The Emperor and Napoleon exchange courtesies and awards.
Summary:
Having just declined Denislov’s pardon request, the Emperor meets Napoleon on horseback in public. Rostóv kept his eyes on every movement of Alexander and Bonaparte. It struck him as a surprise that Alexander treated Bonaparte as an equal. Napoleon gives a Russian soldier an award for bravery. The Emperor will reciprocate with an award for a French soldier the next day. The Russian battalion mingles with the French Guards. Rostóv, watching the feast from a distance, has painful, terrible doubts. He remembers the stinking hospital, with arms and legs torn off. This is hard to square with seeing the self-satisfied Bonaparte being so respected by Alexander. Then why those severed arms and legs and those dead men? He thinks of a random soldier being honored while the good Denísov is punished and unpardoned. Nicholas is frightened by his misgivings. Finally, though, Nicholas drives away his doubts. “If the Emperor pleases to recognize Bonaparte as Emperor and to conclude an alliance with him, it means that that is the right thing to do.”, Nicholas thinks.
quote from the chapter:
The process in his mind went on tormenting him without reaching a conclusion. He feared to give way to his thoughts, yet could not get rid of them. Suddenly, on one of the officers’ saying that it was humiliating to look at the French, Rostóv began shouting with uncalled-for wrath, and therefore much to the surprise of the officers: How can you judge what’s best? he cried, the blood suddenly rushing to his face. How can you judge the Emperor’s actions? What right have we to argue? We cannot comprehend either the Emperor’s aims or his actions!
Book 5, Chapter 21
The Emperor and Napoleon exchange courtesies and awards.
Summary:
Having just declined Denislov’s pardon request, the Emperor meets Napoleon on horseback in public. Rostóv kept his eyes on every movement of Alexander and Bonaparte. It struck him as a surprise that Alexander treated Bonaparte as an equal. Napoleon gives a Russian soldier an award for bravery. The Emperor will reciprocate with an award for a French soldier the next day. The Russian battalion mingles with the French Guards. Rostóv, watching the feast from a distance, has painful, terrible doubts. He remembers the stinking hospital, with arms and legs torn off. This is hard to square with seeing the self-satisfied Bonaparte being so respected by Alexander. Then why those severed arms and legs and those dead men? He thinks of a random soldier being honored while the good Denísov is punished and unpardoned. Nicholas is frightened by his misgivings. Finally, though, Nicholas drives away his doubts. “If the Emperor pleases to recognize Bonaparte as Emperor and to conclude an alliance with him, it means that that is the right thing to do.”, Nicholas thinks.
quote from the chapter:
The process in his mind went on tormenting him without reaching a conclusion. He feared to give way to his thoughts, yet could not get rid of them. Suddenly, on one of the officers’ saying that it was humiliating to look at the French, Rostóv began shouting with uncalled-for wrath, and therefore much to the surprise of the officers: How can you judge what’s best? he cried, the blood suddenly rushing to his face. How can you judge the Emperor’s actions? What right have we to argue? We cannot comprehend either the Emperor’s aims or his actions!
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