THE FRENCH ARMY went on melting away at a regularly increasing rate. —
法国军队以日益增加的速度溶解。 —

And the crossing of the Berezina, of which so much has been written, was only one of the intermediate stages of the destruction of the army, and by no means the decisive episode of the campaign. —
小白俄罗斯的渡过比列津娜，已多次被人们写过，只是军队损失的中间阶段之一，并不是战役中的决定性事件。 —

The reason that so much has been written about Berezina on the French side is that at the broken-down bridge of Berezina the woes, which had till then come upon them in a sort of regular succession, were suddenly concentrated there in a single moment—in one tragic catastrophe, which remained printed on the memory of all. —
法国之所以对比列津娜的问题写得那么多，是因为在比列津娜残破的桥上，他们之前经历的痛苦突然在那一刻集中在那里，成为了一场悲惨的灾难，深深地印刻在所有人的记忆中。 —

On the Russian side, the reason that so much has been made of Berezina was simply that at Petersburg, far away from the theatre of war, a plan had been devised (again by Pfuhl of all people) for catching Napoleon in a strategic snare on the banks of the Berezina. —
在俄罗斯方面，对比列津娜引起这么大的轰动，仅仅是因为在遥远的彼得堡，一个计划（居然是由普福尔这个人提出的）早就被制定出来，目的是在比列津娜的河岸上设下战略陷阱来捕捉拿破仑。 —

Every one was convinced that the plan would come off exactly as arranged, and so they insisted that Berezina had in any case been the scene of the final ruin of the French. —
每个人都相信这个计划会完全按照计划进行，所以他们坚称比列津娜在任何情况下都是法国最终失败的场景。 —

In reality the results of Berezina were less ruinous to the French in loss of cannons and prisoners than was the fighting at Krasnoe, as statistics prove.
事实上，比列津娜的结果在炮兵和俘虏损失方面不如克拉斯塔诺战斗，统计数据证明了这一点。

The sole significance of the disaster of Berezina lies in the fact that it proved obviously and unmistakably how misleading were all plans for cutting off the enemy’s retreat; —
比列津娜的灾难仅仅意味着明显和无误地证明了切断敌人撤退路径的所有计划是多么的误导人， —

and the one possible course of action was that which was supported by Kutuzov and the mass of the Russian army—simply to follow on the enemy’s track. —
唯一可行的行动是库图佐夫和大部分俄罗斯军队支持的行动 - 就是简单地跟随敌人的踪迹。 —

The crowd of French soldiers fled with continually accelerating velocity, with all their energies directed to the attainment of their goal. —
大批法国士兵带着不断加速的速度逃离，全身心地致力于实现他们的目标。 —

It was fleeing like a wounded beast and could not be stopped on the way. —
它就像一只受伤的野兽逃离一样，无法在路上停下。 —

This was proved, not so much by the construction of the crossing, as by what happened at the bridges. —
这不仅仅是通过建造渡口来证明的，而是通过桥上发生的事情证明的。 —

When the bridges were broken down, unarmed soldiers, camp-followers from Moscow, women with children, who were with the French transport, all under the influence of vis inerti? —
当桥梁被击毁时，没有武装的士兵、从莫斯科跟随来的随军和妇女带着孩子的人，都在无力的冲动下冲向船只，或是冲进冰冷的水中，而不是投降。 —

, dashed forward for the boats, or rushed into the frozen water, instead of surrendering.
他们的冲动是合理的。逃亡者和追逐者的境况同样悲惨。

Their impulse was a reasonable one. The position of fugitives and of pursuers was equally wretched. —
通过留在自己的战友身边，每个人都希望能获得同情的帮助，在不幸中有一个明确的地位。 —

By remaining with his own men, each hoped for the help of comrades in misfortune, for a definite place of his own among them. —
通过向俄罗斯人投降，他发现自己处于同样悲惨的境地，但在满足生活需求方面却处于较低的水平。 —

By surrendering to the Russians, he found himself in the same wretched circumstances, but placed on a lower level than others as regards the satisfaction of his vital needs. —
法国人不需要真实的证据来证实，那些无法照顾的囚犯中有一半人死于寒冷和饥饿，尽管俄罗斯人多么想拯救他们。 —

The French had no need of authentic evidence that half of the prisoners—whom the Russians were unable to look after, however much they desired to save them— were dying of cold and hunger. —
他们觉得情况不可能不是这样。即使是最有人道主义精神的俄罗斯军官，甚至那些对法国人自然怀有温情的人，也无法为囚犯做任何事情。 —

They felt that it could not but be so. The most humane Russian officers, even those naturally warmly disposed to the French, Frenchmen in the Russian service, could do nothing for the prisoners. —
法国人在俄罗斯服役的最善良的俄罗斯军官也无能为力，他们感到它不可能不是这样。 —

They perished from the wretched plight in which the Russians were themselves placed. —
他们在俄国人自己面临的可怜境地中丧生。 —

Bread and clothing could not be taken from the starving, insistent soldiers to give it to Frenchmen—not hated, not obnoxious, nor in any way to blame—but simply superfluous. —
面对饥饿的士兵，他们不能够从他们手中夺走面包和衣物供给法国人——这些法国人并不被憎恶、讨厌，也没有任何罪过——只是多余而已。 —

Some did even do this; but it was only an exception.
有些人甚至愿意这样做，但这只是个例。

Behind them lay certain destruction; before them lay hope. Their ships were burnt; —
他们身后是必然的毁灭；面前是希望。他们的船被烧毁了； —

there was no hope of safety but in keeping together and in flight, and all the forces of the French were bent on this united flight.
只有团结一致和逃亡才有希望。法国军队所有的力量都投入到了这场集体逃亡中。

The more precipitate the flight of the French, and the more wretched the plight of those left behind (especially after Berezina, on which great hopes had been set, owing to the Petersburg plan), the more violent were the attacks made by the Russian generals on one another, and still more on Kutuzov. —
法国人逃得越急，留下来的人的境况越凄惨（特别是在白俄罗斯河之后，人们对这个地方寄予厚望，因为圣彼得堡的计划），俄国将军们对彼此的攻击就越激烈，对库图佐夫的攻击甚至更加严厉。 —

Assuming that the failure of the Petersburg plan would be ascribed to him, the dissatisfaction with him, contempt of him, and jeering at him became more and more pronounced. —
假设归咎于彼得堡计划的失败是他的错，人们对他的不满、轻视和嘲笑变得越来越明显。 —

This contempt and jeering was of course expressed in respectful form—in such a form that Kutuzov could not even ask what he was accused of. —
当然，这种轻视和嘲笑是以恭敬的形式表达的——以这种方式，库图佐夫甚至无法问他被指控的罪名是什么。 —

They did not talk to him seriously; they submitted their reports and asked for his decisions with an air of performing a melancholy ceremony, while they winked behind his back, and at every step tried to deceive him. —
他们没有认真地与他交谈；他们呈上他们的报告并请他作出决定时，表现得像在进行一种忧郁的仪式，随后在他背后眨眼，企图欺骗他。 —

It was accepted as a recognised thing by all those men that it was useless talking to the old man, simply because they could not understand him. —
所有那些人都认同一个被认可的事实，即对这位老人说话是没有意义的，因为他们无法理解他。 —

They took it for granted that he could never comprehend the deep significance of their plans, that he would answer them with his phrases (they fancied they were only meaningless phrases) about a golden bridge, and about the impossibility of going beyond the frontier with a crowd of barefoot beggars. —
他们认为他永远无法理解他们计划的深刻意义，认为他会用他的措辞（他们认为这些只是没有意义的措辞）回答他们关于黄金桥、以及不可能带着一群光脚叫花子越过边境的问题。 —

And everything he said—for instance, that they must wait for provisions, or that the men had no boots—all was so simple; —
他所说的一切，例如他们必须等待补给，或者士兵们没有靴子，这一切都是如此简单。 —

while everything they proposed was so complicated and so clever, that it was obvious to them that he was stupid and in his dotage, while they were military officers of genius, without authority to take the lead. —
尽管他们提出的每一件事都是如此复杂而巧妙，以至于他们明显觉得他愚蠢老朽，而他们是没有权威能够领导的天才军官们。 —

The dissatisfaction and malicious gossip of the staff reached its utmost limits after the brilliant admiral, the favourite hero of Petersburg, Wittgenstein, had joined the army. —
巴黎的不满和恶意谣言达到顶峰之后，那位光辉的海军上将、彼得堡的最受宠的英雄维特根斯坦加入了军队。 —

Kutuzov saw it, and simply sighed and shrugged his shoulders. —
库图佐夫看到了这一点，只是叹了口气并耸了耸肩膀。 —

Only once, after Berezina, he lost his temper and wrote to Bennigsen, who was in private correspondence with the Tsar, the following note:
只有一次，在贝雷辛之后，他发脾气并写信给与沙皇私下通信的本尼森，内容如下：

“I beg your Most High Excellency on the receipt of this letter to retire to Kaluga, on account of your attacks of ill-health, and there to await the further commands of His Majesty the Emperor.”
“请您显赫的阁下在收到这封信后因任何健康问题而退居卡卢加，等待陛下皇帝的进一步指令。”

But this dismissal of Bennigsen was followed by the arrival on the scene of the Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovitch, who had received a command at the beginning of the campaign and had been removed from the army by Kutuzov. —
但降职本尼森之后，担任该战役初期指挥官并被库图佐夫撤出军队的康斯坦丁·巴夫洛维奇大公出现在现场。 —

Now the Grand Duke on rejoining the army informed Kutuzov of the Tsar’s dissatisfaction at the poor successes of our troops, and the slowness of their progress. —
现在，这位大公重新加入军队，告知库图佐夫沙皇对我们军队的成效不满和进展缓慢，不久便会亲自与军队会合。 —

The Tsar himself intended to be with the army in a few days.
这位老将作为一个宫廷耐人寻味的智者和经验丰富的战争家，他知道自己的时日已过，他的角色已经演完，他所谓的权力早已不复存在的这个事实。

The old man, as experienced in court methods as in warfare—who in the August of that year had been chosen commander-in-chief against the Tsar’s will, who had dismissed the Grand Duke and heir-apparent from the army, and acting on his own authority, in opposition to the Tsar’s will, had decreed the abandonment of Moscow—understood at once now that his day was over, that his part was played out, and that his supposed power was no more. —
他看出这不仅仅是宫廷的态度。 —

And not only from the attitude of the court did he see this. —
他一方面看到战争——那场他所扮演的战争——已经结束，他感到自己的任务已经完成。 —

On one side he saw the war—that war in which he had played his part—was over, and he felt that his work was done. —
他感受到自己的工作已经结束的不仅仅来自宫廷的态度。 —

On the other hand, at this very time, he began to be sensible of the physical weariness of his aged frame, and the necessity of physical rest.
另一方面，在这个时候，他开始感到自己年老的身体疲倦，需要休息。

On the 29th of November, Kutuzov reached Vilna—his dear Vilna, as he used to call it. —
11月29日，库图佐夫达到了维尔纳，这个他曾经称为他亲爱的维尔纳。 —

Twice during his military career he had been governor of Vilna.
在他的军事生涯中，他曾两次担任维尔纳的总督。

In that wealthy town, which had escaped injury, Kutuzov found old friends and old associations, as well as the comforts of which he had been so long deprived. —
在这个富有的城市，库图佐夫找到了老朋友和旧的联结，以及他已经被长时间剥夺的舒适条件。 —

And at once turning his back on all military and political cares, he plunged into the quiet routine of his accustomed life, so far as the passions raging all round him would permit. —
然后，他立即将所有的军事和政治忧虑抛之脑后，沉浸在他习惯的宁静生活中，只要周围肆虐的激情允许。 —

It was as though all that was being done, and had still to be done, in the world of history, was no concern of his now.
在历史世界中正在发生和即将发生的一切似乎与他无关了。

Tchitchagov was one of the generals most zealous in advocating attack and cutting off the enemy’s retreat; —
车地戈夫是最热心主张进攻和截断敌军后撤的将军之一； —

he had at first suggested making a diversion in Greece and then in Warsaw, but was never willing to go where he was commanded to go. —
他曾最初建议在希腊和华沙进行分散行动，但从不愿意去他被命令去的地方。 —

Tchitchagov, who was notorious for the boldness of his remarks to the Tsar, considered Kutuzov was under an obligation to him, because when he had been sent in 1811 to conclude peace with Turkey over Kutuzov’s head, and found on arriving that peace had already been concluded, he had frankly admitted to the Tsar that the credit of having concluded peace belonged to Kutuzov.
车地戈夫因其对沙皇的大胆言辞而臭名昭著，认为库图佐夫对他有义务，因为当他在1811年被派去在库图佐夫之上与土耳其谈判和发现已经结束了和约时，他坦率地向沙皇承认，结束和平的功劳应归于库图佐夫。

This Tchitchagov was the first to meet Kutuzov at Vilna, at the castles where the latter was to stay. Wearing a naval uniform with a dirk, and holding his forage cap under his arm, he handed the commander-in-chief the military report and the keys of the town. —
这个车地戈夫是第一个在维尔纳与库图佐夫见面的人，在后者将要停留的城堡里。他身穿海军制服，手握匕首，将军事报告和城市的钥匙递给了总司令。 —

The contemptuously respectful attitude of youth to old age in its dotage was expressed in the most marked manner in all the behaviour of Tchitchagov, who was aware of the disfavour into which Kutuzov had fallen.
在所有车地戈夫的行为中，青年对老年的轻蔑与尊敬的态度表达得最明显，他意识到库图佐夫已经失宠了。

In conversation with Tchitchagov, Kutuzov happened to say that his carriages, packed with china, that had been carried off by the enemy at Borisovo, had been recovered unhurt, and would be restored to him.
在与柴塔戈夫的对话中，库图佐夫碰巧提到他的马车，里面装满了瓷器，曾经被敌人在博里索沃劫走，但现在已经完好无损地被取回，并将归还给他。

“You mean to say I have nothing to eat out of? —
“你是说我没东西盛饭吗？” —

On the contrary, I can provide everything for you, even if you want to give dinner-parties,” Tchitchagov protested, getting hot. —
“相反，我可以提供一切给你，即使你要举办宴会,” 柴塔戈夫生气地辩解道。 —

Every word he had uttered had been with the motive of proving his own rectitude, and so he imagined that Kutuzov too was preoccupied with the same desire. —
他说的每一个字都是为了证明自己的正直，所以他想象库图佐夫也是出于同样的愿望而心事重重。 —

Shrugging his shoulders and smiling his subtle, penetrating smile, Kutuzov answered:
库图佐夫耸耸肩，微笑着那种精明而有洞察力的微笑，回答道:

“I mean to say to you what I do say to you. Nothing more.”
“我跟你说的就是我说的，没有更多的了。”

In opposition to the Tsar’s wishes, Kutuzov kept the greater part of the troops in Vilna. He was said by all the persons about him to be getting much weaker, and breaking down physically during his stay in Vilna. He took no interest in the business of the army, left everything to his generals, and spent the time of waiting for the Tsar in social dissipation.
虽然违背了沙皇的意愿，库图佐夫将大部分部队驻扎在了维尔纳。 据周围所有的人说，在维尔纳期间，他变得越来越虚弱，身体垮了下来。他对军队的事务不感兴趣，将一切都留给了他的将军们，而在等待沙皇的时间里，他参加社交活动。

The Tsar, with his suite—Count Tolstoy, Prince Volkonsky, Araktcheev, and the rest—left Petersburg on the 7th of December, and reached Vilna on the 11th, and drove straight up to the castle in his travelling sledge. —
12月7日，沙皇与他的随行人员——托尔斯泰伯爵，沃尔孔斯基亲王，阿拉克契耶夫等——离开圣彼得堡，并于11日抵达维尔纳，然后直接驾车前往城堡。 —

In spite of the intense cold there were some hundred generals and staff-officers in full parade uniform, and a guard of honour of the Semyonovsky regiment standing before the castle.
尽管天气严寒，但仍然有大约一百名穿着全副礼仪制服的将军和参谋人员，以及一支西门诺夫斯基团队的仪仗卫队站在城堡前。

A courier, galloping up to the castle with steaming horses in advance of the Tsar, shouted: —
一名骑马快速前进的信使事先驱车赶到城堡门前，大声喊道： —

“He is coming!”
“他来了！”

Konovnitsyn rushed into the vestibule to inform Kutuzov, who was waiting in the porter’s little room within.
科诺夫尼钦冲进门厅里通知正在小房间里等候的库图佐夫。

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. —
一分钟后，一个高大而沉稳的老人，身穿全副军礼制服，胸前佩戴着勋章，身上缠着紧紧的披肩，摇摇晃晃地走上台阶。 —

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.
他戴上帽子，帽檐朝前，手里提着手套，在楼梯上东倒西歪地侧身而行，一手拿着已准备好的报告，打算交给沙皇。

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.
嘈杂和匆忙中，又有一组三匹骏马疾驰而来，所有的目光都转向了正在接近的雪橇，已经可以分辨出沙皇和沃尔孔斯基的身影了。

From the habit of fifty years, all this had a physically agitating effect on the old man. —
这一切因为五十年的习惯，都对老人产生了身体上激动的影响。 —

He 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.
他急切地检查了一遍自己，整齐地戴好帽子，振作精神，当沙皇从雪橇上走下来，目光投向他的时候，他递上了报告，用他那沉着谄媚的声音开始讲话。

The Tsar scanned Kutuzov from head to foot in a rapid glance, frowned for an instant; —
沙皇迅速地打量了库图佐夫一番，眉头一皱； —

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.
但随即克制住自己的感情，走到他面前，伸开双臂，拥抱了这位老将军。再一次，由于对习惯中深埋在他自己心中的某种感情的唤起，这次拥抱给了库图佐夫以通常的影响：他哽咽了起来。

The Tsar greeted the officers and the Semyonovsky guard of honour; —
沙皇与军官们和卫队代表团亲切交谈； —

and once more shaking hands with the old man, he went with him into the castle.
再次与老人握手，他同老人一起走进了城堡。

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. —
当他与总指挥独处时，沙皇表达了他对敌人追击行动的缓慢和在克拉斯诺耶和别列津纳所犯的错误以及对即将到来的海外战役的看法的不满。 —

Kutuzov made no observation or explanation. —
库图佐夫无话可说，也不做解释。 —

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.
七年前他在奥斯特利茨战场上聆听沙皇命令时表现出的无意识的顺从表情现在仍然挂在他的脸上。

When Kutuzov had left the room, and with downcast head walked across the reception-hall with his heavy, waddling step, a voice stopped him.
当库图佐夫离开房间，低头沉思着用他沉重的蹒跚步履穿过接待大厅时，有人叫住了他。

“Your highness,” said some one.
“殿下，”有人说道。

He raised his head, and looked into the face of Count Tolstoy, who stood facing him with a small object on a silver dish. —
他抬起头，看着面前的托尔斯泰伯爵，他正对着他站着，手里拿着一个银盘上的小物体。 —

Kutuzov seemed for some time unable to grasp what was wanted of him.
库图佐夫似乎有一段时间无法理解他需要什么。

All at once he seemed to recollect himself; —
突然间，他似乎恍然大悟； —

a faint smile gleamed on his pudgy face, and with a low, respectful bow, he picked up the object on the dish. —
一丝微笑在他的胖脸上闪过，他低声恭敬地鞠躬，捡起盘子上的物品。 —

It was the Order of St. George of the first rank.
那是圣乔治一级勋章。