战争与和平(上)-第38章

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“In　the　first　action　you　may　win　your　epaulettes；”　he　said　to　him。
Dolohov　looked　round　and　said　nothing。　There　was　no　change　in　the　lines　of　his　ironically…smiling　mouth。
“Well；　that’s　all　right　then；”　the　general　went　on。　“A　glass　of　brandy　to　every　man　from　me；”　he　added；　so　that　the　soldiers　could　hear。　“I　thank　you　all。　God　be　praised！”　And　riding　round　the　company；　he　galloped　off　to　another。
“Well；　he’s　really　a　good　fellow；　one　can　get　on　very　well　under　him；”　said　Timohin　to　the　subaltern　officer　walking　beside　him。
“The　king　of　hearts；　that’s　the　only　word　for　him；”　the　subaltern　said；　laughing。　（The　general　was　nicknamed　the　king　of　hearts。）
The　cheerful　state　of　mind　of　the　officers　after　the　inspection　was　shared　by　the　soldiers。　The　companies　went　along　merrily。　Soldiers’　voices　could　be　heard　on　all　sides　chatting　away。
“Why；　don’t　they　say　Kutuzov’s　blind　in　one　eye？”
“To　be　sure　he　is。　Quite　blind　of　one　eye。”
“Nay　…　lads；　he’s　more　sharp…eyed　than　you　are。　See　how　he　looked　at　our　boots　and　things。”　…
“I　say；　mate；　when　he　looked　at　my　legs　…　well；　thinks　I　…”
“And　the　other　was　an　Austrian　with　him；　that　looked　as　if　he’d　been　chalked　all　over。　As　white　as　flour。　I　bet　they　rub　him　up　as　we　rub　up　our　guns。”
“I　say；　Fedeshou　…　did　he　say　anything　as　to　when　the　battles　are　going　to　begin？　You　stood　nearer。　They　did　say　Bonaparte　himself　was　in　Brunovo。”
“Bonaparte！　What　nonsense　the　fellow　talks！　What　won’t　you　know　next！　Now　it’s　the　Prussian　that’s　revolting。　The　Austrian；　do　you　see；　is　pacifying　him。　When　he’s　quiet；　then　the　war　will　begin　with　Bonaparte。　And　he　talks　of　Bonaparte’s　being　in　Brunovo！　It’s　plain　the　fellow’s　a　fool。　You’d　better　keep　your　ears　open。”
“Those　devils　of　quartermasters！　…　The　fifth　company’s　turned　into　the　village　by　now；　and　they’re　cooking　their　porridge；　and　we’re　not　there　yet。”
“Give　us　a　biscuit；　old　man。”
“And　did　you　give　me　tobacco　yesterday？　All　right；　my　lad。　Well；　well；　God　be　with　you。”
“They　might　have　made　a　halt；　or　we’ll　have　to　do　another　four　miles　with　nothing　to　eat。”
“I　say；　it　was　fine　how　those　Germans　gave　us　carriages。　One　drove　along；　something　like。”
“But　here；　lads；　the　folks　are　regularly　stripped　bare。　There　it　was　all　Poles　of　some　sort；　all　under　the　Russian　crown；　but　now　we’ve　come　to　the　regular　Germans；　my　boy。”
“Singers　to　the　front；”　the　captain　called。　And　from　the　different　ranks　about　twenty　men　advanced　to　the　front。　The　drummer；　who　was　their　leader；　turned　round　facing　the　chorus　and　waving　his　arm；　struck　up　a　soldier’s　song；　beginning：　“The　sun　was　scarcely　dawning；”　and　ending　with　the　words：　“So；　lads；　we’ll　march　to　glory　with　Father　Kamensky。”　…　This　song　had　been　composed　in　Turkey；　and　now　was　sung　in　Austria；　the　only　change　being　the　substitution　of　the　words　“Father　Kutuzov”　for　“Father　Kamensky。”
Jerking　out　the　last　words　in　soldierly　fashion　and　waving　his　arms；　as　though　he　were　flinging　something　on　the　ground；　the　drummer；　a　lean；　handsome　soldier　of　forty；　looked　sternly　at　the　soldier…chorus　and　frowned。　Then；　having　satisfied　himself　that　all　eyes　were　fixed　upon　him；　he　gesticulated；　as　though　he　were　carefully　lifting　some　unseen　precious　object　over　his　head　in　both　hands；　holding　it　there　some　seconds；　and　all　at　once　with　a　desperate　movement　flinging　it　away。
“Ah；　the　threshold　of　my　cottage；
My　new　cottage。”
Here　twenty　voices　caught　up　the　refrain；　and　the　castanet　player；　in　spite　of　the　weight　of　his　weapon　and　knapsack；　bounded　nimbly　forward；　and　walked　backwards　facing　the　company；　shaking　his　shoulders；　and　seeming　to　menace　some　one　with　the　castanets。　The　soldiers　stepped　out　in　time　to　the　song；　swinging　their　arms　and　unconsciously　falling　into　step。　Behind　the　company　came　the　sound　of　wheels；　the　rumble　of　springs；　and　the　tramp　of　horses。　Kutuzov　and　his　suite　were　going　back　to　the　town。　The　commander…in…chief　made　a　sign　for　the　soldiers　to　go　on　freely；　and　he　and　all　his　suite　looked　as　though　they　took　pleasure　in　the　sound　of　the　singing；　and　the　spectacle　of　the　dancing　soldier　and　the　gaily；　smartly　marching　men。　In　the　second　row　from　the　right　flank；　beside　which　the　carriage　passed；　they　could　not　help　noticing　the　blue…eyed　soldier；　Dolohov；　who　marched　with　a　special　jauntiness　and　grace　in　time　to　the　song；　and　looked　at　the　faces　of　the　persons　driving　by　with　an　expression　that　seemed　to　pity　every　one　who　was　not　at　that　moment　marching　in　the　ranks。　The　cornet　of　hussars；　the　officer　of　Kutuzov’s　suite；　who　had　mimicked　the　general；　fell　back　from　the　carriage　and　rode　up　to　Dolohov。
The　cornet　of　hussars；　Zherkov；　had　at　one　time　belonged　to　the　fast　set　in　Petersburg；　of　which　Dolohov　had　been　the　leader。　Zherkov　had　met　Dolohov　abroad　as　a　common　soldier；　and　had　not　seen　fit　to　recognise　him。　But　now；　after　Kutuzov’s　conversation　with　the　degraded　officer；　he　addressed　him　with　all　the　cordiality　of　an　old　friend。
“Friend　of　my　heart；　how　are　you？”　he　said；　through　the　singing；　making　his　horse　keep　pace　with　the　marching　soldiers。
“How　am　I？”　Dolohov　answered　coldly。　“As　you　see。”　The　lively　song　gave　a　peculiar　flavour　to　the　tone　of　free…and…easy　gaiety；　with　which　Zherkov　spoke；　and　the　studied　coldness　of　Dolohov’s　replies。
“Well；　how　do　you　get　on　with　your　officers？”　asked　Zherkov。
“All　right；　they’re　good　fellows。　How　did　you　manage　to　poke　yourself　on　to　the　staff？”
“I　was　attached；　I’m　on　duty。”
They　were　silent。
“My　gay　goshawk　I　took　with　me；
From　my　right　sleeve　I　set　him　free；”
said　the　song；　arousing　an　involuntary　sensation　of　courage　and　cheerfulness。　Their　conversation　would　most　likely　have　been　different；　if　they　had　not　been　talking　while　the　song　was　singing。
“Is　it　true；　the　Austrians　have　been　beaten？”　asked　Dolohov。
“Devil　knows；　they　say　so。”
“I’m　glad；”　Dolohov　made　a　brief；　sharp　reply；　as　was　required　to　fit　in　with　the　tune。
“I　say；　come　round　to　us　some　evening；　we’ll　have　a　game　of　faro；”　said　Zherkov。
“Is　money　so　plentiful　among　you？”
“Do　come。”
“I　can’t；　I’ve　sworn　not　to。　I　won’t　drink　or　play　till　I’m　promoted。”
“Well；　but　in　the　first　action　…”
“Then　we　shall　see。”　Again　they　paused。
“You　come；　if　you　want　anything；　one　can　always　be　of　use　on　the　staff。…”
Dolohov　grinned。　“Don’t　trouble　yourself。　What　I　want；　I’m　not　going　to　ask　for；　I　take　it　for　myself。”
“Oh；　well；　I　only　…”
“Well；　and　I　only。”
“Good…bye。”
“Good…bye。”
“And　far　and　free
To　his　own　country。”
Zherkov　put　spurs　to　his　horse；　which　three　times　picked　up　its　legs　excitedly；　not　knowing　which　to　start　from；　then　galloped　off　round　the　company；　and　overtook　the　carriage；　keeping　time　too　to　the　song。


Chapter　3
ON　RETURNING　from　the　review；　Kutuzov；　accompanied　by　the　Austrian　general；　went　to　his　private　room；　and　calling　his　adjutant；　told　him　to　give　him　certain　papers；　relating　to　the　condition　of　the　newly　arrived　troops；　and　letters；　received　from　Archduke　Ferdinand；　who　was　in　command　of　the　army　at　the　front。　Prince　Andrey　Bolkonsky　came　into　the　commander…in…chief’s　room　with　the　papers　he　had　asked　for。　Kutuzov　and　the　Austrian　member　of　the　Hofkriegsrath　were　sitting　over　a　plan　that　lay　unfolded　on　the　table。
“Ah！”　…　said　Kutuzov；　looking　round　at　Bolkonsky；　and　inviting　his　adjutant；　as　it　were；　by　his　word　to　wait；　he　went　on　in　French　with　the　conversation。
“I　have　only　one　thing　to　say；　general；”　said　Kutuzov；　with　an　agreeable　elegance　of　expression　and　intonation；　that　forced　one　to　listen　for　each　deliberately　uttered　word。　It　was　evident　that　Kutuzov　himself　listened　to　his　voice　with　pleasure。　“I　can　only　say　one　thing；　that　if　the　matter　depended　on　my　personal　wishes；　the　desire　of　his　majesty；　the　Emperor　Francis；　should　long　ago　have　been　accomplished；　I　should　long　ago　have　joined　the　archduke。　And；　upon　my　honour；　believe　me　that　for　me　personally　to　hand　over　the　chief　command　of　the　army　to　more　experienced　and　skilful　generals—such　as　Austria　is　so　rich　in—and　to　throw　off　all　this　weighty　responsibility；　for　me　personally　would　be　a　relief。