战争与和平(上)-第99章

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e　regiment　or　of　the　general　progress　of　the　war。　When　Rostov　talked　of　it；　Denisov　did　not　listen。
Rostov　even　noticed　that　Denisov　disliked　all　reference　to　the　regiment；　and　to　that　other　free　life　going　on　outside　the　hospital　walls。　He　seemed　to　be　trying　to　forget　that　old　life；　and　to　be　interested　only　in　his　quarrel　with　the　commissariat　officials。　In　reply　to　Rostov’s　inquiry　as　to　how　this　matter　was　going；　he　promptly　drew　from　under　his　pillow　a　communication　he　had　received　from　the　commissioner；　and　a　rough　copy　of　his　answer。　He　grew　more　eager　as　he　began　to　read　his　answer；　and　specially　called　Rostov’s　attention　to　the　biting　sarcasm　with　which　he　addressed　his　foes。　Denisov’s　companions　in　the　hospital；　who　had　gathered　round　Rostov；　as　a　person　newly　come　from　the　world　of　freedom　outside；　gradually　began　to　move　away　as　soon　as　Denisov　began　reading　his　answer。　From　their　faces　Rostov　surmised　that　all　these　gentlemen　had　more　than　once　heard　the　whole　story；　and　had　had　time　to　be　bored　with　it。　Only　his　nearest　neighbour；　a　stout　Uhlan；　sat　on　his　pallet…bed；　scowling　gloomily　and　smoking　a　pipe；　and　little　one…armed　Tushin　still　listened；　shaking　his　head　disapprovingly。　In　the　middle　of　the　reading　the　Uhlan　interrupted　Denisov。
“What　I　say　is；”　he　said；　turning　to　Rostov；　“he　ought　simply　to　petition　the　Emperor　for　pardon。　Just　now；　they　say；　there　will　be　great　rewards　given　and　they　will　surely　pardon。”
“Me　petition　the　Emperor！”　said　Denisov　in　a　voice　into　which　he　tried　to　throw　his　old　energy　and　fire；　but　which　sounded　like　the　expression　of　impotent　irritability。　“What　for？　If　I　had　been　a　robber；　I’d　beg　for　mercy；　why；　I’m　being　called　up　for　trying　to　show　up　robbers。　Let　them　try　me；　I’m　not　afraid　of　any　one；　I　have　served　my　Tsar　and　my　country　honestly；　and　I’m　not　a　thief！　And　degrade　me　to　the　ranks　and　…　Listen；　I　tell　them　straight　out；　see；　I　write　to　them；　‘If　I　had　been　a　thief　of　government　property…’　”
“It’s　neatly　put；　no　question　about　it；”　said　Tushin。　“But　that’s　not　the　point；　Vassily　Dmitritch；”　he　too　turned　to　Rostov；　“one　must　submit；　and　Vassily　Dmitritch　here　won’t　do　it。　The　auditor　told　you；　you　know；　that　it　looks　serious　for　you。”
“Well；　let　it　be　serious；”　said　Denisov。
“The　auditor　wrote　a　petition　for　you；”　Tushin　went　on；　“and　you　ought　to　sign　it　and　despatch　it　by　this　gentleman。　No　doubt　he”　（he　indicated　Rostov）　“has　influence　on　the　staff　too。　You　won’t　find　a　better　opportunity。”
“But　I　have　said　I　won’t　go　cringing　and　fawning；”　Denisov　interrupted；　and　he　went　on　reading　his　answer。
Rostov　did　not　dare　to　try　and　persuade　Denisov；　though　he　felt　instinctively　that　the　course　proposed　by　Tushin　and　the　other　officers　was　the　safest。　He　would　have　felt　happy　if　he　could　have　been　of　assistance　to　Denisov；　but　he　knew　his　stubborn　will　and　straightforward　hasty　temper。
When　the　reading　of　Denisov’s　biting　replies；　which　lasted　over　an　hour；　was　over；　Rostov　said　nothing；　and　in　the　most　dejected　frame　of　mind　spent　the　rest　of　the　day　in　the　society　of　Denisov’s　companions；　who　had　again　gathered　about　him。　He　told　them　what　he　knew；　and　listened　to　the　stories　told　by　others。　Denisov　maintained　a　gloomy　silence　the　whole　evening。
Late　in　the　evening；　when　Rostov　was　about　to　leave；　he　asked　Denisov　if　he　had　no　commission　for　him。
“Yes；　wait　a　bit；”　said　Denisov。　He　looked　round　at　the　officers；　and　taking　his　papers　from　under　his　pillow；　he　went　to　the　window　where　there　was　an　inkstand；　and　sat　down　to　write。
“It　seems　it’s　no　good　knocking　one’s　head　against　a　stone　wall；”　said　he；　coming　from　the　window　and　giving　Rostov　a　large　envelope。　It　was　the　petition　addressed　to　the　Emperor　that　had　been　drawn　up　by　the　auditor。　In　it　Denisov；　making　no　reference　to　the　shortcoming　of　the　commissariat　department；　simply　begged　for　mercy。　“Give　it；　it　seems…”　He　did　not　finish；　and　smiled　a　forced　and　sickly　smile。


Chapter　19
AFTER　GOING　BACK　to　the　regiment　and　reporting　to　the　colonel　the　position　of　Denisov’s　affairs；　Rostov　rode　to　Tilsit　with　the　letter　to　the　Emperor。
On　the　13th　of　June　the　French　and　Russian　Emperors　met　at　Tilsit。　Boris　Drubetskoy　had　asked　the　personage　of　high　rank　on　whom　he　was　in　attendance　to　include　him　in　the　suite　destined　to　be　staying　at　Tilsit。
“I　should　like　to　see　the　great　man；”　he　said；　meaning　Napoleon；　whom　he　had　hitherto；　like　every　one　else；　always　spoken　of　as　Bonaparte。
“You　are　speaking　of　Buonaparte？”　the　general　said　to　him；　smiling。
Boris　looked　inquiringly　at　his　general；　and　immediately　saw　that　this　was　a　playful　test。
“I　am　speaking；　prince；　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon；”　he　replied。　With　a　smile　the　general　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder
“You　will　get　on；”　said　he；　and　he　took　him　with　him。　Boris　was　among　the　few　present　at　Niemen　on　the　day　of　the　meeting　of　the　Emperors。　He　saw　the　raft　with　the　royal　monograms；　saw　Napoleon’s　progress　through　the　French　guards　along　the　further　bank；　saw　the　pensive　face　of　the　Emperor　Alexander　as　he　sat　silent　in　the　inn　on　the　bank　of　the　Niemen　waiting　for　Napoleon’s　arrival。　He　saw　both　the　Emperors　get　into　boats；　and　Napoleon　reaching　the　raft　first；　walked　rapidly　forward；　and　meeting　Alexander；　gave　him　his　hand；　then　both　the　Emperors　disappeared　into　a　pavilion。　Ever　since　he　had　entered　these　higher　spheres；　Boris　had　made　it　his　habit　to　keep　an　attentive　watch　on　what　was　passing　round　him；　and　to　note　it　all　down。　During　the　meeting　of　the　Emperors　at　Tilsit；　he　asked　the　names　of　the　persons　accompanying　Napoleon；　inquired　about　the　uniforms　they　were　wearing；　and　listened　carefully　to　the　utterances　of　persons　of　consequence。　When　the　Emperors　went　into　the　pavilion；　he　looked　at　his　watch；　and　did　not　forget　to　look　at　it　again　when　Alexander　came　out。　The　interview　had　lasted　an　hour　and　fifty…three　minutes；　he　noted　this　down　that　evening　among　other　facts；　which　he　felt　were　of　historical　importance。　As　the　Emperors’　suite　were　few　in　number；　to　be　present　at　Tilsit　at　the　meeting　of　the　Emperors　was　a　matter　of　great　consequence　for　a　man　who　valued　success　in　the　service；　and　Boris；　when　he　succeeded　in　obtaining　this　privilege；　felt　that　his　position　was　henceforth　perfectly　secure。　He　was　not　simply　known；　he　had　become　an　observed　and　familiar　figure。　On　two　occasions　he　had　been　sent　with　commissions　to　the　Emperor　himself；　so　that　the　Emperor　knew　him　personally；　and　all　the　court　no　longer　held　aloof　from　him；　as　they　had　done　at　first；　considering　him　a　new　man；　and　would　even　have　noticed　his　absence　with　surprise　if　he　had　been　away。
Boris　was　lodging　with　another　adjutant；　the　Polish　count；　Zhilinsky。　Zhilinsky；　a　Pole　educated　in　Paris；　was　a　wealthy　man；　devotedly　attached　to　the　French；　and　almost　every　day　of　their　stay　in　Tilsit；　French　officers　of　the　Guards　and　of　the　French　head　staff　were　dining　and　breakfasting　with　Zhilinsky　and　Boris。
On　the　24th　of　June　Zhilinsky；　with　whom　Boris　shared　quarters；　was　giving　a　supper　to　his　French　acquaintances。　At　this　supper　there　were　present　one　of　Napoleon’s　adjutants—the　guest　of　honour—several　officers　of　the　French　Guards；　and　a　young　lad　of　an　aristocratic　old　French　family；　a　page　of　Napoleon’s。　On　the　same　evening　Rostov；　taking　advantage　of　the　darkness　to　pass　through　unrecognised；　came　to　Tilsit　in　civilian　dress；　and　went　to　the　quarters　of　Zhilinsky　and　Boris。
Rostov；　like　the　whole　army　indeed；　was　far　from　having　passed　through　that　revolution　of　feeling　in　regard　to　Napoleon　and　the　French—transforming　them　from　foes　into　friends—that　had　taken　place　at　headquarters　and　in　Boris。　In　the　army　every　one　was　still　feeling　the　same　mingled　hatred；　fear；　and　contempt　for　Bonaparte　and　the　French。　Only　recently　Rostov　had　argued　with　an　officer　of　Platov’s　Cossacks　the　question　whether　if　Napoleon　was　taken　prisoner　he　was　to　be　treated　as　an　emperor　or　as　a　criminal。　Only　a　little　while　previously　Rostov　had　met　a　wounded　French　colonel　on　the　road；　and　had　maintained　to　him　with　heat　that　there　could　be　no　peace　concluded　between　a　legitimate　emperor　and　the　criminal　Bonaparte。　Consequently　it　struck　Rostov　as　strange　to　see　French　officers　in　Boris’s　quarters　wearing　the　uniforms　at　which　he　was　used　to　looking　with　very　different　eyes　from　the　line　of　pickets。　As　soon　as　he　caught　sight　of　a　French　officer；　that　feeling　of　war；　of　hostility；　which　he　always　experienced　at　the　sight　of　the　enemy；　came　upon　him　at　once。　He　stood　still　on　the　threshold　and　asked　in　Russian　whether　Drubetskoy　lived　there。　Boris；　hearing　a　strange　voice　in　the　passage；　went　out　to　meet　him。　For　the　first　moment　when　he　recognised　Rostov；　his　face　betrayed　his　annoyance。
“Ah；　that’s　you；　very　glad；　very　glad　to　see　you；”　he　said；　however；　smiling　and　moving　towards　him。　But　Rostov　had　detected　his　first　impulse。
“I　have　come　at　a　bad　time；　it　seems；”　said　he；　“I　shouldn’t　have　come；　but　it’s　on　a　matter　of　importance；”　he　said　coldly。…
“No；　I　was　only　surprised　at　your　getting　away　from　the　regiment。　I　will　be　with　you　in　a　moment；”　he　said　in　reply　to　a　voice　calling　him。
“I　see　I　have　come　at　a　bad　time；”　repeated　Rostov。
The　expression　of　annoyance　had　by　now　vanished　from　Boris’s　face；　evidently　having　reflected　and　made　up　his　mind　how　to　act；　he　took　him　by　both　hands　with　marked　composure　and　led　him　into　the　next　room。　Boris’s　eyes；　gazing　serenely　and　unflinchingly　at　Rostov；　seemed　as　it　were　veiled　by　something；　as　though　a　sort　of　screen—the　blue　spectacles　of　conventional　life—had　been　put　over　them。　So　it　seemed　to　Rostov。
“Oh；　please；　don’t　talk　nonsense；　as　if　you　could　come　at　a　wrong　time；”　said　Boris。　Boris　led　him　into　a　room　where　supper　was　laid；　introduced　him　to　his　guests；　mentioning　his　name；　and　explaining　that　he　was　not　a　civilian；　but　an　officer　in　the　hussars；　and　his　old　friend。　“Count　Zhilinsky；　Count　N。　N。；　Captain　S。　S。；”　he　said；　naming　his　guests。　Rostov　looked　frowning　at　the　Frenchmen；　bowed　reluctantly；　and　was　mute。
Zhilinsky　was　obviously　not　pleased　to　receive　this　unknown　Russian　outsider　into　his　circle；　and　said　nothing　to　Rostov。　Boris　appeared　not　to　notice　the　constraint　produced　by　the　newcomer；　and　with　the　same　amiable　composure　and　the　same　veiled　look　in　his　eyes　with　which　he　had　welcomed　Rostov；　he　endeavoured　to　enliven　the　conversation。　With　characteristic　French　courtesy　one　of　the　French　officers　turned　to　Rostov；　as　he　sat　in　stubborn　silence；　and　said　to　him　that　he　had　probably　come　to　Tilsit　to　see　the　Emperor。
“No；　I　came　on　business；”　was　Rostov’s　short　reply。　Rostov　had　been　out　of　humour　from　the　moment　when　he　detected　the　dissatisfaction　on　the　face　of　Boris；　and　as　is　always　the　case　with　persons　who　are　ill…humoured；　it　seemed　to　him　that　every　one　looked　at　him　with　hostile　eyes；　and　that　he　was　in　every　one’s　way。　And　in　fact　he　was　in　every　one’s　way；　and　he　was　the　only　person　left　out　of　the　general　conversation；　as　it　sprang　up　again。　And　what　is　he　sitting　on　here　for？　was　the　question　asked　by　the　eyes　of　the　guests　turned　upon　him。　He　got　up　and　went　up　to　Boris。
“I’m　in　your　way；　though；”　he　said　to　h