感到烦恼；

But that lasted only a moment. The Tsar suddenly frowned, as though vexed with himself for his own weakness; —
然而，这只持续了一瞬间。沙皇突然皱起眉头，仿佛对自己的软弱感到烦恼； —

and raising his head, he addressed Michaud in a firm voice:
他抬起头，以坚定的声音对米舍尔说道：

“I see, colonel, from all that is happening to us that Providence requires great sacrifices of us. —
“我看到，上天要求我们做出巨大的牺牲。 —

I am ready to submit to His will in everything; —
我愿意在一切事情上顺从他的意愿； —

but tell me, Michaud, how did you leave the army, seeing my ancient capital thus abandoned without striking a blow? —
但告诉我，米舍尔，你是如何离开军队的，看到我的古都如此无力反抗毫无斗志？ —

Did you not perceive discouragement?”
难道你没有感到沮丧吗？”

Seeing that his most gracious sovereign had regained his composure, Michaud too regained his; —
看到他最仁慈的君主恢复了镇定，米舍尔也恢复了镇定； —

but to the Tsar’s direct question of a matter of fact which called for a direct answer, he had not yet an answer ready. —
但对于沙皇直接问他一个需要直接回答的事实问题，他还没有准备好回答。 —

“Sire, will you permit me to speak frankly, as a loyal soldier? —
“陛下，作为忠诚的士兵，您是否允许我坦率地说话？” —

” he said, to gain time.
他说道，为了争取时间。

“Colonel, I always expect it,” said the Tsar. “Hide nothing from me; —
“上校，我总是期望如此，”沙皇说。“对我隐藏不要任何事情； —

I want to know absolutely how it is.”
我想完全了解情况。”

“Sire!” said Michaud, with a delicate, scarcely perceptible smile on his lips, as he had now had time to prepare his answer in the form of a light and respectful play of words. —
“陛下！”米绍德微微一笑，嘴唇上带着细微的笑容，因为他现在有时间准备回答，以轻松和尊重的方式玩弄文字。 —

“Sire! I left the whole army, from the commanders to the lowest soldier without exception, in extreme, in desperate terror.”
“陛下！我发现全军，从指挥官到最低级的士兵无一例外，都极度恐慌，陷入绝望中。”

“How so?” the Tsar interrupted, frowning sternly. —
“怎么回事？”沙皇严厉地打断道，皱着眉头。 —

“My Russians let themselves be cast down by misfortune?…Never…”
“我的俄国人因不幸而心灰意冷？……从未……”

This was just what Michaud was waiting for to get in his phrases.
这正是米绍德等待的，来表达他的话语。

“Sire,” he said, with a respectful playfulness of expression, “they fear only that your majesty through goodness of heart may let yourself be persuaded to make peace. —
“陛下，”他带着一种尊重和玩笑的表情说，“他们只是担心您的仁慈可能会被说服而达成和平。 —

They burn to fight,” said the plenipotentiary of the Russian people, “and to prove to your majesty by the sacrifice of their lives how devoted they are…”
他们渴望战斗，”代表俄罗斯人民的特使说，“并愿意以生命的牺牲来证明他们的忠诚……”

“Ah!” said the Tsar, reassured, slapping Michaud on the shoulder, with a friendly light in his eyes. —
“啊！”沙皇安心了，友好地拍了拍米绍德的肩膀，眼睛里闪烁着亲切的光芒。 —

“You tranquillise me, colonel…”
“你让我安心了，上校……”

The Tsar looked down, and for some time he was silent. —
沙皇低下了头，沉默了一段时间。 —

“Well, go back to the army,” he said, drawing himself up to his full height and with a genial and majestic gesture addressing Michaud, “and tell our brave fellows, tell all my good subjects wherever you go, that when I have not a soldier left, I will put myself at the head of my dear nobility, of my good peasants, and so use the last resources of my empire. —
“好吧，回到军队吧，”他站直了身子，用一种和蔼、威严的姿态对着米绍德说，“告诉我们勇敢的战士们，告诉我所有的好子民，在你走到哪里都要这样告诉他们，即使我没有一名士兵了，我也会率领我亲爱的贵族和忠诚的农民，动用我帝国的最后资源。” —

It offers me still more than my enemies suppose,” said the Tsar, more and more stirred. —
“它比我的敌人所认为的还要多一些，”沙皇说，越来越激动。 —

“But if it should be written in the decrees of divine Providence,” he said, and his fine, mild eyes, shining with emotion, were raised towards heaven, “that my dynasty should cease to reign on the throne of my ancestors, then after exhausting every means in my power, I would let my beard grow to here” (the Tsar put his hand halfway down his breast), “and go and eat potatoes with the meanest of my peasants rather than sign the shame of my country and my dear people, whose sacrifice I know how to appreciate. —
“但如果这是神圣意志的旨意写在命令中，”他说，他那美好而温和的眼睛充满激动地朝着天空注视着，“那么在尽我所能之后，我会让我的胡须长到这里”（沙皇把手放在胸前的位置），”去和我的农民一起吃土豆，而不愿在我的国家和我亲爱的人民身上签下耻辱，我懂得如何珍惜他们的牺牲。 —

” Uttering these words in a voice of much feeling, the Tsar turned quickly away, as though wishing to conceal from Michaud the tears that were starting into his eyes, and he walked to the further end of his study. —
用带有很多感情的声音说完这些话，沙皇突然迅速地转身，好像希望把泪水从迎风而起的双眼之中隐藏起来，然后他走到书房的另一边。 —

After standing there some instants, he strode back to Michaud, and with a vigorous action squeezed his arm below the elbow. —
在那里停留了一会儿后，他又大步走回米歇尔那里，并用有力的动作紧握住他胳膊的肘部。 —

The Tsar’s fine, mild face was flushed, and his eyes gleamed with energy and anger. —
沙皇那优雅而温和的脸蛋变得通红，眼神充满了活力和愤怒。 —

“Colonel Michaud, do not forget what I say to you here; —
“米歇尔上校，不要忘记我在这里告诉您的话； —

perhaps one day we shall recall it with pleasure. —
或许有一天我们会愉快地回忆起这一切。 —

…Napoleon or me,” he said, touching his breast, “we can no longer reign together. —
…拿破仑或者我，”他边说边碰了碰胸部，”我们不能再一起统治了。 —

I have learned to know him. He will not deceive me again…” And the Tsar paused, frowning. —
我已经学会了认识他。他再也不能欺骗我…“沙皇停顿了下来，皱了皱眉头。 —

Hearing these words, seeing the look of firm determination in the Tsar’s eyes, Michaud, though a foreigner, Russian in heart and soul, felt (as he used to recount later) at that solemn moment moved to enthusiasm by what he had just heard; —
听到这些话，看到沙皇的眼神坚定决绝，米歇尔虽然是外国人，但他心中充满俄罗斯人的热血，感觉到（后来他回忆道）在那庄严的时刻被刚刚听到的话所感动，充满热情； —

and in the following phrase he sought to give expression to his own feelings and those of the Russian people, whose representative he considered himself to be.
他试图在接下来的话语中表达自己的感受，以及他认为自己作为俄罗斯人民代表的感受。

“Sire!” he said, “your majesty is signing at this moment the glory of the nation and the salvation of Europe!”
“陛下！”他说，“您陛下此刻正在签署国家的荣耀和欧洲的救赎！”

With a motion of his head the Tsar dismissed Michaud.
沙皇点了点头，把米歇尔打发走了。