战争与和平(上)-第43章

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lls　me　I’m　a　liar　…　so　let　him　give　me　satisfaction。”
“That’s　all　very　fine；　no　one　imagines　that　you’re　a　coward；　but　that’s　not　the　point。　Ask　Denisov　if　it’s　not　utterly　out　of　the　question　for　an　ensign　to　demand　satisfaction　of　his　colonel？”
Denisov　was　biting　his　moustache　with　a　morose　air；　listening　to　the　conversation；　evidently　with　no　desire　to　take　part　in　it。　To　the　captain’s　question；　he　replied　by　a　negative　shake　of　the　head。
“You　speak　to　the　colonel　in　the　presence　of　other　officers　of　this　dirty　business；”　pursued　the　staff…captain。　“Bogdanitch”　（Bogdanitch　was　what　they　called　the　colonel）　“snubbed　you　…”
“No；　he　didn’t。　He　said　I　was　telling　an　untruth。”
“Quite　so；　and　you　talked　nonsense　to　him；　and　you　must　apologise。”
“Not　on　any　consideration！”　shouted　Rostov。
“I　shouldn’t　have　expected　this　of　you；”　said　the　staff…captain　seriously　and　severely。　“You　won’t　apologise；　but；　my　good　sir；　it’s　not　only　him；　but　all　the　regiment；　all　of　us；　that　you’ve　acted　wrongly　by；　you’re　to　blame　all　round。　Look　here；　if　you’d　only　thought　it　over；　and　taken　advice　how　to　deal　with　the　matter；　but　you　must　go　and　blurt　it　all　straight　out　before　the　officers。　What　was　the　colonel　to　do　then？　Is　he　to　bring　the　officer　up　for　trial　and　disgrace　the　whole　regiment？　On　account　of　one　scoundrel　is　the　whole　regiment　to　be　put　to　shame？　Is　that　the　thing　for　him　to　do；　to　your　thinking？　It　is　not　to　our　thinking。　And　Bogdanitch　did　the　right　thing。　He　told　you　that　you　were　telling　an　untruth。　It’s　unpleasant；　but　what　could　he　do？　you　brought　it　on　yourself。　And　now　when　they　try　to　smooth　the　thing　over；　you’re　so　high　and　mighty；　you　won’t　apologise；　and　want　to　have　the　whole　story　out。　You’re　huffy　at　being　put　on　duty；　but　what　is　it　for　you　to　apologise　to　an　old　and　honourable　officer！　Whatever　Bogdanitch　may　be；　any　way　he’s　an　honourable　and　gallant　old　colonel；　you’re　offended　at　that；　but　disgracing　the　regiment’s　nothing　to　you。”　The　staff…captain’s　voice　began　to　quaver。　“You；　sir；　have　been　next　to　no　time　in　the　regiment；　you’re　here　to…day；　and　to…morrow　you’ll　be　passed　on　somewhere　as　an　adjutant；　you　don’t　care　a　straw　for　people　saying：　‘There　are　thieves　among　the　Pavlograd　officers！’　But　we　do　care！　Don’t　we；　Denisov？　Do　we　care？”
Denisov　still　did　not　speak　or　stir；　his　gleaming　black　eyes　glanced　now　and　then　at　Rostov。
“Your　pride　is　dear　to　you；　you　don’t　want　to　apologise；”　continued　the　staff…captain；　“but　we　old　fellows；　as　we　grew　up　in　the　regiment　and；　please　God；　we　hope　to　die　in　it；　it’s　the　honour　of　the　regiment　is　dear　to　us；　and　Bogdanitch　knows　that。　Ah；　isn’t　it　dear　to　us！　But　this　isn’t　right；　it’s　not　right！　You　may　take　offence　or　not；　but　I　always　speak　the　plain　truth。　It’s　not　right！”
And　the　staff…captain　got　up　and　turned　away　from　Rostov。
“That’s　the　truth；　damn　it！”　shouted　Denisov；　jumping　up。　“Come；　Rostov；　come！”
Rostov；　turning　crimson　and　white　again；　looked　first　at　one　officer　and　then　at　the　other。
“No；　gentlemen；　no　…　you　mustn’t　think　…　I　quite　understand；　you’re　wrong　in　thinking　that　of　me　…　I　…　for　me　…　for　the　honour　of　the　regiment　I’d　…　but　why　talk？　I’ll　prove　that　in　action　and　for　me　the　honour　of　the　flag　…　well；　never　mind；　it’s　true；　I’m　to　blame！”　…　There　were　tears　in　his　eyes。　“I’m　wrong；　wrong　all　round！　Well；　what　more　do　you　want？”　…
“Come；　that’s　right；　count；”　cried　the　staff…captain；　turning　round　and　clapping　him　on　the　shoulder　with　his　big　hand。
“I　tell　you；”　shouted　Denisov；　“he’s　a　capital　fellow。”
‘That’s　better；　count；”　repeated　the　captain；　beginning　to　address　him　by　his　title　as　though　in　acknowledgment　of　his　confession。　“Go　and　apologise；　your　excellency。”
“Gentlemen；　I’ll　do　anything；　no　one　shall　hear　a　word　from　me；”　Rostov　protested　in　an　imploring　voice；　“but　I　can’t　apologise；　by　God；　I　can’t；　say　what　you　will！　How　can　I　apologise；　like　a　little　boy　begging　pardon！”
Denisov　laughed。
“It’ll　be　the　worse　for　you；　if　you　don’t。　Bogdanitch　doesn’t　forget　things；　he’ll　make　you　pay　for　your　obstinacy；”　said　Kirsten。
“By　God；　it’s　not　obstinacy！　I　can’t　describe　the　feeling　it　gives　me。　I　can’t　do　it。”
“Well；　as　you　like；”　said　the　staff…captain。　“What　has　the　scoundrel　done　with　himself？”　he　asked　Denisov。
“He　has　reported　himself　ill；　to…morrow　the　order’s　given　for　him　to　be　struck　off；”　said　Denisov。
“It　is　an　illness；　there’s　no　other　way　of　explaining　it；”　said　the　staff…captain。
“Whether　it’s　illness　or　whether　it’s　not；　he’d　better　not　cross　my　path—I’d　kill　him；”　Denisov　shouted　bloodthirstily。
Zherkov　walked　into　the　room。
“How　do　you　come　here？”　the　officers　cried　to　the　newcomer　at　once。
“To　the　front；　gentlemen。　Mack　has　surrendered　with　his　whole　army。”
“Nonsense！”
“I’ve　seen　him　myself。”
“What？　Seen　Mack　alive；　with　all　his　arms　and　legs？”
“To　the　front！　to　the　front！　Give　him　a　bottle　for　such　news。　How　did　you　come　here？”
“I’ve　been　dismissed　back　to　the　regiment　again　on　account　of　that　devil；　Mack。　The　Austrian　general　complained　of　me。　I　congratulated　him　on　Mack’s　arrival。　…　What　is　it；　Rostov；　you　look　as　if　you’d　just　come　out　of　a　hot　bath？”
“We’ve　been　in　such　a　mess　these　last　two　days；　old　boy。”
The　regimental　adjutant　came　in　and　confirmed　the　news　brought　by　Zherkov。　They　were　under　orders　to　advance　next　day。
“To　the　front；　gentlemen！”
“Well；　thank　God！　we’ve　been　sticking　here　too　long。”


Chapter　6
KUTUZOV　fell　back　to　Vienna；　destroying　behind　him　the　bridges　over　the　river　Inn　（in　Braunau）　and　the　river　Traun　（in　Linz）。　On　the　23rd　of　October　the　Russian　troops　crossed　the　river　Enns。　The　Russian　baggage…waggons　and　artillery　and　the　columns　of　troops　were　in　the　middle　of　that　day　stretching　in　a　long　string　across　the　town　of　Enns　on　both　sides　of　the　bridge。　The　day　was　warm；　autumnal；　and　rainy。　The　wide　view　that　opened　out　from　the　heights　where　the　Russian　batteries　stood　guarding　the　bridge　was　at　times　narrowed　by　the　slanting　rain　that　shut　it　in　like　a　muslin　curtain；　then　again　widened　out；　and　in　the　bright　sunlight　objects　could　be　distinctly　seen　in　the　distance；　looking　as　if　covered　with　a　coat　of　varnish。　The　little　town　could　be　seen　below　with　its　white　houses　and　its　red　roofs；　its　cathedral　and　its　bridge；　on　both　sides　of　which　streamed　masses　of　Russian　troops；　crowded　together。　At　the　bend　of　the　Danube　could　be　seen　ships　and　the　island　and　a　castle　with　a　park；　surrounded　by　the　waters　formed　by　the　Enns　falling　into　the　Danube；　and　the　precipitous　left　bank　of　the　Danube；　covered　with　pine　forest；　with　a　mysterious　distance　of　green　tree…tops　and　bluish　gorges。　Beyond　the　pine　forest；　that　looked　wild　and　untouched　by　the　hand　of　man；　rose　the　turrets　of　a　nunnery；　and　in　the　far　distance　in　front；　on　the　hill　on　the　further　side　of　the　Enns；　could　be　seen　the　scouts　of　the　enemy。
Between　the　cannons　on　the　height　stood　the　general　in　command　of　the　rear…guard　and　an　officer　of　the　suite　scanning　the　country　through　a　field…glass。　A　little　behind　them；　there　sat　on　the　trunk　of　a　cannon；　Nesvitsky；　who　had　been　despatched　by　the　commander…in…chief　to　the　rear…guard。　The　Cossack　who　accompanied　Nesvitsky　had　handed　him　over　a　knapsack　and　a　flask；　and　Nesvitsky　was　regaling　the　officers　with　pies　and　real　doppel…k？mmel。　The　officers　surrounded　him　in　a　delighted　circle；　some　on　their　knees；　some　sitting　cross…legged；　like　Turks；　on　the　wet　grass。
“Yes；　there　was　some　sense　in　that　Austrian　prince　who　built　a　castle　here。　It’s　a　magnificent　spot。　Why　aren’t　you　eating；　gentlemen？”　said　Nesvitsky。
“Thank　you　very　much；　prince；”　answered　one　of　the　officers；　enjoying　the　opportunity　of　talking　to　a　staff…official　of　such　importance。　“It’s　a　lovely　spot。　We　marched　right　by　the　park；　we　saw　two　deer　and　such　a　splendid　house！”
“Look；　prince；”　said　another；　who　would　dearly　have　liked　to　take　another　pie；　but　was　ashamed　to；　and　therefore　affected　to　be　gazing　at　the　countryside；　“look；　our　infantry　have　just　got　in　there。　Over　there；　near　the　meadow　behind　the　villag