战争与和平(上)-第353章

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hon’s　face　to　the　face　of　the　esaul　and　Denisov；　not　knowing　what　to　make　of　it　all。
“Don’t　play　the　fool；”　said　Denisov；　coughing　angrily。　“Why　didn’t　you　bring　the　first　man？”
Tihon　began　scratching　his　back　with　one　hand　and　his　head　with　the　other；　and　all　at　once　his　countenance　expanded　into　a　beaming；　foolish　grin；　showing　the　loss　of　a　tooth　that　had　given　him　his　name；　Shtcherbatov　（i。e。　lacking　a　tooth）。　Denisov　smiled；　and　Petya　went　off　into　a　merry　peal　of　laughter；　in　which　Tihon　himself　joined。
“Why；　he　was　no　good　at　all；”　said　Tihon。　“He　was　so　badly　dressed；　how　could　I　bring　him？　And　a　coarse　fellow；　your　honour。　Why；　says　he；　‘I’m　a　general’s　son；’　says　he；　‘I’m　not　going。’　”
“Ugh；　you　brute！”　said　Denisov。　“I　wanted　to　question　him　…”
“Oh；　I　did　question　him；”　said　Tihon。　“He　said　he　didn’t　know　much。　“There　are　a　lot　of　our　men；’　says　he；　‘but　they　are　all　poor　creatures；　that’s　all　you　can　say　for　them。　Give　a　good　shout；’　says　he；　‘and　you　can　take　them　all；’　”　Tihon　concluded；　with　a　merry　and　determined　look　at　Denisov。
“Mind；　I’ll　give　you　a　good　hundred　lashes　that　will　teach　you　to　play　the　fool；”　said　Denisov　sternly。
“Why　be　angry；”　said　Tihon；　“because　I　haven’t　seen　your　sort　of　Frenchmen？　As　soon　as　it　gets　dark；　I’ll　catch　whatever　kind　you　like；　three　of　them　I’ll　bring。”
“Well；　come　along；”　said　Denisov；　and　all　the　way　to　the　forester’s　hut　he　was　silent；　frowning　angrily。
Tihon　was　walking　behind；　and　Petya　heard　the　Cossacks　laughing　with　him　and　at　him　about　a　pair　of　boots　that　he　had　thrown　into　the　bushes。
When　the　laughter　roused　by　Tihon’s　words　and　smile　had　passed；　and　Petya　understood　for　a　moment　that　Tihon　had　killed　the　man；　he　had　an　uneasy　feeling。　He　looked　round　at　the　boy　prisoner；　and　there　was　a　sudden　pang　in　his　heart。　But　that　uneasiness　only　lasted　a　moment。　He　felt　it　incumbent　on　him　to　hold　his　head　high；　and　with　a　bold　and　important　air　to　question　the　esaul　about　the　next　day’s　expedition；　that　he　might　not　be　unworthy　of　the　company　in　which　he　found　himself。
The　officer　Denisov　had　sent　to　Dolohov　met　him　on　the　way　with　the　news　that　everything　was　going　well　with　Dolohov；　and　that　he　was　coming　himself　immediately。
Denisov　at　once　became　more　cheerful；　and　beckoned　Petya　to　him。
“Come；　tell　me　about　yourself；”　he　said。


Chapter　7
ON　LEAVING　MOSCOW；　Petya　had　parted　from　his　parents　to　join　his　regiment；　and　shortly　afterwards　had　been　appointed　an　orderly　in　attendance　on　a　general　who　was　in　command　of　a　large　detachment。　From　the　time　of　securing　his　commission；　and　even　more　since　joining　a　regiment　in　active　service；　and　taking　part　in　the　battle　of　Vyazma；　Petya　had　been　in　a　continual　state　of　happy　excitement　at　being　grown…up；　and　of　intense　anxiety　not　to　miss　any　opportunity　of　real　heroism。　He　was　highly　delighted　with　all　he　had　seen　and　experienced　in　the　army；　but；　at　the　same　time；　he　was　always　fancying　that　wherever　he　was　not；　there　the　most　real　and　heroic　exploits　were　at　that　very　moment　being　performed。　And　he　was　in　constant　haste　to　be　where　he　was　not。
On　the　21st　of　October；　when　his　general　expressed　a　desire　to　send　some　one　to　Denisov’s　company；　Petya　had　so　piteously　besought　him　to　send　him；　that　the　general　could　not　refuse。　But；　as　he　was　sending　him　off；　the　general　recollected　Petya’s　foolhardy　behaviour　at　the　battle　of　Vyazma；　when；　instead　of　riding　by　way　of　the　road　to　take　a　message；　Petya　had　galloped　across　the　lines　under　the　fire　of　the　French；　and　had　there　fired　a　couple　of　pistol…shots。　Recalling　that　prank；　the　general　explicitly　forbade　Petya’s　taking　part　in　any　enterprise　whatever　that　Denisov　might　be　planning。　This　was　why　Petya　had　blushed　and　been　disconcerted　when　Denisov　asked　him　if　he　might　stay。　From　the　moment　he　set　off　till　he　reached　the　edge　of　the　wood；　Petya　had　fully　intended　to　do　his　duty　steadily；　and　to　return　at　once。　But　when　he　saw　the　French；　and　saw　Tihon；　and　learned　that　the　attack　would　certainly　take　place　that　night；　with　the　rapid　transition　from　one　view　to　another；　characteristic　of　young　people；　he　made　up　his　mind　that　his　general；　for　whom　he　had　till　that　moment　had　the　greatest　respect；　was　a　poor　stick；　and　only　a　German；　that　Denisov　was　a　hero；　and　the　esaul　a　hero；　and　Tihon　a　hero；　and　that　it　would　be　shameful　to　leave　them　at　a　moment　of　difficulty。
It　was　getting　dark　when　Denisov；　with　Petya　and　the　esaul；　reached　the　forester’s　hut。　In　the　half…dark　they　could　see　saddled　horses；　Cossacks　and　hussars；　rigging　up　shanties　in　the　clearing；　and　building　up　a　glowing　fire　in　a　hollow　near；　where　the　smoke　would　not　be　seen　by　the　French。　In　the　porch　of　the　little　hut　there　was　a　Cossack　with　his　sleeves　tucked　up；　cutting　up　a　sheep。　In　the　hut；　three　officers　of　Denisov’s　band　were　setting　up　a　table　made　up　of　doors。　Petya　took　off　his　wet　clothes；　gave　them　to　be　dried；　and　at　once　set　to　work　to　help　the　officers　in　fixing　up　a　dining…table。
In　ten　minutes　the　table　was　ready　and　covered　with　a　napkin。　On　the　table　was　set　vodka；　a　flask　of　rum；　white　bread；　and　roast　mutton；　and　salt。
Sitting　at　the　table　with　the　officers；　tearing　the　fat；　savoury　mutton　with　greasy　fingers；　Petya　was　in　a　childishly　enthusiastic　condition　of　tender　love　for　all　men　and　a　consequent　belief　in　the　same　feeling　for　himself　in　others。
“So　what　do　you　think；　Vassily　Fyodorovitch；”　he　said　to　Denisov；　“it　won’t　matter　my　staying　a　day　with　you；　will　it？”　And　without　waiting　for　an　answer；　he　answered　himself：　“Why；　I　was　told　to　find　out；　and　here　I　am　finding　out　…　Only　you　must　let　me　go　into　the　middle　…　into　the　real　…　I　don’t　care　about　rewards　…　But　I　do　want　…”　Petya　clenched　his　teeth　and　looked　about　him；　tossing　his　head　and　waving　his　arm。
“Into　the　real；　real　thing　…”　Denisov　said；　smiling。
“Only；　please；　do　give　me　a　command　of　something　altogether；　so　that　I　really　might　command；”　Petya　went　on。　“Why；　what　would　it　be　to　you？　Ah；　you　want　a　knife？”　he　said　to　an　officer；　who　was　trying　to　tear　off　a　piece　of　mutton。　And　he　gave　him　his　pocket…knife。
The　officer　praised　the　knife。
“Please　keep　it。　I　have　several　like　it　…”　said　Petya；　blushing。　“Heavens！　Why；　I　was　quite　forgetting；”　he　cried　suddenly。　“I　have　some　capital　raisins；　you　know　the　sort　without　stones。　We　have　a　new　canteen…keeper；　and　he　does　get　first…rate　things。　I　bought　ten　pounds　of　them。　I’m　fond　of　sweet　things。　Will　you　have　some？”　…　and　Petya　ran　out　to　his　Cossack　in　the　porch；　and　brought　in　some　panniers　in　which　there　were　five　pounds　of　raisins。　“Please　take　some。”
“Don’t　you　need　a　coffee…pot？”　he　said　to　the　esaul；　“I　bought　a　famous　one　from　our　canteen…keeper！　He　has　first…rate　things。　And　he’s　very　honest。　That’s　the　great　thing。　I’ll　be　sure　and　send　it　you。　Or　perhaps　your　flints　are　worn　out；　that　does　happen　sometimes。　I　brought　some　with　me；　I　have　got　them　here　…”　he　pointed　to　the　panniers。　“A　hundred　flints。　I　bought　them　very　cheap。　You　must　please　take　as　many　as　you　want　or　all；　indeed　…”　And　suddenly；　dismayed　at　the　thought　that　he　had　let　his　tongue　run　away　with　him；　Petya　stopped　short　and　blushed。
He　began　trying　to　think　whether　he　had　been　guilty　of　any　other　blunders。　And　running　through　his　recollections　of　the　day　the　image　of　the　French　drummer…boy　rose　before　his　mind。
“We　are　enjoying　ourselves；　but　how　is　he　feeling？　What　have　they　done　with　him？　Have　they　given　him　something　to　eat？　Have　they　been　nasty　to　him？”　he　wondered。
But　thinking　he　had　said　too　much　about　the　flints；　he　was　afraid　to　speak　now。
“Could　I　ask　about　him？”　he　wondered。　“They’ll　say：　he’s　a　boy　himself；　so　he　feels　for　the　boy。　I’ll　let　them　see　to…morrow　whether　I’m　a　boy！　Shall　I　feel　ashamed　if　I　ask？”　Petya　wondered。　“Oh；　well！　I　don’t　care；”　and　he　said　at　once；　blushing　and　watching　the　officers’　faces　in　dread　of　detecting　amusement　in　them：
“Might　I　call　that　boy　who　was　taken　prisoner；　and　give　him　something　to　eat　…　perhaps　…”
“Yes；　poor　little　fellow；”　said　Denisov；　who　clearly　saw　nothing　to　be　ashamed　of　in　this　reminder。　“Fe