战争与和平(上)-第59章

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　flank　would　probably　not　long　be　able　to　detain　the　enemy。　Tushin；　and　the　battalion　that　was　to　have　defended　his　battery；　was　forgotten。　Prince　Andrey　listened　carefully　to　Prince　Bagration’s　colloquies　with　the　commanding　officers；　and　to　the　orders　he　gave　them；　and　noticed；　to　his　astonishment；　that　no　orders　were　really　given　by　him　at　all；　but　that　Prince　Bagration　confined　himself　to　trying　to　appear　as　though　everything　that　was　being　done　of　necessity；　by　chance；　or　at　the　will　of　individual　officers；　was　all　done；　if　not　by　his　order；　at　least　in　accordance　with　his　intentions。　Prince　Andrey　observed；　however；　that；　thanks　to　the　tact　shown　by　Prince　Bagration；　notwithstanding　that　what　was　done　was　due　to　chance；　and　not　dependent　on　the　commander’s　will；　his　presence　was　of　the　greatest　value。　Commanding　officers；　who　rode　up　to　Bagration　looking　distraught；　regained　their　composure；　soldiers　and　officers　greeted　him　cheerfully；　recovered　their　spirits　in　his　presence；　and　were　unmistakably　anxious　to　display　their　pluck　before　him。


Chapter　18
AFTER　RIDING　up　to　the　highest　point　of　our　right　flank；　Prince　Bagration　began　to　go　downhill；　where　a　continuous　roll　of　musketry　was　heard　and　nothing　could　be　seen　for　the　smoke。　The　nearer　they　got　to　the　hollow　the　less　they　could　see；　and　the　more　distinctly　could　be　felt　the　nearness　of　the　actual　battlefield。　They　began　to　meet　wounded　men。　Two　soldiers　were　dragging　one　along；　supporting　him　on　each　side。　His　head　was　covered　with　blood；　he　had　no　cap；　and　was　coughing　and　spitting。　The　bullet　had　apparently　entered　his　mouth　or　throat。　Another　one　came　towards　them；　walking　pluckily　alone　without　his　gun；　groaning　aloud　and　wringing　his　hands　from　the　pain　of　a　wound　from　which　the　blood　was　flowing；　as　though　from　a　bottle；　over　his　greatcoat。　His　face　looked　more　frightened　than　in　pain。　He　had　been　wounded　only　a　moment　before。　Crossing　the　road；　they　began　going　down　a　deep　descent；　and　on　the　slope　they　saw　several　men　lying　on　the　ground。　They　were　met　by　a　crowd　of　soldiers；　among　them　some　who　were　not　wounded。　The　soldiers　were　hurrying　up　the　hill；　gasping　for　breath；　and　in　spite　of　the　general’s　presence；　they　were　talking　loudly　together　and　gesticulating　with　their　arms。　In　the　smoke　ahead　of　them　they　could　see　now　rows　of　grey　coats；　and　the　commanding　officer；　seeing　Bagration；　ran　after　the　group　of　retreating　soldiers；　calling　upon　them　to　come　back。　Bagration　rode　up　to　the　ranks；　along　which　there　was　here　and　there　a　rapid　snapping　of　shots　drowning　the　talk　of　the　soldiers　and　the　shouts　of　the　officers。　The　whole　air　was　reeking　with　smoke。　The　soldiers’　faces　were　all　full　of　excitement　and　smudged　with　powder。　Some　were　plugging　with　their　ramrods；　others　were　putting　powder　on　the　touch…pans；　and　getting　charges　out　of　their　pouches；　others　were　firing　their　guns。　But　it　was　impossible　to　see　at　whom　they　were　firing　from　the　smoke；　which　the　wind　did　not　lift。　The　pleasant　hum　and　whiz　of　the　bullets　was　repeated　pretty　rapidly。　“What　is　it？”　wondered　Prince　Andrey；　as　he　rode　up　to　the　crowd　of　soldiers。　“It　can’t　be　the　line；　for　they　are　all　crowded　together；　it　can’t　be　an　attacking　party；　for　they　are　not　moving；　it　can’t　be　a　square；　they　are　not　standing　like　one。”
A　thin；　weak…looking　colonel；　apparently　an　old　man；　with　an　amiable　smile；　and　eyelids　that　half…covered　his　old…looking　eyes　and　gave　him　a　mild　air；　rode　up　to　Prince　Bagration　and　received　him　as　though　he　were　welcoming　an　honoured　guest　into　his　house。　He　announced　to　Prince　Bagration　that　his　regiment　had　had　to　face　a　cavalry　attack　of　the　French；　that　though　the　attack　had　been　repulsed；　the　regiment　had　lost　more　than　half　of　its　men。　The　colonel　said　that　the　attack　had　been　repulsed；　supposing　that　to　be　the　proper　military　term　for　what　had　happened；　but　he　did　not　really　know　himself　what　had　been　taking　place　during　that　half　hour　in　the　troops　under　his　command；　and　could　not　have　said　with　any　certainty　whether　the　attack　had　been　repelled　or　his　regiment　had　been　beaten　by　the　attack。　All　he　knew　was　that　at　the　beginning　of　the　action　balls　and　grenades　had　begun　flying　all　about　his　regiment；　and　killing　men；　that　then　some　one　had　shouted　“cavalry；”　and　our　men　had　begun　firing。　And　they　were　firing　still；　though　not　now　at　the　cavalry；　who　had　disappeared；　but　at　the　French　infantry；　who　had　made　their　appearance　in　the　hollow　and　were　firing　at　our　men。　Prince　Bagration　nodded　his　head　to　betoken　that　all　this　was　exactly　what　he　had　desired　and　expected。　Turning　to　an　adjutant；　he　commanded　him　to　bring　down　from　the　hill　the　two　battalions　of　the　Sixth　Chasseurs；　by　whom　they　had　just　come。　Prince　Andrey　was　struck　at　that　instant　by　the　change　that　had　come　over　Prince　Bagration’s　face。　His　face　wore　the　look　of　concentrated　and　happy　determination；　which　may　be　seen　in　a　man　who　in　a　hot　day　takes　the　final　run　before　a　header　into　the　water。　The　lustreless；　sleepy　look　in　the　eyes；　the　affectation　of　profound　thought　had　gone。　The　round；　hard；　eagle　eyes　looked　ecstatically　and　rather　disdainfully　before　him；　obviously　not　resting　on　anything；　though　there　was　still　the　same　deliberation　in　his　measured　movements。
The　colonel　addressed　a　protest　to　Prince　Bagration；　urging　him　to　go　back；　as　there　it　was　too　dangerous　for　him。　“I　beg　of　you；　your　excellency；　for　God’s　sake！”　he　kept　on　saying；　looking　for　support　to　the　officer　of　the　suite；　who　only　turned　away　from　him。
“Only　look；　your　excellency！”　He　called　his　attention　to　the　bullets　which　were　continually　whizzing；　singing；　and　hissing　about　them。　He　spoke　in　the　tone　of　protest　and　entreaty　with　which　a　carpenter　speaks　to　a　gentleman　who　has　picked　up　a　hatchet。　“We　are　used　to　it；　but　you　may　blister　your　fingers。”　He　talked　as　though　these　bullets　could　not　kill　him；　and　his　half…closed　eyes　gave　a　still　more　persuasive　effect　to　his　words。　The　staff…officer　added　his　protests　to　the　colonel；　but　Bagration　made　them　no　answer。　He　merely　gave　the　order　to　cease　firing；　and　to　form　so　as　to　make　room　for　the　two　battalions　of　reinforcements。　Just　as　he　was　speaking　the　cloud　of　smoke　covering　the　hollow　was　lifted　as　by　an　unseen　hand　and　blown　by　the　rising　wind　from　right　to　left。　and　the　opposite　hill　came　into　sight　with　the　French　moving　across　it。　All　eyes　instinctively　fastened　on　that　French　column　moving　down　upon　them　and　winding　in　and　out　over　the　ups　and　downs　of　the　ground。　Already　they　could　see　the　fur　caps　of　the　soldiers；　could　distinguish　officers　from　privates；　could　see　their　flag　flapping　against　its　staff。
“How　well　they’re　marching；”　said　some　one　in　Bagration’s　suite。
The　front　part　of　the　column　was　already　dipping　down　into　the　hollow。　The　engagement　would　take　place　then　on　the　nearer　side　of　the　slope…
The　remnants　of　the　regiment　that　had　already　been　in　action；　forming　hurriedly；　drew　off　to　the　right；　the　two　battalions　of　the　Sixth　Chasseurs　marched　up　in　good　order；　driving　the　last　stragglers　before　them　They　had　not　yet　reached　Bagration；　but　the　heavy；　weighty　tread　could　be　heard　of　the　whole　mass　keeping　step。　On　the　left　flank；　nearest　of　all　to　Bagration；　marched　the　captain；　a　round…faced　imposing…looking　man；　with　a　foolish　and　happy　expression　of　face。　It　was　the　same　infantry　officer　who　had　run　out　of　the　shanty　after　Tushin。　He　was　obviously　thinking　of　nothing　at　the　moment；　but　that　he　was　marching　before　his　commander　in　fine　style。　With　the　complacency　of　a　man　on　parade；　he　stepped　springing　on　his　muscular　legs；　drawing　himself　up　without　the　slightest　effort；　as　though　he　were　swinging；　and　this　easy　elasticity　was　a　striking　contrast　to　the　heavy　tread　of　the　soldiers　keeping　step　with　him。　He　wore　hanging　by　his　leg　an　unsheathed；　slender；　narrow　sword　（a　small　bent　sabre；　more　like　a　toy　than　a　weapon）；　and　looking　about　him；　now　at　the　commander；　now　behind；　he　turned　his　whole　powerful　frame　round　without　getting　out　of　step。　It　looked　as　though　all　the　force　of　his　soul　was　directed　to　marching　by　his　commander　in　the　best　style　possible。　And　conscious　that　he　was　accomplishing　this；　he　was　ha