战争与和平(上)-第60章

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by　his　commander　in　the　best　style　possible。　And　conscious　that　he　was　accomplishing　this；　he　was　happy。　“Left　…　left　…　left　…”　he　seemed　to　be　inwardly　repeating　at　each　alternate　step。　And　the　wall　of　soldierly　figures；　weighed　down　by　their　knapsacks　and　guns；　with　their　faces　all　grave　in　different　ways；　moved　by　in　the　same　rhythm；　as　though　each　of　the　hundreds　of　soldiers　were　repeating　mentally　at　each　alternate　step；　“Left　…　left　…　left　…”　A　stout　major　skirted　a　bush　on　the　road；　puffing　and　shifting　his　step。　A　soldier；　who　had　dropped　behind；　trotted　after　the　company；　looking　panic…stricken　at　his　own　defection。　A　cannon　ball；　whizzing　through　the　air；　flew　over　the　heads　of　Prince　Bagration　and　his　suite；　and　in　time　to　the　same　rhythm；　“Left　…　left　…”　it　fell　into　the　column。
“Close　the　ranks！”　rang　out　the　jaunty　voice　of　the　captain。　The　soldiers　marched　in　a　half　circle　round　something　in　the　place　where　the　ball　had　fallen；　and　an　old　cavalryman；　an　under　officer；　lingered　behind　near　the　dead；　and　overtaking　his　line；　changed　feet　with　a　hop；　got　into　step；　and　looked　angrily　about　him。　“Left　…　left　…　left　…”　seemed　to　echo　out　of　the　menacing　silence　and　the　monotonous　sound　of　the　simultaneous　tread　of　the　feet　on　the　ground。
“Well　done；　lads！”　said　Prince　Bagration。
“For　your　ex　…　slen；　slen；　slency！”　rang　out　along　the　ranks。　A　surly…looking　soldier；　marching　on　the　left；　turned　his　eyes　on　Bagration　as　he　shouted；　with　an　expression　that　seemed　to　say；　“We　know　that　without　telling。”　Another；　opening　his　mouth　wide；　shouted　without　glancing　round；　and　marched　on；　as　though　afraid　of　letting　his　attention　stray。　The　order　was　given　to　halt　and　take　off　their　knapsacks。
Bagration　rode　round　the　ranks　of　men　who　had　marched　by　him；　and　then　dismounted　from　his　horse。　He　gave　the　reins　to　a　Cossack；　took　off　his　cloak　and　handed　it　to　him；　stretched　his　legs　and　set　his　cap　straight　on　his　head。　The　French　column　with　the　officers　in　front　came　into　sight　under　the　hill。
“With　God’s　help！”　cried　Bagration　in　a　resolute；　sonorous　voice。　He　turned　for　one　instant　to　the　front　line；　and　swinging　his　arms　a　little；　with　the　awkward；　lumbering　gait　of　a　man　always　on　horseback；　he　walked　forward　over　the　uneven　ground。　Prince　Andrey　felt　that　some　unseen　force　was　drawing　him　forward；　and　he　had　a　sensation　of　great　happiness。
The　French　were　near。　Already　Prince　Andrey；　walking　beside　Bagration；　could　distinguish　clearly　the　sashes；　the　red　epaulettes；　even　the　faces　of　the　French。　（He　saw　distinctly　one　bandy…legged　old　French　officer；　wearing　Hessian　boots；　who　was　getting　up　the　hill　with　difficulty；　taking　hold　of　the　bushes。）　Prince　Bagration　gave　no　new　command；　and　still　marched　in　front　of　the　ranks　in　the　same　silence。　Suddenly　there　was　the　snap　of　a　shot　among　the　French；　another　and　a　third　…　and　smoke　rose　and　firing　rang　out　in　all　the　broken…up　ranks　of　the　enemy。　Several　of　our　men　fell；　among　them　the　round…faced　officer；　who　had　been　marching　so　carefully　and　complacently。　But　at　the　very　instant　of　the　first　shot；　Bagration　looked　round　and　shouted；　“Hurrah！”　“Hurra　…　a　…　a　…　ah！”　rang　out　along　our　lines　in　a　prolonged　roar；　and　out…stripping　Prince　Bagration　and　one　another；　in　no　order；　but　in　an　eager　and　joyous　crowd；　our　men　ran　downhill　after　the　routed　French。


Chapter　19
THE　ATTACK　of　the　Sixth　Chasseurs　covered　the　retreat　of　the　right　flank。　In　the　centre　Tushin’s　forgotten　battery　had　succeeded　in　setting　fire　to　Sch？ngraben　and　delaying　the　advance　of　the　French。　The　French　stayed　to　put　out　the　fire；　which　was　fanned　by　the　wind；　and　this　gave　time　for　the　Russians　to　retreat。　The　retreat　of　the　centre　beyond　the　ravine　was　hurried　and　noisy；　but　the　different　companies　kept　apart。　But　the　left　flank；　which　consisted　of　the　Azovsky　and　Podolosky　infantry　and　the　Pavlograd　hussars；　was　simultaneously　attacked　in　front　and　surrounded　by　the　cream　of　the　French　army　under　Lannes；　and　was　thrown　into　disorder。　Bagration　had　sent　Zherkov　to　the　general　in　command　of　the　left　flank　with　orders　to　retreat　immediately。
Zherkov；　keeping　his　hand　still　at　his　cap；　had　briskly　started　his　horse　and　galloped　off。　But　no　sooner　had　he　ridden　out　of　Bagration’s　sight　than　his　courage　failed　him。　He　was　overtaken　by　a　panic　he　could　not　contend　against；　and　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　go　where　there　was　danger。
After　galloping　some　distance　towards　the　troops　of　the　left　flank；　he　rode　not　forward　where　he　heard　firing；　but　off　to　look　for　the　general　and　the　officers　in　a　direction　where　they　could　not　by　any　possibility　be；　and　so　it　was　that　he　did　not　deliver　the　message。
The　command　of　the　left　flank　belonged　by　right　of　seniority　to　the　general　of　the　regiment　in　which　Dolohov　was　serving—the　regiment　which　Kutuzov　had　inspected　before　Braunau。　But　the　command　of　the　extreme　left　flank　had　been　entrusted　to　the　colonel　of　the　Pavlograd　hussars；　in　which　Rostov　was　serving。　Hence　arose　a　misunderstanding。　Both　commanding　officers　were　intensely　exasperated　with　one　another；　and　at　a　time　when　fighting　had　been　going　on　a　long　while　on　the　right　flank；　and　the　French　had　already　begun　their　advance　on　the　left；　these　two　officers　were　engaged　in　negotiations；　the　sole　aim　of　which　was　the　mortification　of　one　another。　The　regiments—cavalry　and　infantry　alike—were　by　no　means　in　readiness　for　the　engagement。　No　one　from　the　common　soldier　to　the　general　expected　a　battle；　and　they　were　all　calmly　engaged　in　peaceful　occupations—feeding　their　horses　in　the　cavalry；　gathering　wood　in　the　infantry。
“He　is　my　senior　in　rank；　however；”　said　the　German　colonel　of　the　hussars；　growing　very　red　and　addressing　an　adjutant；　who　had　ridden　up。　“So　let　him　do　as　he　likes。　I　can’t　sacrifice　my　hussars。　Bugler！　Sound　the　retreat！”
But　things　were　becoming　urgent。　The　fire　of　cannon　and　musketry　thundered　in　unison　on　the　right　and　in　the　centre；　and　the　French　tunics　of　Lannes’s　sharpshooters　had　already　passed　over　the　milldam；　and　were　forming　on　this　side　of　it　hardly　out　of　musket…shot　range。
The　infantry　general　walked　up　to　his　horse　with　his　quivering　strut；　and　mounting　it　and　drawing　himself　up　very　erect　and　tall；　he　rode　up　to　the　Pavlograd　colonel。　The　two　officers　met　with　affable　bows　and　concealed　fury　in　their　hearts。
“Again；　colonel；”　the　general　said；　“I　cannot　leave　half　my　men　in　the　wood。　I　beg　you；　I　beg　you；”　he　repeated；　“to　occupy　the　position；　and　prepare　for　an　attack。”
“And　I　beg　you　not　to　meddle　in　what’s　not　your　business；”　answered　the　colonel；　getting　hot。　“If　you　were　a　cavalry　officer　…”
“I　am　not　a　cavalry　officer；　colonel；　but　I　am　a　Russian　general；　and　if　you　are　unaware　of　the　fact　…”
“I　am　fully　aware　of　it；　your　excellency；”　the　colonel　screamed　suddenly；　setting　his　horse　in　motion　and　becoming　purple　in　the　face。　“If　you　care　to　come　to　the　front；　you　will　see　that　this　position　cannot　be　held。　I　don’t　want　to　massacre　my　regiment　for　your　satisfaction。”
“You　forget　yourself；　colonel。　I　am　not　considering　my　own　satisfaction；　and　I　do　not　allow　such　a　thing　to　be　said。”
Taking　the　colonel’s　proposition　as　a　challenge　to　his　courage；　the　general　squared　his　chest　and　rode　scowling　beside　him　to　the　front　line；　as　though　their　whole　difference　would　inevitably　be　settled　there　under　the　enemy’s　fire。　They　reached　the　line；　several　bullets　flew　by　them；　and　they　stood　still　without　a　word。　To　look　at　the　front　line　was　a　useless　proceeding；　since　from　the　spot　where　they　had　been　standing　before；　it　was　clear　that　the　cavalry　could　not　act；　owing　to　the　bushes　and　the　steep　and　broken　character　of　the　ground；　and　that　the　French　were　out…flanking　the　left　wing。　The　general　and　the　colonel　glared　sternly　and　significantly　at　one　another；　like　two　cocks　preparing　for　a　fight；　seeking　in　vain　for　a　symptom　of　cowardice。　Both　stood　the　test　without　flinching。　Since　there　was　nothing　to　be　said；　and　neither　was　willing　to　give　the　other　grounds　for　asserting　that　he　was　the　first　to　withdraw　from　under　fire；　they　might　have　remained　a　long　while　standing　there；　mutually　testing