战争与和平(上)-第169章

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Nikolay　did　not　hear　his　own　cry；　he　had　no　consciousness　of　galloping；　he　saw　neither　the　dogs　nor　the　ground　over　which　he　galloped。　He　saw　nothing　but　the　wolf；　which；　quickening　its　pace；　was　bounding　in　the　same　direction　across　the　glade。　Foremost　of　the　hounds　was　the　black　and　tan；　broad…backed　bitch；　Milka；　and　she　was　getting　close　upon　him。　But　the　wolf　turned　a　sidelong　glance　upon　her；　and　instead　of　flying　at　him；　as　she　always　had　done；　Milka　suddenly　stopped　short；　her　fore…legs　held　stiffly　before　her　and　her　tail　in　the　air。
“Loo！　loo！　loo！”　shouted　Nikolay。
The　red　hound；　Lyubima；　darted　forward　from　behind　Milka；　dashed　headlong　at　the　wolf；　and　got　hold　of　him　by　the　hind…leg；　but　in　the　same　second　bounded　away　on　the　other　side　in　terror。　The　wolf　crouched；　gnashed　its　teeth；　rose　again；　and　bounded　forward；　followed　at　a　couple　of　yards’　distance　by　all　the　dogs：　they　did　not　try　to　get　closer。
“He’ll　get　away！　No；　it’s　impossible！”　thought　Nikolay；　still　shouting　in　a　husky　voice。
“Karay！　Loo！　loo！…”　he　kept　shouting；　looking　for　the　old　hound；　who　was　his　one　hope　now。
Karay；　straining　his　old　muscles　to　the　utmost；　and　watching　the　wolf　intently；　was　bounding　clumsily　away　from　the　beast；　to　cut　across　his　path　in　front　of　him。　But　it　was　plain　from　the　swiftness　of　the　wolf’s　course　and　the　slowness　of　the　hounds　that　Karay　was　out　in　his　reckoning。　Nikolay　saw　the　copse　not　far　now　ahead　of　him。　If　once　the　wolf　reached　it；　he　would　escape　to　a　certainty。　But　in　front　dogs　and　men　came　into　sight；　dashing　almost　straight　towards　the　wolf。　There　was　still　hope。　A　long；　young　hound；　not　one　of　the　Rostovs’—Nikolay　did　not　recognise　him—flew　from　in　front　straight　at　the　wolf；　and　almost　knocked　him　over。　The　wolf　got　up　again　with　a　surprising　rapidity　and　flew　at　the　young　hound；　his　teeth　clacked；　and　the　hound；　covered　with　blood　from　a　gash　in　his　side；　thrust　its　head　in　the　earth；　squealing　shrilly。
“Karay！　old　man！”　Nikolay　wailed。
The　old　dog；　with　the　tufts　of　matted　hair；　quivering　on　his　haunches；　had　succeeded；　thanks　to　the　delay；　in　cutting　across　the　wolf’s　line　of　advance；　and　was　now　five　paces　in　front　of　him。　The　wolf　stole　a　glance　at　Karay；　as　though　aware　of　his　danger；　and　tucking　his　tail　further　between　his　legs；　he　quickened　his　pace。　But　then—Nikolay　could　only　see　that　something　was　happening　with　Karay—the　hound　had　dashed　instantly　at　the　wolf　and　had　rolled　in　a　struggling　heap　with　him　into　the　watercourse　before　them。
The　moment　when　Nikolay　saw　the　dogs　struggling　with　the　wolf　in　the　watercourse；　saw　the　wolf’s　grey　coat　under　them；　his　outstretched　hind…leg；　his　head　gasping　in　terror；　and　his　ears　turned　back　（Karay　had　him　by　the　throat）—the　moment　when　Nikolay　saw　all　this　was　the　happiest　moment　of　his　life。　He　had　already　grasped　the　pommel　of　his　saddle　to　dismount　and　stab　the　wolf；　when　suddenly　the　beast’s　head　was　thrust　up　above　the　mass　of　dogs；　then　his　fore…legs　were　on　the　bank　of　the　watercourse。　The　wolf　clacked　his　teeth　（Karay　had　not　hold　of　his　throat　now）；　leaped　with　his　hind…legs　out　of　the　hollow；　and　with　his　tail　between　his　legs；　pushed　forward；　getting　away　from　the　dogs　again。　Karay；　his　hair　starting　up；　had　difficulty　in　getting　out　of　the　water…course；　he　seemed　to　be　bruised　or　wounded。　“My　God；　why　is　this！”　Nikolay　shouted　in　despair。　The　uncle’s　huntsman　galloped　across　the　line　of　the　wolf’s　advance　from　the　other　side；　and　again　his　hounds　stopped　the　wolf；　again　he　was　hemmed　in。
Nikolay；　his　groom；　the　uncle；　and　his　huntsman　pranced　about　the　beast　with　shouts　and　cries　of　“loo；”　every　minute　on　the　point　of　dismounting　when　the　wolf　crouched　back；　and　dashing　forward　again　every　time　the　wolf　shook　himself　free　and　moved　towards　the　copse；　where　his　safety　lay。
At　the　beginning　of　this　onset　Danilo；　hearing　the　hunters’　cries；　had　darted　out　of　the　copse。　He　saw　that　Karay　had　hold　of　the　wolf　and　checked　his　horse；　supposing　the　deed　was　done。　But　seeing　that　the　hunters　did　not　dismount　from　their　horses；　and　that　the　wolf　was　shaking　himself　free；　and　again　making　his　escape；　Danilo　galloped　his　own　horse；　not　towards　the　wolf；　but　in　a　straight　line　towards　the　copse；　to　cut　him　off；　as　Karay　had　done。　Thanks　to　this　man？uvre；　he　bore　straight　down　on　the　wolf　when　the　uncle’s　dogs　had　a　second　time　fallen　behind　him。
Danilo　galloped　up　in　silence；　holding　a　drawn　dagger　in　his　left　hand；　and　thrashing　the　heaving　sides　of　his　chestnut　horse　with　his　riding　whip；　as　though　it　were　a　flail。
Nikolay　neither　saw　nor　heard　Danilo　till　his　panting　chestnut　darted　close　by　him；　and　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　falling　body　and　saw　Danilo　lying　in　the　midst　of　the　dogs　on　the　wolf’s　back；　trying　to　get　him　by　the　ears。　It　was　obvious　to　the　dogs；　to　the　hunters；　and　to　the　wolf　that　all　was　over　now。　The　beast；　its　ears　drawn　back　in　terror；　tried　to　get　up；　but　the　dogs　clung　to　him。　Danilo；　as　he　got　up；　stumbled；　and　as　though　sinking　down　to　rest；　rolled　with　all　his　weight　on　the　wolf；　and　snatched　him　by　the　ears。　Nikolay　would　have　stabbed　him；　but　Danilo　whispered：　“Don’t；　we　will　string　him　up！”　and　shifting　his　position　he　put　his　foot　on　the　wolf’s　neck。　They　put　a　stick　in　the　wolf’s　jaws；　fastened　it；　as　it　were　bridling　him　with　a　leash；　and　tied　his　legs。　Danilo　swung　the　wolf　twice　from　side　to　side。　With　happy；　exhausted　faces　they　tied　the　great　wolf　alive　on　a　horse；　that　started　and　snorted　in　alarm　at　it；　and　with　all　the　dogs　trooping　after　and　whining　at　the　wolf；　they　brought　it　to　the　place　where　all　were　to　meet。　The　wolfhounds　had　captured　two　cubs；　and　the　greyhounds　three。　The　party　met　together　to　show　their　booty　and　tell　their　stories；　and　every　one　went　to　look　at　the　big　wolf；　which　with　its　heavy…browed　head　hanging　downward　and　the　stick　in　its　teeth；　gazed　with　its　great；　glassy　eyes　at　the　crowd　of　dogs　and　men　around　it。　When　they　touched　him；　his　fastened　legs　quivered　and　he　looked　wildly　and　yet　simply　at　all　of　them。　Count　Ilya　Andreitch　too　went　up　and　touched　the　wolf。
“Oh；　what　a　great　beast！”　he　said。　“He’s　an　old　one；　eh？”　he　asked　Danilo；　who　was　standing　near　him。
“That　he　is；　your　excellency；”　answered　Danilo；　hurriedly　taking　off　his　cap。
The　count　remembered　the　wolf　he　had　let　slip　and　Danilo’s　outburst。
“You　have　a　hot　temper　though；　my　man；”　said　the　count。
Danilo　said　nothing；　but　he　shyly　smiled　a　smile　of　childlike　sweetness　and　amiability。


Chapter　6
THE　OLD　COUNT　went　home。　Natasha　and　Petya　promised　to　follow　immediately。　The　hunting　party　went　on　further　as　it　was　still　early。　In　the　middle　of　the　day　they　set　the　hounds　into　a　ravine　covered　with　thickly　growing　young　copse。　Nikolay；　standing　on　the　stubble　land　above；　could　see　all　his　party。
Facing　Nikolay　on　the　opposite　side　was　a　field　of　green　corn；　and　there　stood　his　huntsman；　alone　in　a　hollow　behind　a　nut　bush。　As　soon　as　they　loosed　the　hounds；　Nikolay　heard　a　hound　he　knew—Voltorn—give　tongue　at　intervals；　other　hounds　joined　him；　pausing　now　and　then；　and　taking　up　the　cry　again。　A　moment　later　he　heard　from　the　ravine　the　cry　that　they　were　on　the　scent　of　a　fox；　and　all　the　pack　joining　together　made　for　the　opening　towards　the　green　corn　away　from　Nikolay。
He　saw　the　whippers…in　in　their　red　caps　galloping　along　the　edge　of　the　overgrown　ravine；　he　could　see　the　dogs　even；　and　was　every　instant　expecting　the　fox　to　come　into　sight　on　the　further　side　among　the　green　corn。
The　huntsman　standing　in　the　hollow　started　off　and　let　his　dogs　go；　and　Nikolay　saw　the　red；　uncouth…looking　fox　hurrying　along　close　to　the　ground；　with　its　bushy　tail；　through　the　green　corn。　The　dogs　bore　down　on　it。　And　now　they　were　getting　close；　and　now　the　fox　was　beginning　to　wind　in　circles　between　them；　making　the　circles　more　and　more　rapidly；　and　sweeping　its　bushy　brush　around　it；　when　all　of　a　sudden　a　strange　white　dog　flew　down　upon　it；　and　was　followed　by　a　black　one；　and　everything　was　confusion；　and　the　dogs　formed　a　star…shaped　figure　round　it；　scarcely　moving；　with　their　heads　together；　and　their　tails　out。　Two　huntsmen　galloped　down　to　the　dogs；　o