战争与和平(上)-第40章

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　closed　his　eyes；　ushered　Mack　in　before　him　without　a　word；　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。
The　report；　which　had　been　in　circulation　before　this；　of　the　defeat　of　the　Austrians　and　the　surrender　of　the　whole　army　at　Ulm；　turned　out　to　be　the　truth。　Within　half　an　hour　adjutants　had　been　despatched　in　various　directions　with　orders。　It　was　evident　that　the　Russian　troops　which　had　hitherto　been　inactive；　were　destined　soon　to　meet　the　enemy。
Prince　Andrey　was　one　of　those　rare　staff…officers　whose　interests　were　concentrated　on　the　general　progress　of　the　war。　On　seeing　Mack　and　learning　the　details　of　his　overthrow；　he　grasped　the　fact　that　half　the　campaign　was　lost；　he　perceived　all　the　difficulty　of　the　position　of　the　Russian　troops；　and　vividly　pictured　to　himself　what　lay　before　the　Army；　and　the　part　he　would　have　to　play　in　the　work　in　store　for　them。　He　could　not　help　feeling　a　rush　of　joyful　emotion　at　the　thought　of　the　humiliation　of　self…confident　Austria；　and　the　prospect　within　a　week；　perhaps；　of　seeing　and　taking　part　in　the　meeting　of　the　Russians　with　the　French；　the　first　since　Suvorov’s　day。　But　he　was　afraid　of　the　genius　of　Bonaparte；　which　might　turn　out　to　be　more　powerful　than　all　the　bravery　of　the　Russian　troops；　and　at　the　same　time　he　could　not　bear　to　entertain　the　idea　of　the　disgrace　of　his　favourite　hero。
Excited　and　irritated　by　these　ideas；　Prince　Andrey　went　towards　his　own　room　to　write　to　his　father；　to　whom　he　wrote　every　day。　In　the　corridor　he　met　Nesvitsky；　the　comrade　with　whom　he　shared　a　room；　and　the　comic　man；　Zherkov。　They　were；　as　usual；　laughing　at　some　joke。
“What　are　you　looking　so　dismal　about？”　asked　Nesvitsky；　noticing　Prince　Andrey’s　pale　face　and　gleaming　eyes。
“There’s　nothing　to　be　gay　about；”　answered　Bolkonsky。
Just　as　Prince　Andrey　met　Nesvitsky　and　Zherkov；　there　came　towards　them　from　the　other　end　of　the　corridor　Strauch；　an　Austrian　general；　who　was　on　Kutuzov’s　staff　in　charge　of　the　provisioning　of　the　Russian　army；　and　the　member　of　the　Hofkriegsrath；　who　had　arrived　the　previous　evening。　There　was　plenty　of　room　in　the　wide　corridor　for　the　generals　to　pass　the　three　officers　easily。　But　Zherkov；　pulling　Nesvitsky　back　by　the　arm；　cried　in　a　breathless　voice：
“They　are　coming！　…　they　are　coming！　…　move　aside；　make　way！　please；　make　way。”
The　generals　advanced　with　an　air　of　wishing　to　avoid　burdensome　honours。　The　face　of　the　comic　man；　Zherkov；　suddenly　wore　a　stupid　smile　of　glee；　which　he　seemed　unable　to　suppress。
“Your　Excellency；”　he　said　in　German；　moving　forward　and　addressing　the　Austrian　general；　“I　have　the　honour　to　congratulate　you。”　He　bowed；　and　awkwardly；　as　children　do　at　dancing…lessons；　he　began　scraping　first　with　one　leg　and　then　with　the　other。　The　member　of　the　Hofkriegsrath　looked　severely　at　him；　but　seeing　the　seriousness　of　his　stupid　smile；　he　could　not　refuse　him　a　moment’s　attention。　He　screwed　up　his　eyes　and　showed　that　he　was　listening。
“I　have　the　honour　to　congratulate　you。　General　Mack　has　arrived；　quite　well；　only　slightly　wounded　here；”　he　added；　pointing　with　a　beaming　smile　to　his　head。
The　general　frowned；　turned　away　and　went　on。
“Gott；　wie　na？v！”　he　said　angrily；　when　he　was　a　few　steps　away。
Nesvitsky　with　a　chuckle　threw　his　arms　round　Prince　Andrey；　but　Bolkonsky；　turning　even　paler；　pushed　him　away　with　a　furious　expression；　and　turned　to　Zherkov。　The　nervous　irritability；　into　which　he　had　been　thrown　by　the　sight　of　Mack；　the　news　of　his　defeat　and　the　thought　of　what　lay　before　the　Russian　army；　found　a　vent　in　anger　at　the　misplaced　jest　of　Zherkov。
“If　you；　sir；”　he　began　cuttingly；　with　a　slight　trembling　in　his　lower　jaw；　“like　to　be　a　clown；　I　can’t　prevent　your　being　so；　but　if　you　dare　to　play　the　fool　another　time　in　my　presence；　I’ll　teach　you　how　to　behave。”
Nesvitsky　and　Zherkov　were　so　astounded　at　this　outburst　that　they　gazed　at　Bolkonsky　with　open　eyes。
“Why；　I　only　congratulated　them；”　said　Zherkov。
“I　am　not　jesting　with　you；　be　silent；　please！”　shouted　Bolkonsky；　and　taking　Nesvitsky’s　arm；　he　walked　away　from　Zherkov；　who　could　not　find　any　reply。
“Come；　what　is　the　matter；　my　dear　boy？”　said　Nesvitsky；　trying　to　soothe　him。
“What’s　the　matter？”　said　Prince　Andrey；　standing　still　from　excitement。　“Why；　you　ought　to　understand　that　we’re　either　officers；　who　serve　their　Tsar　and　their　country　and　rejoice　in　the　success；　and　grieve　at　the　defeat　of　the　common　cause；　or　we’re　hirelings；　who　have　no　interest　in　our　master’s　business。　Forty　thousand　men　massacred　and　the　army　of　our　allies　destroyed；　and　you　find　something　in　that　to　laugh　at；”　he　said；　as　though　by　this　French　phrase　he　were　strengthening　his　view。　“It　is　all　very　well　for　a　worthless　fellow　like　that　individual　of　whom　you　have　made　a　friend；　but　not　for　you；　not　for　you。　None　but　schoolboys　can　find　amusement　in　such　jokes；”　Prince　Andrey　added　in　Russian；　uttering　the　word　with　a　French　accent。　He　noticed　that　Zherkov　could　still　hear　him；　and　waited　to　see　whether　the　cornet　would　not　reply。　But　the　cornet　turned　and　went　out　of　the　corridor。


Chapter　4
THE　PAVLOGRADSKY　REGIMENT　of　hussars　was　stationed　two　miles　from　Braunau。　The　squadron　in　which　Nikolay　Rostov　was　serving　as　ensign　was　billeted　on　a　German　village；　Salzeneck。　The　officer　in　command　of　the　squadron；　Captain　Denisov；　known　through　the　whole　cavalry　division　under　the　name　of　Vaska　Denisov；　had　been　assigned　the　best　quarters　in　the　village。　Ensign　Rostov　had　been　sharing　his　quarters；　ever　since　he　overtook　the　regiment　in　Poland。
On　the　8th　of　October；　the　very　day　when　at　headquarters　all　was　astir　over　the　news　of　Mack’s　defeat；　the　routine　of　life　was　going　on　as　before　among　the　officers　of　this　squadron。
Denisov；　who　had　been　losing　all　night　at　cards；　had　not　yet　returned　home；　when　Rostov　rode　back　early　in　the　morning　from　a　foraging　expedition。　Rostov；　in　his　ensign’s　uniform；　rode　up　to　the　steps；　with　a　jerk　to　his　horse；　swung　his　leg　over　with　a　supple；　youthful　action；　stood　a　moment　in　the　stirrup　as　though　loath　to　part　from　the　horse；　at　last　sprang　down　and　called　the　orderly。
“Ah；　Bondarenko；　friend　of　my　heart；”　he　said　to　the　hussar　who　rushed　headlong　up　to　his　horse。　“Walk　him　up　and　down；　my　dear　fellow；”　he　said；　with　that　gay　and　brotherly　cordiality　with　which　good…hearted　young　people　behave　to　every　one；　when　they　are　happy。
“Yes；　your　excellency；”　answered　the　Little　Russian；　shaking　his　head　good…humouredly。
“Mind　now；　walk　him　about　well！”
Another　hussar　rushed　up　to　the　horse　too；　but　Bondarenko　had　already　hold　of　the　reins。
It　was　evident　that　the　ensign　was　liberal　with　his　tips；　and　that　his　service　was　a　profitable　one。　Rostov　stroked　the　horse　on　the　neck　and　then　on　the　haunch；　and　lingered　on　the　steps。
“Splendid！　What　a　horse　he　will　be！”　he　said　to　himself；　and　smiling　and　holding　his　sword；　he　ran　up　the　steps；　clanking　his　spurs。　The　German；　on　whom　they　were　billeted；　looked　out　of　the　cowshed；　wearing　a　jerkin　and　a　pointed　cap；　and　holding　a　fork；　with　which　he　was　clearing　out　the　dung。　The　German’s　face　brightened　at　once　when　he　saw　Rostov。　He　smiled　good…humouredly　and　winked。　“Good…morning；　good…morning！”　he　repeated；　apparently　taking　pleasure　in　greeting　the　young　man。
“At　work　already？”　said　Rostov；　still　with　the　same　happy；　fraternal　smile　that　was　constantly　on　his　eager　face。　“Long　live　the　Austrians！　Long　live　the　Russians！　Hurrah　for　the　Emperor　Alexander！”　he　said；　repeating　phrases　that　had　often　been　uttered　by　the　German。　The　German　laughed；　came　right　out　of　the　cowshed；　pulled　off　his　cap；　and　waving　it　over　his　head；　cried：
“And　long　live　all　the　world！”
Rostov　too；　like　the　German；　waved　his　cap　over　his　bead；　and　laughing　cried：　“And　hurrah　for　all　the　world！”　Though　there　was　no　reason　for　any　special　rejoicing　either　for　the　German；　clearing　out　his　shed；　or　for　Rostov；　coming　back　from　foraging　for　hay；　both　these　persons　gazed　at　one　another　in　delighted　ecstasy　and　brotherly　love；　wagged　their　heads　at　each　other　in　token　of　their　mutual　affection；　and　parted　with　smiles；　the　German　to