战争与和平(上)-第62章

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　who　had　served　so　many　years　without　ever　having　been　guilty　of　the　slightest　shortcoming；　might　be　held　responsible　by　his　superiors　for　negligence　or　lack　of　discipline；　so　affected　him　that；　instantly　oblivious　of　the　insubordinate　cavalry　colonel　and　his　dignity　as　a　general；　utterly　oblivious　even　of　danger　and　of　the　instinct　of　self…preservation；　he　clutched　at　the　crupper　of　his　saddle；　and　spurring　his　horse；　galloped　off　to　the　regiment　under　a　perfect　hail　of　bullets　that　luckily　missed　him。　He　was　possessed　by　the　one　desire　to　find　out　what　was　wrong；　and　to　help　and　correct　the　mistake　whatever　it　might　be；　if　it　were　a　mistake　on　his　part；　so　that　after　twenty…two　years　of　exemplary　service；　without　incurring　a　reprimand　for　anything；　he　might　avoid　being　responsible　for　this　blunder。
Galloping　successfully　between　the　French　forces；　he　reached　the　field　behind　the　copse　across　which　our　men　were　running　downhill；　not　heeding　the　word　of　command。　That　moment　had　come　of　moral　vacillation　which　decides　the　fate　of　battles。　Would　these　disorderly　crowds　of　soldiers　hear　the　voice　of　their　commander；　or；　looking　back　at　him；　run　on　further？　In　spite　of　the　despairing　yell　of　the　commander；　who　had　once　been　so　awe…inspiring　to　his　soldiers；　in　spite　of　his　infuriated；　purple　face；　distorted　out　of　all　likeness　to　itself；　in　spite　of　his　brandished　sword；　the　soldiers　still　ran　and　talked　together；　shooting　into　the　air　and　not　listening　to　the　word　of　command。　The　moral　balance　which　decides　the　fate　of　battle　was　unmistakably　falling　on　the　side　of　panic。
The　general　was　choked　with　screaming　and　gunpowder…smoke；　and　he　stood　still　in　despair。　All　seemed　lost；　but　at　that　moment　the　French；　who　had　been　advancing　against　our　men；　suddenly；　for　no　apparent　reason；　ran　back；　vanished　from　the　edge　of　the　copse；　and　Russian　sharp…shooters　appeared　in　the　copse。　This　was　Timohin’s　division；　the　only　one　that　had　retained　its　good　order　in　the　copse；　and　hiding　in　ambush　in　the　ditch　behind　the　copse；　had　suddenly　attacked　the　French。　Timohin　had　rushed　with　such　a　desperate　yell　upon　the　French；　and　with　such　desperate　and　drunken　energy　had　he　dashed　at　the　enemy　with　only　a　sword　in　his　hand；　that　the　French　flung　down　their　weapons　and　fled　without　pausing　to　recover　themselves。　Dolohov；　running　beside　Timohin；　killed　one　French　soldier　at　close　quarters；　and　was　the　first　to　seize　by　the　collar　an　officer　who　surrendered。　The　fleeing　Russians　came　back；　the　battalions　were　brought　together；　and　the　French；　who　had　been　on　the　point　of　splitting　the　forces　of　the　left　flank　into　two　parts；　were　for　the　moment　held　in　check。　The　reserves　had　time　to　join　the　main　forces；　and　the　runaways　were　stopped。　The　general　stood　with　Major　Ekonomov　at　the　bridge；　watching　the　retreating　companies　go　by；　when　a　soldier　ran　up　to　him；　caught　hold　of　his　stirrup；　and　almost　clung　on　to　it。　The　soldier　was　wearing　a　coat　of　blue　fine　cloth；　he　had　no　knapsack　nor　shako；　his　head　was　bound　up；　and　across　his　shoulders　was　slung　a　French　cartridge　case。　In　his　hand　he　held　an　officer’s　sword。　The　soldier　was　pale；　his　blue　eyes　looked　impudently　into　the　general’s　face；　but　his　mouth　was　smiling。　Although　the　general　was　engaged　in　giving　instructions　to　Major　Ekonomov；　he　could　not　help　noticing　this　soldier。
“Your　excellency；　here　are　two　trophies；”　said　Dolohov；　pointing　to　the　French　sword　and　cartridge　case。　“An　officer　was　taken　prisoner　by　me。　I　stopped　the　company。”　Dolohov　breathed　hard　from　weariness；　he　spoke　in　jerks。　“The　whole　company　can　bear　me　witness。　I　beg　you　to　remember　me；　your　excellency！”
“Very　good；　very　good；”　said　the　general；　and　he　turned　to　Major　Ekonomov。　But　Dolohov　did　not　leave　him；　he　undid　the　bandage；　and　showed　the　blood　congealed　on　his　head。
“A　bayonet　wound；　I　kept　my　place　in　the　front。　Remember　me；　your　excellency。”
Tushin’s　battery　had　been　forgotten；　and　it　was　only　at　the　very　end　of　the　action　that　Prince　Bagration；　still　hearing　the　cannonade　in　the　centre；　sent　the　staff…officer　on　duty　and　then　Prince　Andrey　to　command　the　battery　to　retire　as　quickly　as　possible。　The　force　which　had　been　stationed　near　Tushin’s　cannons　to　protect　them　had　by　somebody’s　orders　retreated　in　the　middle　of　the　battle。　But　the　battery　still　kept　up　its　fire；　and　was　not　taken　by　the　French　simply　because　the　enemy　could　not　conceive　of　the　reckless　daring　of　firing　from　four　cannons　that　were　quite　unprotected。　The　French　supposed；　on　the　contrary；　judging　from　the　energetic　action　of　the　battery；　that　the　chief　forces　of　the　Russians　were　concentrated　here　in　the　centre；　and　twice　attempted　to　attack　that　point；　and　both　times　were　driven　back　by　the　grapeshot　fired　on　them　from　the　four　cannons　which　stood　in　solitude　on　the　heights。　Shortly　after　Prince　Bagration’s　departure；　Tushin　had　succeeded　in　setting　fire　to　Sch？ngraben。
“Look；　what　a　fuss　they’re　in！　It’s　flaming！　What　a　smoke！　Smartly　done！　First…rate！　The　smoke！　the　smoke！”　cried　the　gunners；　their　spirits　reviving。
All　the　guns　were　aimed　without　instructions　in　the　direction　of　the　conflagration。　The　soldiers；　as　though　they　were　urging　each　other　on；　shouted　at　every　volley：　“Bravo！　That’s　something　like　now！　Go　it！…　First…rate！”　The　fire；　fanned　by　the　wind；　soon　spread。　The　French　columns；　who　had　marched　out　beyond　the　village；　went　back；　but　as　though　in　revenge　for　this　mischance；　the　enemy　stationed　ten　cannons　a　little　to　the　right　of　the　village；　and　began　firing　from　them　on　Tushin。
In　their　childlike　glee　at　the　conflagration　of　the　village；　and　the　excitement　of　their　successful　firing　on　the　French；　our　artillerymen　only　noticed　this　battery　when　two　cannon…balls　and　after　them　four　more　fell　among　their　cannons；　and　one　knocked　over　two　horses　and　another　tore　off　the　foot　of　a　gunner。　Their　spirits；　however；　once　raised；　did　not　flag；　their　excitement　simply　found　another　direction。　The　horses　were　replaced　by　others　from　the　ammunition　carriage；　the　wounded　were　removed；　and　the　four　cannons　were　turned　facing　the　ten　of　the　enemy’s　battery。　The　other　officer；　Tushin’s　comrade；　was　killed　at　the　beginning　of　the　action；　and　after　an　hour’s　time；　of　the　forty　gunners　of　the　battery；　seventeen　were　disabled；　but　they　were　still　as　merry　and　as　eager　as　ever。　Twice　they　noticed　the　French　appearing　below　close　to　them；　and　they　sent　volleys　of　grapeshot　at　them。
The　little　man　with　his　weak；　clumsy　movements；　was　continually　asking　his　orderly　for　just　one　more　pipe　for　that　stroke；　as　he　said；　and　scattering　sparks　from　it；　he　kept　running　out　in　front　and　looking　from　under　his　little　hand　at　the　French。
“Smash　away；　lads！”　he　was　continually　saying；　and　he　clutched　at　the　cannon　wheels　himself　and　unscrewed　the　screws。　In　the　smoke；　deafened　by　the　incessant　booming　of　the　cannons　that　made　him　shudder　every　time　one　was　fired；　Tushin　ran　from　one　cannon　to　the　other；　his　short　pipe　never　out　of　his　mouth。　At　one　moment　he　was　taking　aim；　then　reckoning　the　charges；　then　arranging　for　the　changing　and　unharnessing　of　the　killed　and　wounded　horses；　and　all　the　time　shouting　in　his　weak；　shrill；　hesitating　voice。　His　face　grew　more　and　more　eager。　Only　when　men　were　killed　and　wounded　he　knitted　his　brows；　and　turning　away　from　the　dead　man；　shouted　angrily　to　the　men；　slow；　as　they　always　are；　to　pick　up　a　wounded　man　or　a　dead　body。　The　soldiers；　for　the　most　part　fine；　handsome　fellows　（a　couple　of　heads　taller　than　their　officer　and　twice　as　broad　in　the　chest；　as　they　mostly　are　in　the　artillery）；　all　looked　to　their　commanding　officer　like　children　in　a　difficult　position；　and　the　expression　they　found　on　his　face　was　invariably　reflected　at　once　on　their　own。
Owing　to　the　fearful　uproar　and　noise　and　the　necessity　of　attention　and　activity；　Tushin　experienced　not　the　slightest　unpleasant　sensation　of　fear；　and　the　idea　that　he　might　be　killed　or　badly　wounded　never　entered　his　head。　On　the　contrary；　he　felt　more　and　more　lively。　It　seemed　to　him　that　the　moment　in　which　he　had　first　seen　the　enemy　and　had　fired　the　first　shot　was　long；　long　ago；　yesterday　perhaps；　and　that　the　spot　o