战争与和平(上)-第64章

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ers　in　lively　conversation　streamed　out　of　a　side　street。
“Not　hurt；　Petrov？”　inquired　one。
“We　gave　it　them　hot；　lads。　They　won’t　meddle　with　us　now；”　another　was　saying。
“One　couldn’t　see　a　thing。　Didn’t　they　give　it　to　their　own　men！　No　seeing　for　the　darkness；　mates。　Isn’t　there　something　to　drink？”
The　French　had　been　repulsed　for　the　last　time。　And　again；　in　the　complete　darkness；　Tushin’s　cannons　moved　forward；　surrounded　by　the　infantry；　who　kept　up　a　hum　of　talk。
In　the　darkness　they　flowed　on　like　an　unseen；　gloomy　river　always　in　the　same　direction；　with　a　buzz　of　whisper　and　talk　and　the　thud　of　hoofs　and　rumble　of　wheels。　Above　all　other　sounds；　in　the　confused　uproar；　rose　the　moans　and　cries　of　the　wounded；　more　distinct　than　anything　in　the　darkness　of　the　night。　Their　moans　seemed　to　fill　all　the　darkness　surrounding　the　troops。　Their　moans　and　the　darkness　seemed　to　melt　into　one。　A　little　later　a　thrill　of　emotion　passed　over　the　moving　crowd。　Some　one　followed　by　a　suite　had　ridden　by　on　a　white　horse；　and　had　said　something　as　he　passed。
“What　did　he　say？　Where　we　are　going　now？　to　halt；　eh？　Thanked　us；　what？”　eager　questions　were　heard　on　all　sides；　and　the　whole　moving　mass　began　to　press　back　on　itself　（the　foremost；　it　seemed；　had　halted）；　and　a　rumour　passed　through　that　the　order　had　been　given　to　halt。　All　halted　in　the　muddy　road；　just　where　they　were。
Fires　were　lighted　and　the　talk　became　more　audible。　Captain　Tushin；　after　giving　instructions　to　his　battery；　sent　some　of　his　soldiers　to　look　for　an　ambulance　or　a　doctor　for　the　ensign；　and　sat　down　by　the　fire　his　soldiers　had　lighted　by　the　roadside。　Rostov　too　dragged　himself　to　the　fire。　His　whole　body　was　trembling　with　fever　from　the　pain；　the　cold；　and　the　damp。　He　was　dreadfully　sleepy；　but　he　could　not　go　to　sleep　for　the　agonising　pain　in　his　arm；　which　ached　and　would　not　be　easy　in　any　position。　He　closed　his　eyes；　then　opened　them　to　stare　at　the　fire；　which　seemed　to　him　dazzling　red；　and　then　at　the　stooping；　feeble　figure　of　Tushin；　squatting　in　Turkish　fashion　near　him。　The　big；　kindly；　and　shrewd　eyes　of　Tushin　were　fixed　upon　him　with　sympathy　and　commiseration。　He　saw　that　Tushin　wished　with　all　his　soul　to　help　him；　but　could　do　nothing　for　him。
On　all　sides　they　heard　the　footsteps　and　the　chatter　of　the　infantry　going　and　coming　and　settling　themselves　round　them。　The　sounds　of　voices；　of　steps；　and　of　horses’　hoofs　tramping　in　the　mud；　the　crackling　firewood　far　and　near；　all　melted　into　one　fluctuating　roar　of　sound。
It　was　not　now　as　before　an　unseen　river　flowing　in　the　darkness；　but　a　gloomy　sea　subsiding　and　still　agitated　after　a　storm。　Rostov　gazed　vacantly　and　listened　to　what　was　passing　before　him　and　around　him。　An　infantry　soldier　came　up　to　the　fire；　squatted　on　his　heels；　held　his　hands　to　the　fire；　and　turned　his　face。
“You　don’t　mind；　your　honour？”　he　said；　looking　inquiringly　at　Tushin。　“Here　I’ve　got　lost　from　my　company；　your　honour；　I　don’t　know　myself　where　I　am。　It’s　dreadful！”
With　the　soldier　an　infantry　officer　approached　the　fire　with　a　bandaged　face。　He　asked　Tushin　to　have　the　cannon　moved　a　very　little；　so　as　to　let　a　store　waggon　pass　by。　After　the　officer　two　soldiers　ran　up　to　the　fire。　They　were　swearing　desperately　and　fighting；　trying　to　pull　a　boot　from　one　another。
“No　fear！　you　picked　it　up！　that’s　smart！”　one　shouted　in　a　husky　voice。
Then　a　thin；　pale　soldier　approached；　his　neck　bandaged　with　a　bloodstained　rag。　With　a　voice　of　exasperation　he　asked　the　artillerymen　for　water。
“Why；　is　one　to　die　like　a　dog？”　he　said。
Tushin　told　them　to　give　him　water。　Next　a　good…humoured　soldier　ran　up；　to　beg　for　some　red…hot　embers　for　the　infantry。
“Some　of　your　fire　for　the　infantry！　Glad　to　halt；　lads。　Thanks　for　the　loan　of　the　firing；　we’ll　pay　it　back　with　interest；”　he　said；　carrying　some　glowing　firebrands　away　into　the　darkness。
Next　four　soldiers　passed　by；　carrying　something　heavy　in　an　overcoat。　One　of　them　stumbled。
“Ay；　the　devils；　they’ve　left　firewood　in　the　road；”　grumbled　one。
“He’s　dead；　why　carry　him？”　said　one　of　them。
“Come　on；　you！”　And　they　vanished　into　the　darkness　with　their　burden。
“Does　it　ache；　eh？”　Tushin　asked　Rostov　in　a　whisper。
“Yes；　it　does　ache。”
“Your　honour’s　sent　for　to　the　general。　Here　in　a　cottage　he　is；”　said　a　gunner；　coming　up　to　Tushin。
“In　a　minute；　my　dear。”　Tushin　got　up　and　walked　away　from　the　fire；　buttoning　up　his　coat　and　setting　himself　straight。
In　a　cottage　that　had　been　prepared　for　him　not　far　from　the　artillerymen’s　fire；　Prince　Bagration　was　sitting　at　dinner；　talking　with　several　commanding　officers；　who　had　gathered　about　him。　The　little　old　colonel　with　the　half…shut　eyes　was　there；　greedily　gnawing　at　a　mutton…bone；　and　the　general　of　twenty…two　years’　irreproachable　service；　flushed　with　a　glass　of　vodka　and　his　dinner；　and　the　staff…officer　with　the　signet　ring；　and　Zherkov；　stealing　uneasy　glances　at　every　one；　and　Prince　Andrey；　pale　with　set　lips　and　feverishly　glittering　eyes。
In　the　corner　of　the　cottage　room　stood　a　French　flag；　that　had　been　captured；　and　the　auditor　with　the　na？ve　countenance　was　feeling　the　stuff　of　which　the　flag　was　made；　and　shaking　his　head　with　a　puzzled　air；　possibly　because　looking　at　the　flag　really　interested　him；　or　possibly　because　he　did　not　enjoy　the　sight　of　the　dinner；　as　he　was　hungry　and　no　place　had　been　laid　for　him。　In　the　next　cottage　there　was　the　French　colonel；　who　had　been　taken　prisoner　by　the　dragoons。　Our　officers　were　flocking　in　to　look　at　him。　Prince　Bagration　thanked　the　several　commanding　officers；　and　inquired　into　details　of　the　battle　and　of　the　losses。　The　general；　whose　regiment　had　been　inspected　at　Braunau；　submitted　to　the　prince　that　as　soon　as　the　engagement　began；　he　had　fallen　back　from　the　copse；　mustered　the　men　who　were　cutting　wood；　and　letting　them　pass　by　him；　had　made　a　bayonet　charge　with　two　battalions　and　repulsed　the　French。
“As　soon　as　I　saw；　your　excellency；　that　the　first　battalion　was　thrown　into　confusion；　I　stood　in　the　road　and　thought；　‘I’ll　let　them　get　through　and　then　open　fire　on　them’；　and　that’s　what　I　did。”
The　general　had　so　longed　to　do　this；　he　had　so　regretted　not　having　succeeded　in　doing　it；　that　it　seemed　to　him　now　that　this　was　just　what　had　happened。　Indeed　might　it　not　actually　have　been　so？　Who　could　make　out　in　such　confusion　what　did　and　what　did　not　happen？
“And　by　the　way　I　ought　to　note；　your　excellency；”　he　continued；　recalling　Dolohov’s　conversation　with　Kutuzov　and　his　own　late　interview　with　the　degraded　officer；　“that　the　private　Dolohov；　degraded　to　the　ranks；　took　a　French　officer　prisoner　before　my　eyes　and　particularly　distinguished　himself。”
“I　saw　here；　your　excellency；　the　attack　of　the　Pavlograd　hussars；”　Zherkov　put　in；　looking　uneasily　about　him。　He　had　not　seen　the　hussars　at　all　that　day；　but　had　only　heard　about　them　from　an　infantry　officer。　“They　broke　up　two　squares；　your　excellency。”
When　Zherkov　began　to　speak；　several　officers　smiled；　as　they　always　did；　expecting　a　joke　from　him。　But　as　they　perceived　that　what　he　was　saying　all　redounded　to　the　glory　of　our　arms　and　of　the　day；　they　assumed　a　serious　expression；　although　many　were　very　well　aware　that　what　Zherkov　was　saying　was　a　lie　utterly　without　foundation。　Prince　Bagration　turned　to　the　old　colonel。
“I　thank　you　all；　gentlemen；　all　branches　of　the　service　behaved　heroically—infantry；　cavalry；　and　artillery。　How　did　two　cannons　come　to　be　abandoned　in　the　centre？”　he　inquired；　looking　about　for　some　one。　（Prince　Bagration　did　not　ask　about　the　cannons　of　the　left　flank；　he　knew　that　all　of　them　had　been　abandoned　at　the　very　beginning　of　the　action。）　“I　think　it　was　you　I　sent；”　he　added；　addressing　the　staff…officer。
“One　had　been　disabled；”　answered　the　staff…officer；　“but　the　other；　I　can’t　explain；　I　was　there　all　the　while　myself；　giving　instructions；　and　I　had　scarcely　left　there。…　It　was　pretty　hot；　it’s　true；”　he　added　modestly。
Some　one　said　that　Captain　Tushin　was　close　by　here　in　the　village；　and　that　he　had　already　been　sen