战争与和平(上)-第351章

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loths　pulled　over　their　heads。　The　horses；　chestnut　and　bay；　all　looked　black　from　the　soaking　rain。　Their　necks　looked　strangely　thin　with　their　drenched　manes；　and　steam　rose　in　clouds　from　them。　Clothes；　saddles；　and　bridles；　all　were　sticky　and　swollen　with　the　wet；　like　the　earth　and　the　fallen　leaves　with　which　the　track　was　strewn。　The　men　sat　huddled　up；　trying　not　to　move；　so　as　to　keep　warm　the　water　that　had　already　reached　their　skins；　and　not　to　let　any　fresh　stream　of　cold　rain　trickle　in　anywhere　under　their　seat；　or　at　their　knees　or　necks。　In　the　midst　of　the　file　of　Cossacks　two　waggons；　drawn　by　French　horses；　and　Cossack　saddle…horses　hitched　on　in　front；　rumbled　over　stumps　and　branches；　and　splashed　through　the　ruts　full　of　water。
Denisov’s　horse；　in　avoiding　a　puddle　in　the　track；　knocked　his　rider’s　knee　against　a　tree。
“Ah；　devil！”　Denisov　cried　angrily；　and　showing　his　teeth；　he　struck　his　horse　three　times　with　his　whip；　splashing　himself　and　his　comrades　with　mud。　Denisov　was　out　of　humour；　both　from　the　rain　and　hunger　（no　one　had　eaten　anything　since　morning）；　and；　most　of　all；　from　having　no　news　of　Dolohov；　and　from　no　French　prisoner　having　been　caught　to　give　him　information。
“We　shall　never　have　such　another　chance　to　fall　on　the　transport　as　to…day。　To　attack　them　alone　would　be　risky；　and　to　put　it　off　to　another　day—some　one　of　the　bigger　leaders　will　carry　the　booty　off　from　under　our　noses；”　thought　Denisov；　continually　looking　ahead；　and　fancying　he　saw　the　messenger　from　Dolohov　he　expected。
Coming　out　into　a　clearing　from　which　he　could　get　a　view　to　some　distance　on　the　right；　Denisov　stopped。
“There’s　some　one　coming；”　he　said。
The　esaul　looked　in　the　direction　Denisov　was　pointing　to。
“There　are　two　men　coming—an　officer　and　a　Cossack。　Only　I　wouldn’t　be　prepositive　that　is　the　colonel　himself；”　said　the　esaul；　who　loved　to　use　words　that　were　unfamiliar　to　the　Cossacks。　The　two　figures；　riding　downhill；　disappeared　from　sight；　and　came　into　view　again　a　few　minutes　later。　The　foremost　was　an　officer；　dishevelled　looking；　and　soaked　through；　with　his　trousers　tucked　up　above　his　knees；　he　was　lashing　his　horse　into　a　weary　gallop。　Behind　him　a　Cossack　trotted　along；　standing　up　in　his　stirrups。　This　officer；　a　quite　young　boy；　with　a　broad；　rosy　face　and　keen；　merry　eyes；　galloped　up　to　Denisov；　and　handed　him　a　sopping　packet。
“From　the　general；”　he　said。　“I　must　apologise　for　its　not　being　quite　dry。…”
Denisov；　frowning；　took　the　packet　and　broke　it　open。
“Why；　they　kept　telling　us　it　was　so　dangerous；”　said　the　officer；　turning　to　the　esaul　while　Denisov　was　reading　the　letter。　“But　Komarov”—　and　he　indicated　the　Cossack—“and　I　were　prepared。　We　have　both　two　pisto　…　But　what’s　this？”　he　asked；　seeing　the　French　drummer…boy。　“A　prisoner？　You　have　had　a　battle　already？　May　I　talk　to　him？”
“Rostov！　Petya！”　Denisov　cried　at　that　moment；　running　through　the　packet　that　had　been　given　him。　“Why；　how　was　it　you　didn’t　say　who　you　were？”　and　Denisov；　turning　with　a　smile；　held　out　his　hand　to　the　officer。　This　officer　was　Petya　Rostov。
Petya　had　been　all　the　way　preparing　himself　to　behave　with　Denisov　as　a　grown…up　person　and　an　officer　should　do；　making　no　reference　to　their　previous　acquaintance。　But　as　soon　as　Denisov　smiled　at　him；　Petya　beamed　at　once；　blushed　with　delight；　and　forgetting　all　the　formal　demeanour　he　had　been　intending　to　preserve；　he　began　telling　him　how　he　had　ridden　by　the　French；　and　how　glad　he　was　he　had　been　given　this　commission；　and　how　he　had　already　been　in　a　battle　at　Vyazma；　and　how　a　certain　hussar　had　distinguished　himself　in　it。
“Well；　I　am　glad　to　see　you；”　Denisov　interrupted　him；　and　his　face　looked　anxious　again。
“Mihail　Feoklititch；”　he　said　to　the　esaul；　“this　is　from　the　German　again；　you　know。　He”　（Petya）　“is　in　his　suite。”　And　Denisov　told　the　esaul　that　the　letter；　which　had　just　been　brought；　repeated　the　German　general’s　request　that　they　would　join　him　in　attacking　the　transport。　“If　we　don’t　catch　them　by　to…morrow；　he’ll　snatch　them　from　under　our　noses；”　he　concluded。
While　Denisov　was　talking　to　the　esaul；　Petya；　disconcerted　by　Denisov’s　cold　tone；　and　imagining　that　that　tone　might　be　due　to　the　condition　of　his　trousers；　furtively　pulled　them　down　under　his　cloak；　trying　to　do　so　unobserved；　and　to　maintain　as　martial　an　air　as　possible。
“Will　your　honour　have　any　instructions　to　give　me？”　he　said　to　Denisov；　putting　his　hand　to　the　peak　of　his　cap；　and　going　back　to　the　comedy　of　adjutant　and　general；　which　he　had　prepared　himself　to　perform；　“or　should　I　remain　with　your　honour？”
“Instructions？　…”　said　Denisov　absently。　“Well；　can　you　stay　till　tomorrow？”
“Oh；　please　…　May　I　stay　with　you？”　cried　Petya。
“Well；　what　were　your　instructions　from　your　general—to　go　back　at　once？”　asked　Denisov。
Petya　blushed。
“Oh；　he　gave　me　no　instructions。　I　think　I　may？”　he　said　interrogatively。
“All　right；　then；”　said　Denisov。　And　turning　to　his　followers；　he　directed　a　party　of　them　to　go　to　the　hut　in　the　wood；　which　they　had　fixed　on　as　a　resting…place；　and　the　officer　on　the　Kirghiz　horse　（this　officer　performed　the　duties　of　an　adjutant）　to　go　and　look　for　Dolohov；　to　find　out　where　he　was；　and　whether　he　were　coming　in　the　evening。
Denisov　himself；　with　the　esaul　and　Petya；　intended　to　ride　to　the　edge　of　the　wood　near　Shamshevo　to　have　a　look　at　the　position　of　the　French；　where　their　attack　next　day　was　to　take　place。
“Come；　my　man；”　he　said　to　their　peasant　guide；　“take　us　to　Shamshevo。”
Denisov；　Petya；　and　the　esaul；　accompanied　by　a　few　Cossacks　and　the　hussar　with　the　prisoner；　turned　to　the　left　and　crossed　a　ravine　towards　the　edge　of　the　wood。


Chapter　5
THE　RAIN　was　over；　but　a　mist　was　falling　and　drops　of　water　dripped　from　the　branches　of　the　trees。　Denisov；　the　esaul；　and　Petya；　in　silence；　followed　the　peasant　in　the　pointed　cap；　who；　stepping　lightly　and　noiselessly　in　his　bast　shoes　over　roots　and　wet　leaves；　led　them　to　the　edge　of　the　wood。
Coming　out　on　the　road；　the　peasant　paused；　looked　about　him；　and　turned　toward　a　thin　screen　of　trees。　He　stood　still　at　a　big　oak；　still　covered　with　leaves；　and　beckoned　mysteriously　to　them。
Denisov　and　Petya　rode　up　to　him。　From　the　place　where　the　peasant　was　standing　the　French　could　be　seen。　Just　beyond　the　wood　a　field　of　spring　corn　ran　sharply　downhill。　On　the　right；　across　a　steep　ravine；　could　be　seen　a　little　village　and　a　manor…house　with　the　roofs　broken　down。　In　that　village　and　in　the　house　and　all　over　the　high　ground　in　the　garden；　by　the　wells　and　the　pond；　and　all　along　the　road　uphill　from　the　bridge　to　the　village；　not　more　than　five　hundred　yards　away；　crowds　of　men　could　be　seen　in　the　shifting　mist。　They　could　distinctly　hear　their　foreign　cries　at　the　horses　pulling　the　baggage　uphill　and　their　calls　to　one　another。
“Give　me　the　prisoner　here；”　said　Denisov；　in　a　low　voice；　never　taking　his　eyes　off　the　French。
A　Cossack　got　off　his　horse；　lifted　the　boy　down；　and　came　with　him　to　Denisov。　Denisov；　pointing　to　the　French；　asked　the　boy　what　troops　they　were。　The　boy；　thrusting　his　chilled　hands　into　his　pockets　and　raising　his　eyebrows；　looked　in　dismay　at　Denisov；　and　in　spite　of　his　unmistakable　desire　to　tell　all　he　knew；　he　was　confused　in　his　answers；　and　merely　repeated　Denisov’s　questions。　Denisov；　frowning；　turned　away　from　him；　and　addressing　the　esaul；　told　him　his　own　views　on　the　matter。
Petya；　turning　his　head　rapidly；　looked　from　the　drummer　to　Denisov；　and　from　the　esaul　to　the　French　in　the　village　and　on　the　road；　trying　not　to　miss　anything　of　importance。
“Whether　Dolohov　comes　or　not；　we　must　take　them。…　Eh？”　said　Denisov；　his　eyes　sparkling　merrily。
“It　is　a　convenient　spot；”　said　the　esaul。
“We　will　send　the　infantry　down　below；　by　the　marshes；”　Denisov　went　on。　“They　will　creep　up　to　the　garden；　you　dash　down　with　the　Cossacks　from　there”—Denisov　pointed　to　the　wood　beyond　the　village—“and　I　from　here　with　my　hussars。　And　at　a　shot　…”
“It　won’t　do　to　go　by　the　hollow；　it’s　a　bog；”　said　the　esaul。　“The　horses