战争与和平(上)-第44章

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ntryside；　“look；　our　infantry　have　just　got　in　there。　Over　there；　near　the　meadow　behind　the　village；　three　of　them　are　dragging　something。　They　will　clean　out　that　palace　nicely；”　he　said；　with　evident　approval。
“No　doubt；”　said　Nesvitsky。　“No；　but　what　I　should　like；”　he　added；　munching　a　pie　in　his　moist；　handsome　mouth；　“would　be　to　slip　in　there。”　He　pointed　to　the　turreted　nunnery　that　could　be　seen　on　the　mountainside。　He　smiled；　his　eyes　narrowing　and　gleaming。　“Yes；　that　would　be　first…rate；　gentlemen！”　The　officers　laughed。
“One　might　at　least　scare　the　nuns　a　little。　There　are　Italian　girls；　they　say；　among　them。　Upon　my　word；　I’d　give　five　years　of　my　life　for　it！”
“They　must　be　bored；　too；”　said　an　officer　who　was　rather　bolder；　laughing。
Meanwhile　the　officer　of　the　suite；　who　was　standing　in　front；　pointed　something　out　to　the　general；　the　general　looked　through　the　field…glass。
“Yes；　so　it　is；　so　it　is；”　said　the　general　angrily；　taking　the　field…glass　away　from　his　eye　and　shrugging　his　shoulders；　“they　are　going　to　fire　at　them　at　the　crossing　of　the　river。　And　why　do　they　linger　so？”
With　the　naked　eye；　looking　in　that　direction；　one　could　discern　the　enemy　and　their　batteries；　from　which　a　milky…white　smoke　was　rising。　The　smoke　was　followed　by　the　sound　of　a　shot　in　the　distance；　and　our　troops　were　unmistakably　hurrying　to　the　place　of　crossing。
Nesvitsky　got　up　puffing　and　went　up　to　the　general；　smiling。
“Wouldn’t　your　excellency　take　some　lunch？”　he　said。
“It’s　a　bad　business；”　said　the　general；　without　answering　him；　“our　men　have　been　too　slow。”
“Shouldn’t　I　ride　over；　your　excellency？”　said　Nesvitsky。
“Yes；　ride　over；　please；”　said　the　general；　repeating　an　order　that　had　already　once　before　been　given　in　detail；　“and　tell　the　hussars　that　they　are　to　cross　last　and　to　burn　the　bridge；　as　I　sent　orders；　and　that　they’re　to　overhaul　the　burning　materials　on　the　bridge。”
“Very　good；”　answered　Nesvitsky。　He　called　the　Cossack　with　his　horse；　told　him　to　pick　up　the　knapsack　and　flask；　and　lightly　swung　his　heavy　person　into　the　saddle。
“Upon　my　word；　I　am　going　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　nuns；”　he　said　to　the　officers　who　were　watching　him；　smiling；　and　he　rode　along　the　winding　path　down　the　mountain。
“Now　then；　captain；　try　how　far　it’ll　carry；”　said　the　general；　turning　to　the　artillery　officer。　“Have　a　little　fun　to　pass　the　time。”
“Men；　to　the　guns！”　commanded　the　officer；　and　in　a　moment　the　gunners　ran　gaily　from　the　camp　fires　and　loaded　the　big　guns。
“One！”　they　heard　the　word　of　command。　Number　one　bounded　back　nimbly。　The　cannon　boomed　with　a　deafening　metallic　sound；　and　whistling　over　the　heads　of　our　men　under　the　mountainside；　the　grenade　flew　across；　and　falling　a　long　way　short　of　the　enemy　showed　by　the　rising　smoke　where　it　had　fallen　and　burst。
The　faces　of　the　soldiers　and　officers　lightened　up　at　the　sound。　Every　one　got　up　and　busily　watched　the　movements　of　our　troops　below；　which　could　be　seen　as　in　the　hollow　of　a　hand；　and　the　movements　of　the　advancing　enemy。　At　the　same　instant；　the　sun　came　out　fully　from　behind　the　clouds；　and　the　full　note　of　the　solitary　shot　and　the　brilliance　of　the　bright　sunshine　melted　into　a　single　inspiriting　impression　of　light…hearted　gaiety。


Chapter　7
OVER　THE　BRIDGE　two　of　the　enemy’s　shots　had　already　flown　and　there　was　a　crush　on　the　bridge。　In　the　middle　of　the　bridge　stood　Nesvitsky。　He　had　dismounted　and　stood　with　his　stout　person　jammed　against　the　railings。　He　looked　laughingly　back　at　his　Cossack；　who　was　standing　several　paces　behind　him　holding　the　two　horses　by　their　bridles。　Every　time　Nesvitsky　tried　to　move　on；　the　advancing　soldiers　and　waggons　bore　down　upon　him　and　shoved　him　back　against　the　railings。　There　was　nothing　for　him　to　do　but　to　smile。
“Hi　there；　my　lad；”　said　the　Cossack　to　a　soldier　in　charge　of　a　waggon…load　who　was　forcing　his　way　through　the　foot…soldiers　that　pressed　right　up　to　his　wheels　and　his　horses；　“what　are　you　about？　No；　you　wait　a　bit；　you　see　the　general　wants　to　pass。”
But　the　convoy　soldier；　taking　no　notice　of　the　allusion　to　the　general；　bawled　to　the　soldiers　who　blocked　the　way：　“Hi！　fellows；　keep　to　the　left！　wait　a　bit！”　But　the　fellows；　shoulder　to　shoulder；　with　their　bayonets　interlocked；　moved　over　the　bridge　in　one　compact　mass。　Looking　down　over　the　rails；　Prince　Nesvitsky　saw　the　noisy；　rapid；　but　not　high　waves　of　the　Enns；　which；　swirling　in　eddies　round　the　piles　of　the　bridge；　chased　one　another　down　stream。　Looking　on　the　bridge　he　saw　the　living　waves　of　the　soldiers；　all　alike　as　they　streamed　by：　shakoes　with　covers　on　them；　knapsacks；　bayonets；　long　rifles；　and　under　the　shakoes　broad…jawed　faces；　sunken　cheeks；　and　looks　of　listless　weariness；　and　legs　moving　over　the　boards　of　the　bridge；　that　were　coated　with　sticky　mud。　Sometimes　among　the　monotonous　streams　of　soldiers；　like　a　crest　of　white　foam　on　the　waves　of　the　Enns；　an　officer　forced　his　way　through；　in　a　cloak；　with　a　face　of　a　different　type　from　the　soldiers。　Sometimes；　like　a　chip　whirling　on　the　river；　there　passed　over　the　bridge　among　the　waves　of　infantry　a　dismounted　hussar；　an　orderly；　or　an　inhabitant　of　the　town。　Sometimes；　like　a　log　floating　down　the　river；　there　moved　over　the　bridge；　hemmed　in　on　all　sides；　a　baggage…waggon；　piled　up　high　and　covered　with　leather　covers。
“Why；　they’re　like　a　river　bursting　its　banks；”　said　the　Cossack；　stopping　hopelessly。　“Are　there　many　more　over　there？”
“A　million；　all　but　one！”　said　a　cheerful　soldier　in　a　torn　coat；　winking；　as　he　passed　out　of　sight；　after　him　came　another　soldier；　an　older　man。
“If　he”　（he　meant　the　enemy）　“starts　popping　at　the　bridge　just　now；”　said　the　old　soldier　dismally；　addressing　his　companion；　“you’ll　forget　to　scratch　yourself。”　And　he　passed　on。　After　him　came　another　soldier　riding　on　a　waggon。
“Where　the　devil　did　you　put　the　leg…wrappers？”　said　an　orderly；　running　after　the　waggon　and　fumbling　in　the　back　part　of　it。　And　he　too　passed　on　with　the　waggon。
Then　came　some　hilarious　soldiers；　who　had　unmistakably　been　drinking。
“And　didn’t　he　up　with　the　butt　end　of　his　gun　and　give　him　one　right　in　the　teeth；”　one　soldier　was　saying　gleefully　with　a　wide　sweep　of　his　arm。
“It　just　was　a　delicious　ham；”　answered　the　other　with　a　chuckle。　And　they　passed　on；　so　that　Nesvitsky　never　knew　who　had　received　the　blow　in　his　teeth；　and　what　the　ham　had　to　do　with　it。
“Yes；　they’re　in　a　hurry　now！　When　he　let　fly　a　bit　of　cold　lead；　one　would　have　thought　they　were　all　being　killed；”　said　an　under　officer；　angrily　and　reproachfully。
“When　it　whizzed　by　me；　uncle；　the　bullet；”　said　a　young　soldier　with　a　huge　mouth；　scarcely　able　to　keep　from　laughing；　“I　turned　fairly　numb。　Upon　my　soul；　wasn’t　I　in　a　fright；　to　be　sure！”　said　the　soldier；　making　a　sort　of　boast　of　his　terror。
He；　too；　passed　on。　After　him　came　a　waggon　unlike　all　that　had　passed　over　before。　It　was　a　German　Vorspann　with　two　horses；　loaded；　it　seemed；　with　the　goods　of　a　whole　household。　The　horses　were　led　by　a　German；　and　behind　was　fastened　a　handsome；　brindled　cow　with　an　immense　udder。　On　piled…up　feather…beds　sat　a　woman　with　a　small　baby；　an　old　woman；　and　a　good…looking；　rosy…cheeked　German　girl。　They　were　evidently　country　people；　moving；　who　had　been　allowed　through　by　special　permit。　The　eyes　of　all　the　soldiers　were　turned　upon　the　women；　and；　while　the　waggon　moved　by；　a　step　at　a　time；　all　the　soldiers’　remarks　related　to　the　two　women。　Every　face　wore　almost　the　same　smile；　reflecting　indecent　ideas　about　the　women。
“Hey；　the　sausage；　he’s　moving　away！”
“Sell　us　your　missis；”　said　another　soldier；　addressing　the　German；　who　strode　along　with　downcast　eyes；　looking　wrathful　and　alarmed。
“See　how　she’s　dressed　herself　up！　Ah；　you　devils！”
“I　say；　wouldn’t　you　like　to　be　billeted　on　them；　Fedotov！”
“I　know　a　thing　or　two；　mate！”
“Where　are　you　going？”　asked　the　infantry　officer；　who　was　eating　an　apple。　He　too　was　half　smiling　and　staring　at　the　handsome　girl。　The　German；　shutting　his　eyes；　signified　that　he　did　not　understand。
“