战争与和平(上)-第261章

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From　the　earthworks　they　turned　still　more　to　the　left　of　the　road　that　ran　winding　through　a　thick；　low…growing；　birch　wood。　In　the　middle　of　the　wood　a　brown　hare　with　white　feet　popped　out　on　the　road　before　them；　and　was　so　frightened　by　the　tramp　of　so　many　horses；　that　in　its　terror　it　hopped　along　the　road　just　in　front　of　them　for　a　long　while；　rousing　general　laughter；　and　only　when　several　voices　shouted　at　it；　dashed　to　one　side　and　was　lost　in　the　thicket。　After　a　couple　of　versts　of　woodland；　they　came　out　on　a　clearing；　where　were　the　troops　of　Tutchkov’s　corps；　destined　to　protect　the　left　flank。
At　this　point；　at　the　extreme　left　flank；　Bennigsen　talked　a　great　deal　with　much　heat；　and　gave　instructions；　of　great　importance　from　a　military　point　of　view；　as　it　seemed　to　Pierre。　Just　in　front　of　the　spot　where　Tutchkov’s　troops　were　placed　there　rose　a　knoll；　which　was　not　occupied　by　troops。　Bennigsen　was　loud　in　his　criticism　of　this　oversight；　saying　that　it　was　insane　to　leave　a　height　that　commanded　the　country　round　unoccupied　and　place　troops　just　below　it。　Several　generals　expressed　the　same　opinion。　One　in　particular；　with　martial　warmth；　declared　that　they　were　doomed　there　to　certain　destruction。　Bennigsen；　on　his　own　responsibility；　ordered　the　troops　to　be　moved　on　to　the　high…road。
This　change　of　position　on　the　left　flank　made　Pierre　more　than　ever　doubtful　of　his　capacity　for　comprehending　military　matters。　As　he　heard　Bennigsen　and　the　other　generals　criticising　the　position　of　the　troops　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　Pierre　fully　grasped　and　shared　their　views。　But　that　was　why　he　could　not　imagine　how　the　man　who　had　placed　them　there　could　have　made　so　gross　and　obvious　a　blunder。
Pierre　did　not　know　that　the　troops　had　not　been　placed　there　to　defend　their　position；　as　Bennigsen　supposed；　but　had　been　stationed　in　that　concealed　spot　in　ambush；　in　order　unobserved　to　deal　a　sudden　blow　at　the　enemy　unawares。　Bennigsen；　ignorant　of　this　project；　moved　the　troops　into　a　prominent　position　without　saying　anything　about　this　change　to　the　commander…in…chief。


Chapter　24
PRINCE　ANDREY　was　on　that　bright　August　evening　lying　propped　on　his　elbow　in　a　broken…down　barn　in　the　village　of　Knyazkovo；　at　the　further　end　of　the　encampment　of　his　regiment。　Through　a　gap　in　the　broken　wall　he　was　looking　at　the　line　of　thirty…year…old　pollard　birches　in　the　hedge；　at　the　field　with　sheaves　of　oats　lying　about　it；　and　at　the　bushes　where　he　saw　the　smoke　of　camp…fires；　at　which　the　soldiers　were　doing　their　cooking。
Cramped　and　useless　and　burdensome　as　his　life　seemed　now　to　Prince　Andrey；　he　felt　nervously　excited　and　irritable　on　the　eve　of　battle；　just　as　he　had　felt　seven　years　earlier　before　Austerlitz。
He　had　received　and　given　all　orders　for　the　next　day’s　battle。　He　had　nothing　more　to　do。　But　thoughts—the　simplest；　most　obvious；　and　therefore　most　awful—would　not　leave　him　in　peace。　He　knew　that　the　battle　next　day　would　be　the　most　awful　of　all　he　had　taken　part　in；　and　death；　for　the　first　time；　presented　itself　to　him；　not　in　relation　to　his　actual　manner　of　life；　or　to　the　effect　of　it　on　others；　but　simply　in　relation　to　himself；　to　his　soul；　and　rose　before　him　simply　and　awfully　with　a　vividness　that　made　it　like　a　concrete　reality。　And　from　the　height　of　this　vision　everything　that　had　once　occupied　him　seemed　suddenly　illumined　by　a　cold；　white　light；　without　shade；　without　perspective　or　outline。　His　whole　life　seemed　to　him　like　a　magic　lantern；　at　which　he　had　been　looking　through　the　glass　and　by　artificial　light。　Now　he　saw　suddenly；　without　the　glass；　in　the　clear　light　of　day；　those　badly　daubed　pictures。　“Yes；　yes；　there　are　they；　there　are　the　cheating　forms　that　excited　torments　and　ecstasies　in　me；”　he　said　to　himself；　going　over　in　imagination　the　chief　pictures　of　the　magic　lantern　of　his　life；　looking　at　them　now　in　the　cold；　white　daylight　of　a　clear　view　of　death。　“These　are　they；　these　coarsely　sketched　figures　which　seemed　something　splendid　and　mysterious。　Glory；　the　good　society；　love　for　a　woman；　the　fatherland—what　grand　pictures　they　used　to　seem　to　me；　with　what　deep　meaning　they　seemed　to　be　filled！　And　it　is　all　so　simple；　so　colourless　and　coarse　in　the　cold　light　of　the　day　that　I　feel　is　dawning　for　me。”　The　three　chief　sorrows　of　his　life　held　his　attention　especially。　His　love　for　a　woman；　his　father’s　death；　and　the　invasion　of　the　French—now　in　possession　of　half　of　Russia。　“Love！　…　That　little　girl；　who　seemed　to　me　brimming　over　with　mysterious　forces。　How　I　loved　her！　I　made　romantic　plans　of　love；　of　happiness　with　her！　O　simple…hearted　youth！”　he　said　aloud　bitterly。　“Why；　I　believed　in　some　ideal　love　which　was　to　keep　her　faithful　to　me　for　the　whole　year　of　my　absence！　Like　the　faithful　dove　in　the　fable；　she　was　to　pine　away　in　my　absence　from　her！　And　it　was　all　so　much　simpler。　…　It　is　all　so　horribly　simple　and　loathsome！
“My　father；　too；　laid　out　Bleak　Hills；　and　thought　it　was　his　place；　his　land；　his　air；　his　peasants。　But　Napoleon　came　along；　and　without　even　knowing　of　his　existence；　swept　him　away　like　a　chip　out　of　his　path；　and　his　Bleak　Hills　laid　in　the　dust；　and　all　his　life　with　it　brought　to　nought。　Princess　Marya　says　that　it　is　a　trial　sent　from　above。　What　is　the　trial　for；　since　he　is　not　and　never　will　be？　He　will　never　come　back　again！　He　is　not！　So　for　whom　is　it　a　trial？　Fatherland；　the　spoiling　of　Moscow！　But　to…morrow　I　shall　be　killed；　and　not　by　a　Frenchman　even；　maybe；　but　by　one　of　our　own　men；　like　the　soldier　who　let　off　his　gun　close　to　my　ear　yesterday；　and　the　French　will　come　and　pick　me　up　by　my　head　and　my　heels　and　pitch　me　into　a　hole　that　I　may　not　stink　under　their　noses；　and　new　conditions　of　life　will　arise；　and　I　shall　know　nothing　of　them；　and　I　shall　not　be　at　all。”
He　gazed　at　the　row　of　birch…trees　with　their　motionless　yellows　and　greens；　and　the　white　bark　shining　in　the　sun。　“To　die　then；　let　them　kill　me　to…morrow；　let　me　be　no　more　…　let　it　all　go　on；　and　let　me　be　at　an　end。”　He　vividly　pictured　his　own　absence　from　that　life。　And　those　birch…trees；　with　their　light　and　shade；　and　the　curling　clouds　and　the　smoke　of　the　fires；　everything　around　seemed　suddenly　transformed　into　something　weird　and　menacing。　A　shiver　ran　down　his　back。　Rising　quickly　to　his　feet；　he　went　out　of　the　barn；　and　began　to　walk　about。
He　heard　voices　behind　the　barn。
“Who’s　there？”　called　Prince　Andrey。
The　red…nosed　Captain　Timohin；　once　the　officer　in　command　of　Dolohov’s　company；　now　in　the　lack　of　officers　promoted　to　the　command　of　a　battalion；　came　shyly　into　the　barn。　He　was　followed　by　an　adjutant　and　the　paymaster　of　the　regiment。
Prince　Andrey　got　up　hurriedly；　listened　to　the　matters　relating　to　their　duties　that　the　officers　had　come　to　him　about；　gave　a　few　instructions；　and　was　about　to　dismiss　them；　when　he　heard　a　familiar；　lisping　voice　behind　the　barn。
“Que　diable！”　said　the　voice　of　some　one　stumbling　over　something。
Prince　Andrey；　peeping　out　of　the　barn；　saw　Pierre；　who　had　just　hit　against　a　post　lying　on　the　ground；　and　had　almost　fallen　over。　Prince　Andrey　always　disliked　seeing　people　from　his　own　circle；　especially　Pierre；　who　reminded　him　of　all　the　painful　moments　he　had　passed　through　on　his　last　stay　at　Moscow。
“Well！”　he　cried。　“What　fate　has　brought　you？　I　didn’t　expect　to　see　you。”
While　he　said　this　there　was　in　his　eyes　and　his　whole　face　more　than　coldness；　positive　hostility；　which　Pierre　noticed　at　once。　He　had　approached　the　barn　with　the　greatest　eagerness；　but　now；　on　seeing　Prince　Andrey’s　face；　he　felt　constrained　and　ill　at　ease。
“I　have　come　…　you　know　…　simply　…　I　have　come　…　it’s　interesting；”　said　Pierre；　who　had　so　many　times　already　that　day　repeated　that　word　“interesting”　without　meaning　it。　“I　wanted　to　see　the　battle！”
“Yes；　yes；　but　your　mason　brethren；　what　do　they　say　of　war？　How　would　they　avert　it？”　said　Prince　Andrey　sarcastically。　“Well；　tell　me　about　Moscow。　And　my　people？　Have　they　reached　Moscow　at　last？”　he　asked　seriously。
“Yes。　Julie　Drubetskoy　told　me　so。　I　went　to　call；　but　missed　them。　They