General Balashëv is made to wait in a French camp for five days before being given an audience with Napoleon.
Summary:
General Balashëv was sent to the headquarters of a French military commander named Davout. Davout is surly and rude. The uncivil Davout insists on reading the Emperor’s letter, despite the Emperor’s instructions that Balashëv hand the letter to Napoleon himself. Balashëv is given quarters in Davout’s camp. After four days of solitude, ennui, and consciousness of his impotence and insignificance-particularly acute by contrast with the sphere of power in which he had so lately moved-and after several marches with the marshal’s baggage and the French army, which occupied the whole district, Balashëv was brought to Vílna-now occupied by the French-through the very gate by which he had left it four days previously. The next day, Napoleon received Balashëv. Ironically, Napoleon is to receive Balashëv in the same house in Vílna from which Alexander had sent Balashëv on his mission.
quote from the chapter:
Thinking he could have been received in such a manner only because Davout did not know that he was adjutant general to the Emperor Alexander and even his envoy to Napoleon, Balashëv hastened to inform him of his rank and mission. Contrary to his expectation, Davout, after hearing him, became still surlier and ruder.
Where is your dispatch? he inquired. Give it to me. I will send it to the Emperor.
Balashëv replied that he had been ordered to hand it personally to the Emperor.
Your Emperor’s orders are obeyed in your army, but here, said Davout, you must do as you’re told.
And, as if to make the Russian general still more conscious of his dependence on brute force, Davout sent an adjutant to call the officer on duty.
Book 9, Chapter 5
General Balashëv is made to wait in a French camp for five days before being given an audience with Napoleon.
Summary:
General Balashëv was sent to the headquarters of a French military commander named Davout. Davout is surly and rude. The uncivil Davout insists on reading the Emperor’s letter, despite the Emperor’s instructions that Balashëv hand the letter to Napoleon himself. Balashëv is given quarters in Davout’s camp. After four days of solitude, ennui, and consciousness of his impotence and insignificance-particularly acute by contrast with the sphere of power in which he had so lately moved-and after several marches with the marshal’s baggage and the French army, which occupied the whole district, Balashëv was brought to Vílna-now occupied by the French-through the very gate by which he had left it four days previously. The next day, Napoleon received Balashëv. Ironically, Napoleon is to receive Balashëv in the same house in Vílna from which Alexander had sent Balashëv on his mission.
quote from the chapter:
Thinking he could have been received in such a manner only because Davout did not know that he was adjutant general to the Emperor Alexander and even his envoy to Napoleon, Balashëv hastened to inform him of his rank and mission. Contrary to his expectation, Davout, after hearing him, became still surlier and ruder.
Where is your dispatch? he inquired. Give it to me. I will send it to the Emperor.
Balashëv replied that he had been ordered to hand it personally to the Emperor.
Your Emperor’s orders are obeyed in your army, but here, said Davout, you must do as you’re told.
And, as if to make the Russian general still more conscious of his dependence on brute force, Davout sent an adjutant to call the officer on duty.
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