战争与和平(上)-第135章

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roaching。　Rostov　glanced　in　at　the　door　and　saw　that　the　sick　and　wounded　were　lying　there　on　the　floor；　on　straw　and　on　overcoats。
“Can　one　go　in　and　look？”　asked　Rostov。
“What　is　there　to　look　at？”　said　the　assistant。　But　just　because　the　assistant　was　obviously　disinclined　to　let　him　go　in；　Rostov　went　into　the　soldiers’　ward。　The　stench；　to　which　he　had　grown　used　a　little　in　the　corridor；　was　stronger　here。　Here　the　stench　was　different；　it　was　more　intense；　and　one　could　smell　that　it　was　from　here　that　it　came。　In　the　long　room；　brightly　lighted　by　the　sun　in　the　big　window；　lay　the　sick　and　wounded　in　two　rows　with　their　heads　to　the　wall；　leaving　a　passage　down　the　middle。　The　greater　number　of　them　were　unconscious；　and　took　no　notice　of　the　entrance　of　outsiders。　Those　who　were　conscious　got　up　or　raised　their　thin；　yellow　faces；　and　all　gazed　intently　at　Rostov；　with　the　same　expression　of　hope　of　help；　of　reproach；　and　envy　of　another　man’s　health。　Rostov　went　into　the　middle　of　the　room；　glanced　in　at　the　open　doors　of　adjoining　rooms；　and　on　both　sides　saw　the　same　thing。　He　stood　still；　looking　round　him　speechless。　He　had　never　expected　to　see　anything　like　this。　Just　before　him　lay　right　across　the　empty　space　down　the　middle；　on　the　bare　floor；　a　sick　man；　probably　a　Cossack；　for　his　hair　was　cut　round　in　basin　shape。　This　Cossack　lay　on　his　back；　his　huge　arms　and　legs　outstretched。　His　face　was　of　a　purple　red；　his　eyes　were　quite　sunk　in　his　head　so　that　only　the　whites　could　be　seen；　and　on　his　legs　and　on　his　hands；　which　were　still　red；　the　veins　stood　out　like　cords。　He　was　knocking　his　head　against　the　floor；　and　he　uttered　some　word　and　kept　repeating　it。　Rostov　listened　to　what　he　was　saying；　and　distinguished　the　word　he　kept　repeating。　That　word　was　“drink—drink—drink！”　Rostov　looked　about　for　some　one　who　could　lay　the　sick　man　in　his　place　and　give　him　water。
“Who　looks　after　the　patients　here？”　he　asked　the　assistant。　At　that　moment　a　commissariat　soldier；　a　hospital　orderly；　came　in　from　the　adjoining　room；　and；　marching　in　drill　step；　drew　himself　up　before　him。
“Good　day；　your　honour！”　bawled　this　soldier；　rolling　his　eyes　at　Rostov；　and　obviously　mistaking　him　for　one　in　authority。
“Take　him　away；　give　him　water；”　said　Rostov；　indicating　the　Cossack。
“Certainly；　your　honour；”　the　soldier　replied　complacently；　rolling　his　eyes　more　strenuously　than　ever。　and　drawing　himself　up；　but　not　budging　to　do　so。
“No；　there’s　no　doing　anything　here；”　thought　Rostov；　dropping　his　eyes；　and　he　wanted　to　get　away；　but　he　was　aware　of　a　significant　look　bent　upon　him　from　the　right　side；　and　he　looked　round　at　it。　Almost　in　the　corner　there　was；　sitting　on　a　military　overcoat；　an　old　soldier　with　a　stern　yellow　face；　thin　as　a　skeleton’s；　and　an　unshaved　grey　beard。　He　was　looking　persistently　at　Rostov。　The　man　next　the　old　soldier　was　whispering　something　to　him；　pointing　to　Rostov。　Rostov　saw　the　old　man　wanted　to　ask　him　something。　He　went　closer　and　saw　that　the　old　man　had　only　one　leg　bent　under　him；　the　other　had　been　cut　off　above　the　knee。　On　the　other　side　of　the　old　man；　at　some　distance　from　him；　there　lay　with　head　thrown　back　the　motionless　figure　of　a　young　soldier　with　a　waxen　pallor　on　his　snub…nosed　and　still　freckled　face；　and　eyes　sunken　under　the　lids。　Rostov　looked　at　the　snub…nosed　soldier　and　a　shiver　ran　down　his　back。
“Why；　that　one　seems　to　be　…”　he　said　to　the　assistant。
“We’ve　begged　and　begged；　your　honour；”　said　the　old　soldier　with　a　quiver　in　his　lower　jaw。　“He　died　early　in　the　morning。　We’re　men；　too；　not　dogs。…”
“I’ll　see　to　it　directly；　they　shall　take　him；　they　shall　take　him　away；”　said　the　assistant　hurriedly。　“Come；　your　honour。”
“Let　us　go；　let　us　go；”　said　Rostov　hastily；　and　dropping　his　eyes　and　shrinking　together；　trying　to　pass　unnoticed　through　the　lines　of　those　reproachful　and　envious　eyes　fastened　upon　him；　he　went　out　of　the　room。


Chapter　18
THE　ASSISTANT　walked　along　the　corridor　and　led　Rostov　to　the　officers’　wards；　three　rooms　with　doors　opening　between　them。　In　these　rooms　there　were　bedsteads；　the　officers　were　sitting　and　lying　upon　them。　Some　were　walking　about　the　room　in　hospital　dressing…gowns。　The　first　person　who　met　Rostov　in　the　officers’　ward　was　a　thin　little　man　who　had　lost　one　arm。　He　was　walking　about　the　first　room　in　a　nightcap　and　hospital　dressing…gown；　with　a　short　pipe　between　his　teeth。　Rostov；　looking　intently　at　him；　tried　to　recall　where　he　had　seen　him。
“See　where　it　was　God’s　will　for　us　to　meet　again；”　said　the　little　man。　“Tushin；　Tushin；　do　you　remember　I　brought　you　along　after　Sch？ngraben？　They　have　sliced　a　bit　off　me；　see；…”　said　he　smiling；　and　showing　the　empty　sleeve　of　his　dressing…gown。　“Is　it　Vassily　Dmitryevitch　Denisov　you　are　looking　for—a　fellow…lodger　here？”　he　said；　hearing　who　it　was　Rostov　wanted。　“Here；　here；”　and　he　led　him　into　the　next　room；　from　which　there　came　the　sound　of　several　men　laughing。　“How　can　they　live　in　this　place　even；　much　less　laugh？”　thought　Rostov；　still　aware　of　that　corpse…like　smell　that　had　been　so　overpowering　in　the　soldiers’　ward；　and　still　seeing　around　him　those　envious　eyes　following　him　on　both　sides；　and　the　face　of　that　young　soldier　with　the　sunken　eyes。
Denisov；　covered　up　to　his　head　with　the　quilt；　was　still　in　bed；　though　it　was　twelve　o’clock　in　the　day。
“Ah；　Rostov！　How　are　you；　how　are　you？”　he　shouted；　still　in　the　same　voice　as　in　the　regiment。　But　Rostov　noticed　with　grief；　behind　this　habitual　briskness　and　swagger；　some　new；　sinister；　smothered　feeling　that　peeped　out　in　the　words　and　intonations　and　the　expression　of　the　face　of　Denisov。
His　wound；　trifling　as　it　was；　had　still　not　healed；　though　six　weeks　had　passed　since　he　was　wounded。　His　face　had　the　same　swollen　pallor　as　all　the　faces　in　the　hospital。　But　that　was　not　what　struck　Rostov：　what　struck　him　was　that　Denisov　did　not　seem　pleased　to　see　him；　and　his　smile　was　forced。　Denisov　asked　him　nothing　either　of　the　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