Napoleon interviews a captured Russian serf named Lavrúshka who is attached to Nicholas. Lavrúshka pretends not to recognize Napoleon, but willingly tells him all the gossip he had heard among the orderlies, much of it true. Napoleon then asked Lavrúshka whether the Russians thought they would beat the French or not. Lavrúshka answers that If a battle takes place within the next three days the French will win, but if later, God knows what will happen. Napoleon is amused by Lavrúshka’s response, makes Lavrúshka a present and has him set free. Lavrúshka returns to Count Rostóv. Nicholas lets Lavrúshka accompany him on a ride round the neighboring villages.
quote from the chapter:
Lavrúshka was one of those coarse, bare-faced lackeys who have seen all sorts of things, consider it necessary to do everything in a mean and cunning way, are ready to render any sort of service to their master, and are keen at guessing their master’s baser impulses, especially those prompted by vanity and pettiness.
Finding himself in the company of Napoleon, whose identity he had easily and surely recognized, Lavrúshka was not in the least abashed but merely did his utmost to gain his new master’s favor. He knew very well that this was Napoleon, but Napoleon’s presence could no more intimidate him than Rostóv’s, or a sergeant major’s with the rods, would have done, for he had nothing that either the sergeant major or Napoleon could deprive him of.
Book 10, Chapter 7
Napoleon interviews a captured Russian serf.
Summary:
Napoleon interviews a captured Russian serf named Lavrúshka who is attached to Nicholas. Lavrúshka pretends not to recognize Napoleon, but willingly tells him all the gossip he had heard among the orderlies, much of it true. Napoleon then asked Lavrúshka whether the Russians thought they would beat the French or not. Lavrúshka answers that If a battle takes place within the next three days the French will win, but if later, God knows what will happen. Napoleon is amused by Lavrúshka’s response, makes Lavrúshka a present and has him set free. Lavrúshka returns to Count Rostóv. Nicholas lets Lavrúshka accompany him on a ride round the neighboring villages.
quote from the chapter:
Lavrúshka was one of those coarse, bare-faced lackeys who have seen all sorts of things, consider it necessary to do everything in a mean and cunning way, are ready to render any sort of service to their master, and are keen at guessing their master’s baser impulses, especially those prompted by vanity and pettiness.
Finding himself in the company of Napoleon, whose identity he had easily and surely recognized, Lavrúshka was not in the least abashed but merely did his utmost to gain his new master’s favor. He knew very well that this was Napoleon, but Napoleon’s presence could no more intimidate him than Rostóv’s, or a sergeant major’s with the rods, would have done, for he had nothing that either the sergeant major or Napoleon could deprive him of.
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