战争与和平(上)-第220章

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“Well；　but　what　if　Marya　Hendrihovna　is　king？”　asked　Ilyin。
“She　is　our　queen　already！　And　her　commands　are　law。”
The　game　was　just　beginning　when　the　doctor’s　dishevelled　head　popped　up　behind　his　wife。　He　had　been　awake　for　some　time　and　listening　to　the　conversation；　and　apparently　he　saw　nothing　agreeable；　funny；　or　amusing　in　what　was　being　said　and　done。　His　face　looked　depressed　and　weary。　He　did　not　greet　the　officers；　but　scratching　himself；　he　asked　them　to　move　to　let　him　pass。　As　soon　as　he　had　left　the　room；　all　the　officers　broke　into　loud　peals　of　laughter；　and　Marya　Hendrihovna　blushed　till　the　tears　came；　making　her　even　more　charming　in　the　eyes　of　the　officers。　Coming　in　again　from　the　yard；　the　doctor　told　his　wife　（who　had　lost　her　radiant　smile；　and　looked　at　him　in　dismay　in　expectation　of　the　sentence　in　store　for　her）　that　the　rain　was　over　and　they　must　spend　the　night　in　their　covered　cart；　or　they　would　have　all　their　things　stolen。
“But　I’ll　put　an　orderly　on　guard　…　two；　indeed！”　said　Rostov。　“That’s　nonsense；　doctor。”
“I’ll　be　sentinel　myself！”　said　Ilyin。
“No；　gentlemen；　you　have　had　plenty　of　sleep；　but　I　have　been　up　these　two　nights；”　said　the　doctor；　and　he　sat　gloomily　by　his　wife’s　side；　waiting　for　the　end　of　the　game。
Looking　at　the　doctor’s　gloomy　face　and　sidelong　glances　at　his　wife；　the　officers　grew　even　more　lively；　and　many　of　them　could　not　suppress　their　laughter；　for　which　they　hastily　sought　presentable　pretexts。　When　the　doctor　had　led　his　wife　away；　and　settled　himself　with　her　in　their　cart；　the　officers　lay　down　in　the　inn；　covering　themselves　with　their　wet　overcoats。　But　for　a　long　while　they　stayed　awake；　chatting；　recalling　the　dismay　of　the　doctor；　and　the　delight　of　the　doctor’s　wife；　or　running　out　on　to　the　steps　to　report　on　what　was　going　on　in　the　cart。　Several　times　Rostov　muffled　his　head　up　and　tried　to　go　to　sleep。　But　again　some　remark　roused　him；　again　a　conversation　sprang　up；　and　again　there　were　peals　of　causeless；　merry；　childish　laughter。


Chapter　14
IT　was　past　two　o’clock；　no　one　was　yet　asleep；　when　the　quartermaster　appeared；　bringing　a　command　to　advance　upon　a　little　place　called　Ostrovna。　Still　with　the　same　chatter　and　laughter　the　officers　began　hurriedly　getting　ready；　again　the　samovar　was　filled　up　with　dirty　water。　But　Rostov；　without　waiting　for　tea；　went　off　to　his　squadron。　It　was　already　light；　the　rain　had　ceased；　and　the　clouds　were　parting。　It　was　chill　and　damp；　especially　in　their　still　wet　clothes。　As　they　came　out　of　the　inn；　in　the　twilight　of　the　dawn；　Rostov　and　Ilyin　both　glanced　at　the　leather　cover　of　the　doctor’s　cart；　still　glistening　from　the　rain。　The　doctor’s　feet　were　sticking　out　from　under　the　cover；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　cart　they　caught　a　glimpse　of　his　wife’s　nightcap；　and　heard　sleepy　breathing。
“She’s　really　very　charming；”　said　Rostov　to　Ilyin。
“An　exquisite　woman！”　responded　Ilyin；　with　all　the　gravity　of　a　boy　of　sixteen。
Half　an　hour　later　the　squadron　stood　drawn　up　on　the　road。　The　word　of　command　was　heard；　“Mount！”　and　the　soldiers　crossed　themselves　and　got　on　their　horses。　Rostov；　riding　ahead　of　them；　gave　the　word：　“Forward！”　and　drawing　out　four　abreast；　the　hussars　started　with　a　sound　of　subdued　talk；　splashing　hoofs；　and　jingling　sabres。　They　trotted　along　the　broad　high…road；　with　birch…trees　on　each　side　of　it；　following　the　infantry　and　artillery；　who　had　gone　on　before。
The　broken；　purplish…blue　clouds；　flushed　red　by　the　sunrise；　were　scudding　before　the　wind。　It　grew　lighter　and　lighter。　They　could　see　distinctly；　still　glistening　from　the　rain；　the　feathery　grass　which　always　grows　beside　by…roads。　The　drooping　branches　of　the　birch…trees　swayed　in　the　wind；　and　dripped　bright　drops　aslant　across　the　road。　The　faces　of　the　soldiers　showed　more　and　more　distinctly。　Rostov；　with　Ilyin；　who　would　not　drop　behind；　rode　on　one　side　of　the　road　between　the　two　rows　of　birch…trees。
On　active　service　Rostov　allowed　himself　the　indulgence　of　riding　a　Cossack　horse　instead　of　the　regimental　horse；　broken　in　for　parade。　He　was　a　connoisseur　and　lover　of　horses；　and　had　lately　obtained　a　big　sorrel　horse　with　white　tail　and　mane；　a　fine　spirited　beast　of　the　Don　breed；　on　whom　he　could　out…gallop　every　one。　It　was　an　enjoyment　to　Rostov　to　ride　this　horse。　He　rode　on；　thinking　of　the　horse；　of　the　morning；　of　the　doctor’s　wife；　and　never　once　giving　a　thought　to　the　danger　awaiting　him。
In　former　days　Rostov　had　felt　fear　when　he　was　going　into　an　engagement；　now　he　had　not　the　slightest　feeling　of　fear。　He　had　not　lost　his　fears　from　growing　used　to　being　under　fire　（one　can　never　get　accustomed　to　danger）　but　from　gaining　control　of　his　feelings　in　face　of　danger。　He　had　schooled　himself　when　going　into　action　to　think　of　anything　except　what　one　would　have　supposed　to　be　more　interesting　than　anything　else—the　danger　in　store　for　him。　Earnestly　as　he　strove　to　do　this；　and　bitterly　as　he　reproached　himself　for　cowardice；　he　could　not　at　first　succeed　in　this。　But　with　years　it　had　come　of　itself。　He　rode　now　beside　Ilyin；　between　the　birch…trees；　stripping　leaves　off　the　twigs　that　met　his　hand；　sometimes　touching　his　horse’s　side　with　his　foot；　handing　the　pipe　he　had　finished　to　an　hussar　behind；　without　turning　his　head；　all　with　as　calm　and　careless　an　air　as　though　he　were　out　for　a　ride。　He　felt　sorry　to　see　the　excited　face　of　Ilyin；　who　talked　a　great　deal　nervously。　He　knew　by　experience　the　agonising　state　of　anticipation　of　terror　and　of　death；　in　which　the　cornet　was　plunged；　and　he　knew　that　nothing　but　time　could　help　him　out　of　it。
As　soon　as　the　sun　appeared　in　the　clear　strip　of　sky　under　the　storm…clouds；　the　wind　sank；　as　though　not　daring　to　spoil　the　beauty　of　the　summer　morning　after　the　storm；　the　trees　still　dripped；　but　the　drops　fell　vertically　now—and　all　was　hushed。　The　sun　rose　completely　above　the　horizon；　and　vanished　in　a　long；　narrow　cloud　that　hung　over　it。　A　few　minutes　later　the　sun　showed　even　more　brightly　on　the　upper　side　of　the　cloud；　tearing　its　edge。　Everything　grew　bright　and　shining。　And　with　the　bright　light；　as　though　in　response　to　it；　rang　out　shots　in　front　of　them。
Rostov　had　not　time　to　collect　his　thoughts　and　decide　how　far　off　these　shots　were；　when　an　adjutant　of　Count　Osterman…Tolstoy　galloped　up　from　Vitebsk；　bringing　the　order　to　advance　at　full　speed　along　the　road。
The　squadron　overtook　and　passed　the　infantry　and　the　battery；　who　were　also　quickening　their　pace。　Then　the　hussars　raced　downhill；　passed　through　an　empty　and　deserted　village；　and　trotted　uphill　again。　The　horses　were　beginning　to　get　in　a　lather　and　the　men　looked　flushed。
“Halt！　in　line！”　said　the　officer　in　command　of　the　division。　“Left　about　face；　walking　pace！”　sounded　the　command　in　advance。
And　the　hussars　passed　along　the　lines　of　the　other　troops　to　the　left　flank　of　the　position；　and　halted　behind　our　Uhlans；　who　formed　the　front　line。　On　the　right　was　a　dense　column　of　our　infantry—they　formed　the　reserves；　on　the　hill　above　them；　in　the　pure；　clear　air；　in　the　brilliant；　slanting；　morning　sunshine；　could　be　seen　our　cannons　on　the　very　horizon　line。　In　front；　beyond　a　hollow　dale；　could　be　seen　the　enemy’s　columns　and　cannons。　In　the　dale　could　be　heard　our　advance　pickets；　already　keeping　up　a　lively　interchange　of　shots　with　the　enemy。
Rostov　felt　his　spirits　rise　at　those　sounds；　so　long　unheard；　as　though　they　had　been　the　liveliest　music。　Trap…ta…ta…tap！　rang　out　several　shots；　first　together；　then　in　rapid　succession。　All　sank　into　silence　again；　and　again　there　was　a　sound　as　of　popping　squibs。
The　hussars　remained　for　about　an　hour　in　the　same　spot。　The　cannons　began　firing。　Count　Osterman；　with　his　suite　behind　the　squadron；　rode　up；　he　stopped　to　say　a　word　to　the　colonel　of　the　regiment；　and　rode　off　to　the　cannons　on　the　hill。
After　Osterman　had　ridden　away；　the　command　rang　out　among　the　Uhlans；　“Form　in　column；　make　ready　to　charge！”　The　infantry　in　front　parted　in　two　to　let　the　cavalry　pass　through。　The　Uhlans　galloped　off；　the　streamers　on　their　lances　waving；　and　trotted　downhi