战争与和平(上)-第47章

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e　stooping；　feeble　figure　of　Tushin；　squatting　in　Turkish　fashion　near　him。　The　big；　kindly；　and　shrewd　eyes　of　Tushin　were　fixed　upon　him　with　sympathy　and　commiseration。　He　saw　that　Tushin　wished　with　all　his　soul　to　help　him；　but　could　do　nothing　for　him。
On　all　sides　they　heard　the　footsteps　and　the　chatter　of　the　infantry　going　and　coming　and　settling　themselves　round　them。　The　sounds　of　voices；　of　steps；　and　of　horses’　hoofs　tramping　in　the　mud；　the　crackling　firewood　far　and　near；　all　melted　into　one　fluctuating　roar　of　sound。
It　was　not　now　as　before　an　unseen　river　flowing　in　the　darkness；　but　a　gloomy　sea　subsiding　and　still　agitated　after　a　storm。　Rostov　gazed　vacantly　and　listened　to　what　was　passing　before　him　and　around　him。　An　infantry　soldier　came　up　to　the　fire；　squatted　on　his　heels；　held　his　hands　to　the　fire；　and　turned　his　face。
“You　don’t　mind；　your　honour？”　he　said；　looking　inquiringly　at　Tushin。　“Here　I’ve　got　lost　from　my　company；　your　honour；　I　don’t　know　myself　where　I　am。　It’s　dreadful！”
With　the　soldier　an　infantry　officer　approached　the　fire　with　a　bandaged　face。　He　asked　Tushin　to　have　the　cannon　moved　a　very　little；　so　as　to　let　a　store　waggon　pass　by。　After　the　officer　two　soldiers　ran　up　to　the　fire。　They　were　swearing　desperately　and　fighting；　trying　to　pull　a　boot　from　one　another。
“No　fear！　you　picked　it　up！　that’s　smart！”　one　shouted　in　a　husky　voice。
Then　a　thin；　pale　soldier　approached；　his　neck　bandaged　with　a　bloodstained　rag。　With　a　voice　of　exasperation　he　asked　the　artillerymen　for　water。
“Why；　is　one　to　die　like　a　dog？”　he　said。
Tushin　told　them　to　give　him　water。　Next　a　good…humoured　soldier　ran　up；　to　beg　for　some　red…hot　embers　for　the　infantry。
“Some　of　your　fire　for　the　infantry！　Glad　to　halt；　lads。　Thanks　for　the　loan　of　the　firing；　we’ll　pay　it　back　with　interest；”　he　said；　carrying　some　glowing　firebrands　away　into　the　darkness。
Next　four　soldiers　passed　by；　carrying　something　heavy　in　an　overcoat。　One　of　them　stumbled。
“Ay；　the　devils；　they’ve　left　firewood　in　the　road；”　grumbled　one。
“He’s　dead；　why　carry　him？”　said　one　of　them。
“Come　on；　you！”　And　they　vanished　into　the　darkness　with　their　burden。
“Does　it　ache；　eh？”　Tushin　asked　Rostov　in　a　whisper。
“Yes；　it　does　ache。”
“Your　honour’s　sent　for　to　the　general。　Here　in　a　cottage　he　is；”　said　a　gunner；　coming　up　to　Tushin。
“In　a　minute；　my　dear。”　Tushin　got　up　and　walked　away　from　the　fire；　buttoning　up　his　coat　and　setting　himself　straight。
In　a　cottage　that　had　been　prepared　for　him　not　far　from　the　artillerymen’s　fire；　Prince　Bagration　was　sitting　at　dinner；　talking　with　several　commanding　officers；　who　had　gathered　about　him。　The　little　old　colonel　with　the　half…shut　eyes　was　there；　greedily　gnawing　at　a　mutton…bone；　and　the　general　of　twenty…two　years’　irreproachable　service；　flushed　with　a　glass　of　vodka　and　his　dinner；　and　the　staff…officer　with　the　signet　ring；　and　Zherkov；　stealing　uneasy　glances　at　every　one；　and　Prince　Andrey；　pale　with　set　lips　and　feverishly　glittering　eyes。
In　the　corner　of　the　cottage　room　stood　a　French　flag；　that　had　been　captured；　and　the　auditor　with　the　na？ve　countenance　was　feeling　the　stuff　of　which　the　flag　was　made；　and　shaking　his　head　with　a　puzzled　air；　possibly　because　looking　at　the　flag　really　interested　him；　or　possibly　because　he　did　not　enjoy　the　sight　of　the　dinner；　as　he　was　hungry　and　no　place　had　been　laid　for　him。　In　the　next　cottage　there　was　the　French　colonel；　who　had　been　taken　prisoner　by　the　dragoons。　Our　officers　were　flocking　in　to　look　at　him。　Prince　Bagration　thanked　the　several　commanding　officers；　and　inquired　into　details　of　the　battle　and　of　the　losses。　The　general；　whose　regiment　had　been　inspected　at　Braunau；　submitted　to　the　prince　that　as　soon　as　the　engagement　began；　he　had　fallen　back　from　the　copse；　mustered　the　men　who　were　cutting　wood；　and　letting　them　pass　by　him；　had　made　a　bayonet　charge　with　two　battalions　and　repulsed　the　French。
“As　soon　as　I　saw；　your　excellency；　that　the　first　battalion　was　thrown　into　confusion；　I　stood　in　the　road　and　thought；　‘I’ll　let　them　get　through　and　then　open　fire　on　them’；　and　that’s　what　I　did。”
The　general　had　so　longed　to　do　this；　he　had　so　regretted　not　having　succeeded　in　doing　it；　that　it　seemed　to　him　now　that　this　was　just　what　had　happened。　Indeed　might　it　not　actually　have　been　so？　Who　could　make　out　in　such　confusion　what　did　and　what　did　not　happen？
“And　by　the　way　I　ought　to　note；　your　excellency；”　he　continued；　recalling　Dolohov’s　conversation　with　Kutuzov　and　his　own　late　interview　with　the　degraded　officer；　“that　the　private　Dolohov；　degraded　to　the　ranks；　took　a　French　officer　prisoner　before　my　eyes　and　particularly　distinguished　himself。”
“I　saw　here；　your　excellency；　the　attack　of　the　Pavlograd　hussars；”　Zherkov　put　in；　looking　uneasily　about　him。　He　had　not　seen　the　hussars　at　all　that　day；　but　had　only　heard　about　them　from　an　infantry　officer。　“They　broke　up　two　squares；　your　excellency。”
When　Zherkov　began　to　speak；　several　officers　smiled；　as　they　always　did；　expecting　a　joke　from　him。　But　as　they　perceived　that　what　he　was　saying　all　redounded　to　the　glory　of　our　arms　and　of　the　day；　they　assumed　a　serious　expression；　although　many　were　very　well　aware　that　what　Zherkov　was　saying　was　a　lie　utterly　without　foundation。　Prince　Bagration　turned　to　the　old　colonel。
“I　thank　you　all；　gentlemen；　all　branches　of　the　service　behaved　heroically—infantry；　cavalry；　and　artillery。　How　did　two　cannons　come　to　be　abandoned　in　the　centre？”　he　inquired；　looking　about　for　some　one。　（Prince　Bagration　did　not　ask　about　the　cannons　of　the　left　flank；　he　knew　that　all　of　them　had　been　abandoned　at　the　very　beginning　of　the　action。）　“I　think　it　was　you　I　sent；”　he　added；　addressing　the　staff…officer。
“One　had　been　disabled；”　answered　the　staff…officer；　“but　the　other；　I　can’t　explain；　I　was　there　all　the　while　myself；　giving　instructions；　and　I　had　scarcely　left　there。…　It　was　pretty　hot；　it’s　true；”　he　added　modestly。
Some　one　said　that　Captain　Tushin　was　close　by　here　in　the　village；　and　that　he　had　already　been　sent　for。
“Oh；　but　you　went　there；”　said　Prince　Bagration；　addressing　Prince　Andrey。
“To　be　sure；　we　rode　there　almost　together；”　said　the　staff…officer；　smiling　affably　to　Bolkonsky。
“I　had　not　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　coldly　and　abruptly。　Every　one　was　silent。
Tushin　appeared　in　the　doorway；　timidly　edging　in　behind　the　generals’　backs。　Making　his　way　round　the　generals　in　the　crowded　hut；　embarrassed　as　he　always　was　before　his　superior　officers；　Tushin　did　not　see　the　flag…staff　and　tumbled　over　it。　Several　of　the　officers　laughed。
“How　was　it　a　cannon　was　abandoned？”　asked　Bagration；　frowning；　not　so　much　at　the　captain　as　at　the　laughing　officers；　among　whom　Zherkov’s　laugh　was　the　loudest。　Only　now　in　the　presence　of　the　angry…looking　commander；　Tushin　conceived　in　all　its　awfulness　the　crime　and　disgrace　of　his　being　still　alive　when　he　had　lost　two　cannons。　He　had　been　so　excited　that　till　that　instant　he　had　not　had　time　to　think　of　that。　The　officers’　laughter　had　bewildered　him　still　more。　He　stood　before　Bagration；　his　lower　jaw　quivering；　and　could　scarcely　articulate：
“I　don’t　know　…　your　excellency　…　I　hadn’t　the　men；　your　excellency。”
“You　could　have　got　them　from　the　battalions　that　were　covering　your　position！”　That　there　were　no　battalions　there　was　what　Tushin　did　not　say；　though　it　was　the　fact。　He　was　afraid　of　getting　another　officer　into　trouble　by　saying　that；　and　without　uttering　a　word　he　gazed　straight　into　Bagration’s　face；　as　a　confused　schoolboy　gazes　at　the　face　of　an　examiner。
The　silence　was　rather　a　lengthy　one。　Prince　Bagration；　though　he　had　no　wish　to　be　severe；　apparently　found　nothing　to　say；　the　others　did　not　venture　to　intervene。　Prince　Andrey　was　looking　from　under　his　brows　at　Tushin　and　his　fingers　moved　nervously。
“Your　excellency；”　Prince　Andrey　broke　the　silence　with　his　abrupt　voice；　“you　sent　me　to　Captain　Tushin’s　battery。　I　went　there　and　found　two…thirds　of　the　men　and　horses　killed；　two　cannons　disabled　and　no　forces　near　to　defend　them。”
Prince　Bagration　and　Tushin　looked　now　with　equal　intensity　at　Bolkonsky；　as　he　went　on　speaking　with　suppressed　emotion。
“And　if　your　excellency　will　permit　me　to　express　my　opinion；”　he　went　on；　“we　owe　the　success　of　the　day　more　to　the　action　of　that　battery　and　the　heroic　steadiness　of　Captain　Tushin　and　his　men　than　to　anything　else；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　and　he　got　up　at　once　and　walked　away　from　the　table；　without　waiting　for　a　reply。
Prince　Bagration　looked　at　Tushin　and；　apparently　loath　to　express　his　disbelief　in　Bolkonsky’s　off…handed　judgment；　yet　unable　to　put　complete　faith　in　it；　he　bent　his　head　and　said　to　Tushin　that　he　could　go。　Prince　Andrey　walked　out　after　him。
“Thanks；　my　dear　fellow；　you　got　me　out　of　a　scrape；”　Tushin　said　to　him。
Prince　Andrey　looked　at　Tushin；　and　walked　away　without　uttering　a　word。　Prince　Andrey　felt　bitter　and　melancholy。　It　was　all　so　strange；　so　unlike　what　he　had　been　hoping　for。
“Who　are　they？　Why　are　they　here？　What　do　they　want？　And　when　will　it　all　end？”　thought　Rostov；　looking　at　the　shadowy　figures　that　kept　flitting　before　his　eyes。　The　pain　in　his　arm　became　even　more　agonising。　He　was　heavy　with　sleep；　crimson　circles　danced　before　his　eyes；　and　the　impression　of　these　voices　and　these　faces　and　the　sense　of　his　loneliness　all　blended　with　the　misery　of　the　pain。　It　was　they；　these　soldiers；　wounded　and　unhurt　alike；　it　was　they　crushing　and　weighing　upon　him；　and　twisting　his　veins　and　burning　the　flesh　in　his　sprained　arm　and　shoulder。　To　get　rid　of　them　he　closed　his　eyes。
He　dozed　off　for　a　minute；　but　in　that　brief　interval　he　dreamed　of　innumerable　things。　He　saw　his　mother　and　her　large；　white　hand；　he　saw　Sonya’s　thin　shoulders；　Natasha’s　eyes　and　her　laugh；　and　Denisov　with　his　voice　and　his　whiskers；　and　Telyanin；　and　all　the　affair　with　Telyanin　and　Bogdanitch。　All　that　affair　was　inextricably　mixed　up　with　this　soldier　with　the　harsh　voice；　and　that　affair　and　this　soldier　here　were　so　agonisingly；　so　ruthlessly　pulling；　crushing；　and　twisting　his　arm　always　in　the　same　direction。　He　was　trying　to　get　away　from　them；　but　they　would　not　let　go　of　his　shoulder　for　a　second。　It　would　not　ache；　it　would　be　all　right　if　they　wouldn’t　drag　at　it；　but　there　was　no　getting　rid　of　them。
He　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　upwards。　The　black　pall　of　darkness　hung　only　a　few　feet　above　the　light　of　the　fire。　In　the　light　fluttered　tiny　flakes　of　falling　snow。　Tushin　had　not　returned；　the　doctor　had　not　come。　He　was　alone；　only　a　soldier　was　sitting　now　naked　on　the　other　side　of　the　fire；　warming　his　thin；　yellow　body。
“Nobody　cares　for　me！”　thought　Rostov。　“No　one　to　help　me；　no　one　to　feel　sorry　for　me。　And　I　too　was　once　at　home；　and　strong；　and　happy　and　loved；”　he　sighed；　and　with　the　sigh　unconsciously　he　moaned。
“In　pain；　eh？”　asked　the　soldier；　shaking　his　shirt　out　before　the　fire；　and　without　waiting　for　an　answer；　he　added　huskily：　“Ah；　what　a　lot　of　fellows　done　for　to…day—awful！”
Ros