战争与和平(上)-第350章

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The　first　detachment　of　irregulars—Davydov’s—was　formed　on　the　24th　of　August；　and　others　soon　followed。　In　the　latter　stages　of　the　campaign　these　detachments　became　more　and　more　numerous。
The　irregulars　destroyed　the　Grande　Armée　piecemeal。　They　swept　up　the　fallen　leaves　that　were　dropping　of　themselves　from　the　withered　tree；　and　sometimes　they　shook　the　tree　itself。　By　October；　when　the　French　were　fleeing　to　Smolensk；　there　were　hundreds　of　these　companies；　differing　widely　from　one　another　in　number　and　in　character。　Some　were　detachments　that　followed　all　the　usual　routine　of　an　army；　with　infantry；　artillery；　staff…officers；　and　all　the　conveniences　of　life。　Some　consisted　only　of　Cossacks；　mounted　men。　Others　were　small　bands　of　men；　on　foot　and　also　mounted。　Some　consisted　of　peasants；　or　of　landowners　and　their　serfs；　and　remained　unknown。　There　was　a　deacon　at　the　head　of　such　a　band；　who　took　several　hundred　prisoners　in　a　month。　There　was　the　village　elder’s　wife；　Vassilisa；　who　killed　hundreds　of　the　French。
The　latter　part　of　October　was　the　time　when　this　guerilla　warfare　reached　its　height。　That　period　of　this　warfare；　in　which　the　irregulars　were　themselves　amazed　at　their　own　audacity；　were　every　moment　in　dread　of　being　surrounded　and　captured　by　the　French；　and　never　unsaddling；　hardly　dismounting；　hid　in　the　woods；　in　momentary　expectation　of　pursuit；　was　already　over。　The　irregular　warfare　had　by　now　taken　definite　shape；　it　had　become　clear　to　all　the　irregulars　what　they　could；　and　what　they　could　not；　accomplish　with　the　French。　By　now　it　was　only　the　commanders　of　detachments　marching　with　staff…officers　according　to　the　rules　at　a　distance　from　the　French　who　considered　much　impossible。　The　small　bands　of　irregulars　who　had　been　at　work　a　long　while；　and　were　at　close　quarters　with　the　French；　found　it　possible　to　attempt　what　the　leaders　of　larger　companies　did　not　dare　to　think　of　doing。　The　Cossacks　and　the　peasants；　who　crept　in　among　the　French；　thought　everything　possible　now。
On　the　22nd　of　October；　Denisov；　who　was　a　leader　of　a　band　of　irregulars；　was　eagerly　engaged　in　a　typical　operation　of　this　irregular　warfare。　From　early　morning　he　had　been　with　his　men　moving　about　the　woods　that　bordered　the　high　road；　watching　a　big　convoy　of　cavalry　baggage　and　Russian　prisoners　that　had　dropped　behind　the　other　French　troops；　and　under　strong　escort—as　he　learned　from　his　scouts　and　from　prisoners—was　making　its　way　to　Smolensk。　Not　only　Denisov　and　Dolohov　（who　was　also　a　leader　of　a　small　band　acting　in　the　same　district）　were　aware　of　the　presence　of　this　convoy。　Some　generals　in　command　of　some　larger　detachments；　with　staff…officers　also；　knew　of　this　convoy；　and；　as　Denisov　said；　their　mouths　were　watering　for　it。　Two　of　these　generals—one　a　Pole；　the　other　a　German—had　almost　at　the　same　time　sent　to　Denisov　an　invitation　to　join　their　respective　detachments　in　attacking　the　convoy。
“No；　friend；　I　wasn’t　born　yesterday！”　said　Denisov；　on　reading　these　documents；　and　he　wrote　to　the　German　that　in　spite　of　his　ardent　desire　to　serve　under　so　brilliant　and　renowned　a　general；　he　must　deprive　himself　of　that　happiness　because　he　was　already　under　the　command　of　the　Polish　general。　To　the　Pole　he　wrote　the　same　thing；　informing　him　that　he　was　already　serving　under　the　command　of　the　German。
Having　thus　disposed　of　that　difficulty；　Denisov；　without　communicating　on　the　subject　to　the　higher　authorities；　intended　with　Dolohov　to　attack　and　carry　off　this　transport　with　his　own　small　force。　The　transport　was；　on　the　22nd　of　October；　going　from　the　village　of　Mikulino　to　the　village　of　Shamshevo。　On　the　left　side　of　the　road　between　Mikulino　and　Shamshevo　there　were　great　woods；　which　in　places　bordered　on　the　road；　and　in　places　were　a　verst　or　more　from　the　road。　Denisov；　with　a　small　party　of　followers；　had　been　the　whole　day　riding　about　in　these　woods；　sometimes　plunging　into　their　centre；　and　sometimes　coming　out　at　the　edge；　but　never　losing　sight　of　the　moving　French。　In　the　morning；　not　far　from　Mikulino；　where　the　wood　ran　close　to　the　road；　the　Cossacks　of　Denisov’s　party　had　pounced　on　two　French　waggonloads　of　saddles；　stuck　in　the　mud；　and　had　carried　them　off　into　the　wood。　From　that　time　right　on　to　evening；　they　had　been　watching　the　movements　of　the　French　without　attacking　them。　They　wanted　to　avoid　frightening　them；　and　to　let　them　go　quietly　on　to　Shamshevo；　and　then；　joining　Dolohov　（who　was　to　come　that　evening　to　a　trysting…place　in　the　wood；　a　verst　from　Shamshevo；　to　concert　measures　with　them）；　from　two　sides　to　fall　at　dawn　like　an　avalanche　of　snow　on　their　heads；　and　to　overcome　and　capture　all　of　them　at　a　blow。
Six　Cossacks　had　been　left　behind；　two　versts　from　Mikulino；　where　the　wood　bordered　the　road。　They　were　to　bring　word　at　once　as　soon　as　any　fresh　columns　of　French　came　into　sight。
In　front　of　Shamshevo；　Dolohov　was　in　the　same　way　to　watch　the　road　to　know　at　what　distance　there　were　other　French　troops。　With　the　transport　there　were　supposed　to　be　fifteen　hundred　men。　Denisov　had　two　hundred　men；　and　Dolohov　might　have　as　many　more。　But　superiority　in　numbers　was　no　obstacle　to　Denisov。　There　was　only　one　thing　that　he　still　needed　to　know；　and　that　was　what　troops　these　were；　and　for　that　object　Denisov　needed　to　take　a　“tongue”　（that　is；　some　man　belonging　to　that　column　of　the　enemy）。　The　attack　on　the　waggons　in　the　morning　was　all　done　with　such　haste　that　they　killed　all　the　French　soldiers　in　charge　of　the　waggons；　and　captured　alive　only　a　little　drummer…boy；　who　had　straggled　away　from　his　own　regiment；　and　could　tell　them　nothing　certain　about　the　troops　forming　the　column。
To　make　another　descent　upon　them；　Denisov　thought；　would　be　to　risk　alarming　the　whole　column；　and　so　he　sent　on　ahead　to　Shamshevo　a　peasant；　Tihon　Shtcherbatov；　to　try　if　he　could　capture　at　least　one　of　the　French　quartermasters　from　the　vanguard。


Chapter　4
IT　was　a　warm；　rainy；　autumn　day。　The　sky　and　the　horizon　were　all　of　the　uniform　tint　of　muddy　water。　Sometimes　a　mist　seemed　to　be　falling；　and　sometimes　there　was　a　sudden　downpour　of　heavy；　slanting　rain。
Denisov；　in　a　long　cape　and　a　high　fur　cap；　both　streaming　with　water；　was　riding　a　thin；　pinched…looking；　thoroughbred　horse。　With　his　head　aslant；　and　his　ears　pricked　up；　like　his　horse；　he　was　frowning　at　the　driving　rain；　and　anxiously　looking　before　him。　His　face；　which　had　grown　thin；　and　was　covered　with　a　thick；　short；　black　heard；　looked　wrathful。
Beside　Denisov；　wearing　also　a　long　cape　and　a　high　cap；　and　mounted　on　a　sleek；　sturdy　Don　horse；　rode　the　esaul；　or　hetman　of　the　Cossacks—Denisov’s　partner　in　his　enterprises。
The　esaul；　Lovaisky　the　Third；　also　in　a　cape；　and　a　high　cap；　was　a　long　creature；　flat　as　a　board；　with　a　pale　face；　flaxen　hair；　narrow；　light　eyes；　and　an　expression　of　calm　self…confidence　both　in　his　face　and　his　attitude。　Though　it　was　impossible　to　say　what　constituted　the　peculiarity　of　horse　and　rider；　at　the　first　glance　at　the　esaul　and　at　Denisov；　it　was　evident　that　Denisov　was　both　wet　and　uncomfortable；　that　Denisov　was　a　man　sitting　on　a　horse；　while　the　esaul　seemed　as　comfortable　and　calm　as　always；　and　seemed　not　a　man　sitting　on　a　horse；　but　a　man　forming　one　whole　with　a　horse—a　single　being　enlarged　by　the　strength　of　two。
A　little　ahead　of　them　walked　a　peasant…guide；　soaked　through　and　through　in　his　grey　full　coat　and　white　cap。
A　little　behind；　on　a　thin；　delicate　Kirghiz　pony　with　a　flowing　tail　and　mane；　and　a　mouth　flecked　with　blood；　rode　a　young　officer　in　a　blue　French　military　coat。　Beside　him　rode　an　hussar；　with　a　boy　in　a　tattered　French　uniform　and　blue　cap；　perched　upon　his　horse　behind　him。　The　boy　held　on　to　the　hussar　with　hands　red　with　cold；　and　kept　moving　his　bare　feet；　trying　to　warm　them；　and　lifting　his　eyebrows；　gazed　about　him　wonderingly。　This　was　the　French　drummer；　who　had　been　taken　in　the　morning。
Along　the　narrow；　muddy；　cut…up　forest…track　there　came　hussars　in　knots　of　three　and　four　at　a　time；　and　then　Cossacks；　some　in　capes；　some　in　French　cloaks；　others　with　horse…cloths　pulled　over　their　h