战争与和平(上)-第42章

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“No；　if　I　hadn’t　thought　of　its　being　a　secret　treasure；”　said　Rostov；　“but　I　remember　where　I　put　it。”
Lavrushka　ransacked　the　whole　bed；　glanced　under　it　and　under　the　table；　ransacked　the　whole　room　and　stood　still　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　Denisov　watched　Lavrushka’s　movements　in　silence；　and　when　Lavrushka　flung　up　his　hands　in　amazement　to　signify　that　it　was　nowhere；　he　looked　round　at　Rostov。
“Rostov；　none　of　your　schoolboy　jokes。”
Rostov；　feeling　Denisov’s　eyes　upon　him；　lifted　his　eyes　and　instantly　dropped　them　again。　All　his　blood；　which　felt　as　though　it　had　been　locked　up　somewhere　below　his　throat；　rushed　to　his　face　and　eyes。　He　could　hardly　draw　his　breath。
“And　there’s　been　no　one　in　the　room　but　the　lieutenant　and　yourselves。　It　must　be　here　somewhere；”　said　Lavrushka。
“Now　then；　you　devil’s　puppet；　bestir　yourself　and　look　for　it！”　Denisov　shouted　suddenly；　turning　purple　and　dashing　at　the　valet　with　a　threatening　gesture。　“The　purse　is　to　be　found；　or　I’ll　flog　you！　I’ll　flog　you　all！”
Rostov；　his　eyes　avoiding　Denisov；　began　buttoning　up　his　jacket　fastening　on　his　sword；　and　putting　on　his　forage…cap。
“I　tell　you　the　purse　is　to　be　found；”　roared　Denisov；　shaking　the　orderly　by　the　shoulders　and　pushing　him　against　the　wall。
“Denisov；　let　him　be；　I　know　who　has　taken　it；”　said　Rostov；　going　towards　the　door　without　raising　his　eyes。
Denisov　stopped；　thought　a　moment；　and　evidently　understanding　Rostov’s　hint；　he　clutched　him　by　the　arm。
“Nonsense！”　he　roared　so　that　the　veins　stood　out　on　his　neck　and　forehead　like　cords。　“I　tell　you；　you’ve　gone　out　of　your　mind；　I　won’t　allow　it。　The　purse　is　here；　I’ll　flay　the　skin　off　this　rascal；　and　it　will　be　here。”
“I　know　who　has　taken　it；”　repeated　Rostov；　in　a　shaking　voice；　and　he　went　to　the　door。
“And　I　tell　you；　you’re　not　to　dare　to　do　it；”　shouted　Denisov；　making　a　dash　at　the　ensign　to　detain　him。　But　Rostov　pulled　his　arm　away；　lifted　his　eyes；　and　looked　directly　and　resolutely　at　Denisov　with　as　much　fury　as　if　he　had　been　his　greatest　enemy。
“Do　you　understand　what　you’re　saying？”　he　said　in　a　trembling　voice；　“except　me；　there　has　been　no　one　else　in　the　room。　So　that；　if　it’s　not　so；　why　then　…”
He　could　not　utter　the　rest；　and　ran　out　of　the　room。
“Oh；　damn　you　and　all　the　rest；”　were　the　last　words　Rostov　heard。
Rostov　went　to　Telyanin’s　quarters。
“The　master’s　not　at　home；　he’s　gone　to　the　staff；”　Telyanin’s　orderly　told　him。　“Has　something　happened？”　the　orderly　added；　wondering　at　the　ensign’s　troubled　face。
“No；　nothing。”
“You’ve　only　just　missed　him；”　said　the　orderly。
The　staff　quarters　were　two　miles　and　a　half　from　Salzeneck。　Not　having　found　him　at　home；　Rostov　took　his　horse　and　rode　to　the　quarters　of　the　staff。　In　the　village；　where　the　staff　was　quartered；　there　was　a　restaurant　which　the　officers　frequented。　Rostov　reached　the　restaurant　and　saw　Telyanin’s　horse　at　the　entry。
In　the　second　room　the　lieutenant　was　sitting　over　a　dish　of　sausages　and　a　bottle　of　wine。
“Ah；　you　have　come　here　too；　young　man；”　he　said；　smiling　and　lifting　his　eyebrows。
“Yes；”　said　Rostov；　speaking　as　though　the　utterance　of　the　word　cost　him　great　effort；　and　he　sat　down　at　the　nearest　table。
Both　were　silent；　there　were　two　Germans　and　a　Russian　officer　in　the　room。　Every　one　was　mute；　and　the　only　sounds　audible　were　the　clatter　of　knives　on　the　plates　and　the　munching　of　the　lieutenant。　When　Telyanin　had　finished　his　lunch；　he　took　out　of　his　pocket　a　double　purse；　with　his　little　white　fingers；　that　were　curved　at　the　tips；　he　parted　the　rings；　took　out　some　gold；　and　raising　his　eyebrows；　gave　the　money　to　the　attendant。
“Make　haste；　please；”　he　said。
The　gold　was　new。　Rostov　got　up　and　went　to　Telyanin。
“Let　me　look　at　the　purse；”　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　scarcely　audible。
With　shifting　eyes；　but　eyebrows　still　raised；　Telyanin　gave　him　the　purse。
“Yes；　it’s　a　pretty　purse　…　yes　…”　he　said；　and　suddenly　he　turned　white。　“You　can　look　at　it；　young　man；”　he　added。
Rostov　took　the　purse　in　his　hand　and　looked　both　at　it　and　at　the　money　in　it；　and　also　at　Telyanin。　The　lieutenant　looked　about　him；　as　his　way　was；　and　seemed　suddenly　to　have　grown　very　good…humoured。
“If　we　go　to　Vienna；　I　suspect　I　shall　leave　it　all　there；　but　now　there’s　nowhere　to　spend　our　money　in　these　wretched　little　places；”　he　said。　“Come；　give　it　me；　young　man；　I’m　going。”
Rostov　did　not　speak。
“What　are　you　going　to　do？　have　lunch　too？　They　give　you　decent　food；”　Telyanin　went　on。　“Give　it　me。”　He　put　out　his　hand　and　took。　hold　of　the　purse。　Rostov　let　go　of　it。　Telyanin　took　the　purse　and　began　carelessly　dropping　it　into　the　pocket　of　his　riding　trousers；　while　his　eyebrows　were　carelessly　lifted　and　his　mouth　stood　a　little　open；　as　though　he　would　say：　“Yes；　yes；　I’m　putting　my　purse　in　my　pocket；　and　that’s　a　very　simple　matter；　and　no　one　has　anything　to　do　with　it。”
“Well；　young　man？”　he　said　with　a　sign；　and　from　under　his　lifted　eyebrows　he　glanced　into　Rostov’s　eyes。　A　kind　of　gleam　passed　with　the　swiftness　of　an　electric　flash　from　Telyanin’s　eyes　to　the　eyes　of　Rostov；　and　back　again　and　back　again　and　again；　all　in　one　instant。
“Come　here；”　said　Rostov；　taking　Telyanin　by　the　arm。　He　almost　dragged　him　to　the　window。　“That’s　Denisov’s　money；　you　took　it　…”　he　whispered　in　his　ear。
“What？　…　what？　…　How　dare　you？　What？”　…　said　Telyanin。　But　the　words　sounded　like　a　plaintive；　despairing　cry　and　prayer　for　forgiveness。　As　soon　as　Rostov　heard　the　sound　of　his　voice；　a　great　weight　of　suspense；　like　a　stone；　rolled　off　his　heart。　He　felt　glad；　and　at　the　same　instant　he　pitied　the　luckless　creature　standing　before　him；　but　he　had　to　carry　the　thing　through　to　the　end。
“God　knows　what　the　people　here　may　think；”　muttered　Telyanin；　snatching　up　his　forage…cap　and　turning　towards　a　small　empty　room。　“You　must　explain　…”
“I　know　that；　and　I’ll　prove　it；”　said　Rostov。
“I　…”
The　terrified；　white　face　of　Telyanin　began　twitching　in　every　muscle；　his　eyes　still　moved　uneasily；　but　on　the　ground；　never　rising　to　the　level　of　Rostov’s　face；　and　tearful　sobs　could　be　heard。
“Count！　…　don’t　ruin　a　young　man　…　here　is　the　wretched　money；　take　it。”　…　He　threw　it　on　the　table。　“I’ve　an　old　father　and　mother！”
Rostov　took　the　money；　avoiding　Telyanin’s　eyes；　and　without　uttering　a　word；　he　went　out　of　the　room。　But　in　the　doorway　he　stopped　and　turned　back。
“My　God！”　he　said；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　“how　could　you　do　it？”
“Count；”　said　Telyanin；　coming　nearer　to　the　ensign。
“Don’t　touch　me；”　said　Rostov；　drawing　back。　“If　you’re　in　need　take　the　money。”
He　thrust　a　purse　on　him　and　ran　out　of　the　restaurant。


Chapter　5
IN　THE　EVENING　of　the　same　day　a　lively　discussion　was　taking　place　in　Denisov’s　quarters　between　some　officers　of　the　squadron。
“But　I　tell　you；　Rostov；　that　you　must　apologise　to　the　colonel；”　the　tall　staff…captain　was　saying；　addressing　Rostov；　who　was　crimson　with　excitement。　The　staff…captain；　Kirsten；　a　man　with　grizzled　hair；　immense　whiskers；　thick　features　and　a　wrinkled　face；　had　been　twice　degraded　to　the　ranks　for　affairs　of　honour；　and　had　twice　risen　again　to　holding　a　commission。
“I　permit　no　one　to　tell　me　I’m　lying！”　cried　Rostov。　“He　told　me　I　was　lying　and　I　told　him　he　was　lying。　And　there　it　rests。　He　can　put　me　on　duty　every　day；　he　can　place　me　under　arrest；　but　no　one　can　compel　me　to　apologise；　because　if　he；　as　the　colonel；　considers　it　beneath　his　dignity　to　give　me　satisfaction；　then　…”
“But　you　wait　a　bit；　my　good　fellow；　you　listen　to　me；”　interrupted　the　staff…captain　in　his　bass　voice；　calmly　stroking　his　long　whiskers。　“You　tell　the　colonel　in　the　presence　of　other　officers　that　an　officer　has　stolen—”
“I’m　not　to　blame　for　the　conversation　being　in　the　presence　of　other　officers。　Possibly　I　ought　not　to　have　spoken　before　them；　but　I’m　not　a　diplomatist。　That’s　just　why　I　went　into　the　hussars；　I　thought　that　here　I　should　have　no　need　of　such　finicky　considerations；　and　he　tells　me　I’m　a　liar　…　so　let　him　give　me　satisfact