战争与和平(上)-第57章

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“Damnation　to　him；　your　Emperor！”
And　Dolohov　swore　a　coarse　soldier’s　oath　in　Russian；　and；　shouldering　his　gun；　walked　away。
“Come　along；　Ivan　Lukitch；”　he　said　to　his　captain。
“So　that’s　how　they　talk　French；”　said　the　soldiers　in　the　line。　“Now　then；　you；　Sidorov。”　Sidorov　winked；　and；　turning　to　the　French；　he　fell　to　gabbling　disconnected　syllables　very　rapidly。
“Kari…ma…la…ta…fa…sa…fi…mu…ter…kess…ka；”　he　jabbered；　trying　to　give　the　most　expressive　intonation　to　his　voice。
“Ho；　ho；　ho！　ha　ha！　ha　ha！　Oh！　oo！”　the　soldiers　burst　into　a　roar　of　such　hearty；　good…humoured　laughter；　in　which　the　French　line　too　could　not　keep　from　joining；　that　after　it　it　seemed　as　though　they　must　unload　their　guns；　blow　up　their　ammunition；　and　all　hurry　away　back　to　their　homes。　But　the　guns　remained　loaded；　the　port…holes　in　the　houses　and　earthworks　looked　out　as　menacingly　as　ever；　and　the　cannons；　taken　off　their　platforms；　confronted　one　another　as　before。


Chapter　16
AFTER　MAKING　A　CIRCUIT　round　the　whole　line　of　the　army；　from　the　right　flank　to　the　left；　Prince　Andrey　rode　up　to　that　battery　from　which　the　staff…officer　told　him　that　the　whole　field　could　be　seen。　Here　he　dismounted　and　stood　by　the　end　of　one　of　the　four　cannons；　which　had　been　taken　off　their　platforms。　An　artilleryman　on　sentinel　duty　in　front　of　the　cannons　was　just　confronting　the　officer；　but　at　a　sign　being　made　to　him；　he　renewed　his　regular；　monotonous　pacing。　Behind　the　cannons　stood　their　platforms；　and　still　further　behind；　the　picket…ropes　and　camp…fires　of　the　artillerymen。　To　the　left；　not　far　from　the　end　cannon；　was　a　little　newly　rigged…up　shanty；　from　which　came　the　sounds　of　offices’　voices　in　eager　conversation。　From　the　battery　there　was　in　fact　a　view　of　almost　the　whole　disposition　of　the　Russian　forces；　and　the　greater　part　of　the　enemy’s。　Directly　facing　the　battery　on　the　skyline　of　the　opposite　hill　could　be　seen　the　village　of　Sch？ngraben；　to　the　left　and　to　the　right　could　be　discerned　in　three　places　through　the　smoke　of　the　camp…fires　masses　of　the　French　troops；　of　which　the　greater　number　were　undoubtedly　in　the　village　itself　and　behind　the　hill。　To　the　left　of　the　village　there　was　something　in　the　smoke　that　looked　like　a　battery；　but　it　could　not　be　made　out　clearly　by　the　naked　eye。　Our　right　flank　was　stationed　on　a　rather　steep　eminence；　which　dominated　the　French　position。　About　it　were　disposed　our　infantry　regiments；　and　on　the　very　ridge　could　be　seen　dragoons。　In　the　centre；　where　was　placed　Tushin’s　battery；　from　which　Prince　Andrey　was　surveying　the　position；　there　was　the　most　sloping　and　direct　descent　to　the　stream　that　separated　us　from　Sch？ngraben。　On　the　left　our　troops　were　close　to　a　copse；　where　there　was　the　smoke　of　the　camp…fires　of　our　infantry；　chopping　wood　in　it。　The　French　line　was　wider　than　ours；　and　it　was　obviously　easy　for　the　French　to　outflank　us　on　both　sides。　Behind　our　position　was　a　precipitous　and　deep　ravine；　down　which　it　would　be　difficult　to　retreat　with　artillery　and　cavalry。　Prince　Andrey　leaned　his　elbow　on　the　cannon；　and　taking　out　a　note…book；　sketched　for　himself　a　plan　of　the　disposition　of　the　troops。　In　two　places　he　made　notes　with　a　pencil；　intending　to　speak　on　the　points　to　Bagration。　He　meant　to　suggest　first　concentrating　all　the　artillery　in　the　centre；　and　secondly　drawing　the　cavalry　back　to　the　further　side　of　the　ravine。　Prince　Andrey；　who　was　constantly　in　attendance　on　the　commander…in…chief；　watching　the　movements　of　masses　of　men　and　man？uvring　of　troops；　and　also　continually　studying　the　historical　accounts　of　battles；　could　not　help　viewing　the　course　of　the　military　operations　that　were　to　come　only　in　their　general　features。　His　imagination　dwelt　on　the　broad　possibilities；　such　as　the　following：　“If　the　enemy　makes　the　right　flank　the　point　of　attack；”　he　said　to　himself；　“the　Kiev　grenadiers　and　Podolosky　Chasseurs　will　have　to　defend　their　position；　till　the　reserves　from　the　centre　come　to　their　support。　In　that　case　the　dragoons　can　get　them　in　the　flank　and　drive　them　back。　In　case　of　an　attack　on　the　centre；　we　station　on　this　height　the　central　battery；　and　under　its　cover　we　draw　off　the　left　flank　and　retreat　to　the　ravine　by　platoons；”　he　reasoned。　…　All　the　while　he　was　on　the　cannon；　he　heard；　as　one　often　does；　the　sounds　of　the　voices　of　the　officers　talking　in　the　shanty；　but　he　did　not　take　in　a　single　word　of　what　they　were　saying。　Suddenly　a　voice　from　the　shanty　impressed　him　by　a　tone　of　such　earnestness　that　he　could　not　help　listening。
“No；　my　dear　fellow；”　said　a　pleasant　voice　that　seemed　somehow　familiar　to　Prince　Andrey。　“I　say　that　if　one　could　know　what　will　happen　after　death；　then　not　one　of　us　would　be　afraid　of　death。　That’s　so；　my　dear　fellow。”
Another　younger　voice　interrupted　him：　“But　afraid　or　not　afraid；　there’s　no　escaping　it。”
‘Why；　you’re　always　in　fear！　Fie　on　you　learned　fellows；”　said　a　third；　a　manly　voice；　interrupting　both。　“To　be　sure；　you　artillerymen　are　clever　fellows；　because　you　can　carry　everything　with　you　to　eat　and　to　drink。”
And　the　owner　of　the　manly　voice；　apparently　an　infantry　officer；　laughed。
“Still　one　is　in　fear；”　pursued　the　first　voice；　the　one　Prince　Andrey　knew。　“One’s　afraid　of　the　unknown；　that’s　what　it　is。　It’s　all　very　well　to　say　the　soul　goes　to　heaven　…　but　this　we　do　know；　that　there　is　no　heaven；　but　only　atmosphere。”
Again　the　manly　voice　interrupted。
“Come；　give　us　a　drop　of　your　herb…brandy；　Tushin；”　it　said。
“Oh；　it’s　the　captain；　who　had　his　boots　off　in　the　booth；”　thought　Prince　Andrey；　recognising　with　pleasure　the　agreeable　philosophising　voice。
“Herb…brandy　by　all　means；”　said　Tushin；　“but　still　to　conceive　of　a　future　life　…”　He　did　not　finish　his　sentence。
At　that　moment　there　was　a　whiz　heard　in　the　air：　nearer；　nearer；　faster　and　more　distinctly；　and　faster　it　came；　and　the　cannon…ball；　as　though　not　uttering　all　it　had　to　say；　thudded　into　the　earth　not　far　from　the　shanty；　tearing　up　the　soil　with　superhuman　force。　The　earth　seemed　to　moan　at　the　terrible　blow。　At　the　same　instant　there　dashed　out　of　the　shanty；　before　any　of　the　rest；　little　Tushin　with　his　short　pipe　in　his　mouth；　his　shrewd；　good…humoured　face　was　rather　pale。　After　him　emerged　the　owner　of　the　manly　voice；　a　stalwart　infantry　officer；　who　ran　off　to　his　company；　buttoning　his　coat　as　he　ran。


Chapter　17
PRINCE　ANDREY　mounted　his　horse　but　lingered　at　the　battery；　looking　at　the　smoke　of　the　cannon　from　which　the　ball　had　flown。　His　eyes　moved　rapidly　over　the　wide　plain。　He　only　saw　that　the　previously　immobile　masses　of　the　French　were　heaving　to　and　fro；　and　that　it　really　was　a　battery　on　the　left。　The　smoke　still　clung　about　it。　Two　Frenchmen　on　horseback；　doubtless　adjutants；　were　galloping　on　the　hill。　A　small　column　of　the　enemy；　distinctly　visible；　were　moving　downhill；　probably　to　strengthen　the　line。　The　smoke　of　the　first　shot　had　not　cleared　away；　when　there　was　a　fresh　puff　of　smoke　and　another　shot。　The　battle　was　beginning。　Prince　Andrey　turned　his　horse　and　galloped　back　to　Grunte　to　look　for　Prince　Bagration。　Behind　him　he　heard　the　cannonade　becoming　louder　and　more　frequent。　Our　men　were　evidently　beginning　to　reply。　Musket　shots　could　be　heard　below　at　the　spot　where　the　lines　were　closest。　Lemarrois　had　only　just　galloped　to　Murat　with　Napoleon’s　menacing　letter；　and　Murat；　abashed　and　anxious　to　efface　his　error；　at　once　moved　his　forces　to　the　centre　and　towards　both　flanks；　hoping　before　evening　and　the　arrival　of　the　Emperor　to　destroy　the　insignificant　detachment　before　him。
“It　has　begun！　Here　it　comes！”　thought　Prince　Andrey；　feeling　the　blood　rush　to　his　heart。　“But　where？　What　form　is　my　Toulon　to　take？”　he　wondered。
Passing　between　the　companies　that　had　been　eating　porridge　and　drinking　vodka　a　quarter　of　an　hour　before；　he　saw　everywhere　nothing　but　the　same　rapid　movements　of　soldiers　forming　in　ranks　and　getting　their　guns；　and　on　every　face　he　saw　the　same　eagerness　that　he　felt　in　his　heart。　“It　has　begun！　Here　it　comes！　Terrible　and　delightful！”　said　the　face　of　every　privat