ThisletterhadnotyetbeenpresentedtotheEmperorwhenBarclay, onedayatdinner, informedBolkonskithatthesovereignwishedtoseehimpersonally, toquestionhimaboutTurkey, andthatPrinceAndrewwastopresenthimselfatBennigsen'squartersatsixthatevening.
NewswasreceivedattheEmperor'squartersthatverydayofafreshmovementbyNapoleonwhichmightendangerthearmy—, andtillthenconsideredachef-d'oeuvreoftacticalsciencewhichwouldensureNapoleon'sdestruction, wasanabsurdity, threateningthedestructionoftheRussianarmy.
PrinceAndrewarrivedatBennigsen'squarters—acountrygentleman'shouseofmoderatesize, , butChernyshev, theEmperor'saide-de-camp, receivedBolkonskiandinformedhimthattheEmperor, accompaniedbyGeneralBennigsenandMarquisPaulucci, hadgoneasecondtimethatdaytoinspectthefortificationsoftheDrissacamp, ofthesuitabilityofwhichseriousdoubtswerebeginningtobefelt.
; therewasstillanorganinitonwhichsomerugswerepiled, andinonecornerstoodthefoldingbedsteadofBennigsen'-upbedding, , onestraightonintowhathadbeenthedrawingroom, andanother, ontheright, , bytheEmperor'swish, notamilitarycouncil (theEmperorpreferredindefiniteness), , but, asitwere, , AdjutantGeneralWolzogen, Wintzingerode (whomNapoleonhadreferredtoasarenegadeFrenchsubject), Michaud, Toll, CountSteinwhowasnotamilitarymanatall, andPfuelhimself, who, asPrinceAndrewhadheard, , forPfuelarrivedsoonafterhimselfand, inpassingthroughtothedrawingroom, stoppedaminutetospeaktoChernyshev.
