want
us to do?" he repeated and his eye shone with a deep, shrewd look.
"I'll tell you what to do," he continued, as Prince Andrew still did not
reply: "I will tell you what to do, and what I do. Dans le doute, mon
cher," he paused, "abstiens-toi" *(2)--he articulated the French proverb
deliberately.

* "Don't see it that way, that's the trouble."

* (2) "When in doubt, my dear fellow, do nothing."

"Well, good-by, my dear fellow; remember that with all my heart I share
your sorrow, and that for you I am not a Serene Highness, nor a prince,
nor a commander in chief, but a father! If you want anything come
straight to me. Good-by, my dear boy."

Again he embraced and kissed Prince Andrew, but before the latter
had left the room Kutuzov gave a sigh of relief and went on with his
unfinished novel, Les Chevaliers du Cygne by Madame de Genlis.

Prince Andrew could not have explained how or why it was, but after that
interview with Kutuzov he went back to his regiment reassured as to
the general course of affairs and as to the man to whom it had been
entrusted. The more he realized the absence of all personal motive in
that old man--in whom there seemed to remain only the habit of passions,
and in place of an intellect (grouping events and drawing conclusions)
only the capacity calmly to contemplate the course of events--the more
reassured he was that everything would be as it should. "He will not
bring in any plan of his own. He will not devise or undertake
anything," thought Prince Andrew, "but he will hear everything, remember
everything, and put everything in its place. He will not hinder
anything useful nor allow anything harmful. He understands that there is
something stronger and more important than his own will--the inevitable
course of events, and he can see them and grasp their significance,
and seeing that significance can refrain from meddling and renounce his
personal wish directed to something else. And above all," thought Prince
Andrew, "one believes in him because he's Russian, despite the novel
by Genlis and the French proverbs, and because his voice shook when he
said: 'What they have brought us to!' and had a sob in it when he said
he would 'make them eat horseflesh!'"

On such feelings, more or less dimly shared by all, the unanimity and
general approval were founded with which, despite court influences, the
popular choice of Kutuzov as commander in chief was received.

CHAPT