战争与和平(上)-第107部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


red　about　all　his　belongings；　put　on　his　riding…whip　and　sword；　and　was　going　out　of　the　hut。　In　reply　to　Rostov’s　question；　where　was　he　going？　he　answered　angrily　and　vaguely　that　he　had　business　to　see　after。
“God　be　my　judge；　then；　and　our　gracious　Emperor！”　said　Denisov；　as　he　went　out。　Outside　the　hut　Rostov　heard　the　hoofs　of　several　horses　splashing　through　the　mud。　Rostov　did　not　even　trouble　himself　to　find　out　where　Denisov　was　going。　Getting　warm　through　in　his　corner；　he　fell　asleep；　and　it　was　only　towards　evening　that　he　came　out　of　the　hut。　Denisov　had　not　yet　come　back。　The　weather　had　cleared；　near　the　next　hut　two　officers　were　playing　quoits；　with　a　laugh　sticking　big　radishes　for　pegs　in　the　soft　muddy　earth。　Rostov　joined　them。　In　the　middle　of　a　game　the　officers　saw　transport　waggons　driving　up　to　them；　some　fifteen　hussars　on　lean　horses　rode　behind　them。　The　transport　waggons；　escorted　by　the　hussars；　drove　up　to　the　picket　ropes；　and　a　crowd　of　hussars　surrounded　them。
“There；　look！　Denisov　was　always　fretting　about　it；”　said　Rostov；　“here　are　provisions　come　at　last。”
“High　time；　too！”　said　the　officers。　“Won’t　the　soldiers　be　pleased！”
A　little　behind　the　hussars　rode　Denisov；　accompanied　by　two　infantry　officers；　with　whom　he　was　in　conversation。　Rostov　went　to　meet　them。
“I　warn　you；　captain；”　one　of　the　officers　was　saying；　a　thin；　little　man；　visibly　wrathful。
“Well；　I　have　told　you；　I　won’t　give　them　up；”　answered　Denisov。
“You　will　have　to　answer　for　it；　captain。　It’s　mutiny—carrying　off　transports　from　your　own　army！　Our　men　have　had　no　food　for　two　days。”
“Mine　have　had　nothing　for　a　fortnight；”　answered　Denisov。
“It’s　brigandage；　you　will　answer　for　it；　sir！”　repeated　the　infantry　officer；　raising　his　voice。
“But　why　do　you　keep　pestering　me？　Eh？”　roared　Denisov；　suddenly　getting　furious。　“It’s　I　will　have　to　answer　for　it；　and　not　you；　and　you’d　better　not　cry　out　till　you’re　hurt。　Be　off！”　he　shouted　at　the　officers。
“All　right！”　the　little　officer　responded；　not　the　least　intimidated；　and　not　moving　away。　“It’s　robbery；　so　I　tell　you。…”
“Go　to　the　devil；　quick　march；　while　you’re　safe　and　sound。”　And　Denisov　moved　towards　the　officer。
“All　right；　all　right；”　said　the　officer　threateningly；　and　he　turned　his　horse　and　trotted　away；　swaying　in　the　saddle。
“A　dog　astride　a　fence；　a　dog　astride　a　fence　to　the　life！”　Denisov　called　after　him—the　bitterest　insult　a　cavalry　man　can　pay　an　infantry　man　on　horseback；　and　riding　up　to　Rostov　he　broke　into　a　guffaw。
“Carried　off　the　transports；　carried　them　off　from　the　infantry　by　force！”　he　said。　“Why；　am　I　to　let　the　men　die　of　hunger？”
The　stores　carried　off　by　the　hussars　had　been　intended　for　an　infantry　regiment；　but　learning　from　Lavrushka　that　the　transport　was　unescorted；　Denisov　and　his　hussars　had　carried　off　the　stores　by　force。　Biscuits　were　dealt　out　freely　to　the　soldiers；　they　even　shared　them　with　the　other　squadrons。
Next　day　the　colonel　sent　for　Denisov；　and　putting　his　fingers　held　apart　before　his　eyes；　he　said　to　him：　“I　look　at　the　matter　like　this；　see；　I　know　nothing；　and　will　take　no　steps；　but　I　advise　you　to　ride　over　to　the　staff；　and　there；　in　the　commissariat　department；　to　smooth　the　thing　over；　and　if　possible　give　a　receipt　for　so　much　stores。　If　not；　and　a　claim　is　entered　for　the　infantry　regiments；　there　will　be　a　fuss；　and　it　may　end　unpleasantly。”
Denisov　went　straight　from　the　colonel　to　the　staff　with　a　sincere　desire　to　follow　his　advice。
In　the　evening　he　came　back　to　his　hut　in　a　condition　such　as　Rostov　had　never　seen　his　friend　in　before。　Denisov　could　not　speak；　and　was　gasping　for　breath。　When　Rostov　asked　him　what　was　wrong　with　him；　he　could　only　in　a　faint　and　husky　voice　utter　incoherent　oaths　and　threats。
Alarmed　at　Denisov’s　condition；　Rostov　suggested　he　should　undress；　drink　some　water；　and　sent　for　the　doctor。
“Me　to　be　court…martialled　for　brigandage—oh！　some　more　water！—Let　them　court…martial　me；　I　will；　I　always　will；　beat　blackguards；　and　I’ll　tell　the　Emperor。—Ice；”　he　kept　saying。
The　regimental　doctor　said　it　was　necessary　to　bleed　him。　A　deep　saucer　of　black　blood　was　drawn　from　Denisov’s　hairy　arm；　and　only　then　did　he　recover　himself　sufficiently　to　relate　what　had　happened。
“I　got　there；”　Denisov　said。　“　‘Well；　where　are　your　chief’s　quarters？’　I　asked。　They　showed　me。　‘Will　you　please　to　wait？’　‘I　have　come　on　business；　and　I　have　come　over　thirty　versts；　I　haven’t　time　to　wait；　announce　me。’　Very　good；　but　the　over…thief　appears；　he；　too；　thought　fit　to　lecture　me。　‘This　is　robbery！’　says　he。　‘The　robber；’　said　I；　‘is　not　the　man　who　takes　the　stores　to　feed　his　soldiers；　but　the　man　who　takes　them　to　fill　his　pockets。’　‘Will　you　please　to　be　silent？’　Very　good。　‘Give　a　receipt；’　says　he；　‘to　the　commissioner；　but　the　affair　will　be　reported　at　headquarters。’　I　go　before　the　commissioner。　I　go　in。　Sitting　at　the　table　…　Who？　No；　think　of　it！…　Who　is　it　that’s　starving　us　to　death？”　roared　Denisov；　bringing　the　fist　of　his　lanced　arm　down　so　violently　that　the　table　almost　fell　over；　and　the　glasses　jumped　on　it　“Telyanin！　…　‘What；　it’s　you　that’s　starving　us　to　death？’　said　I；　and　I　gave　him　one　on　the　snout；　and　well　it　went　home；　and　then　another；　so　…　‘Ah！　…　you　so…and…so　…’　and　I　gave　him　a　thrashing。　But　I　did　have　a　bit　of　fun；　though；　I　can　say　that；”　cried　Denisov；　his　white　teeth　showing　in　a　smile　of　malignant　glee　under　his　black　moustaches。　“I　should　have　killed　him；　if　they　hadn’t　pulled　me　off。”
“But　why　are　you　shouting；　keep　quiet；”　said　Rostov；　“it’s　bleeding　again。　Stay；　it　must　be　bound　up。”
Denisov　was　bandaged　up　and　put　to　bed。　Next　day　he　waked　up　calm　and　in　good　spirits。
But　at　midday　the　adjutant　of　the　regiment　came　with　a　grave　and　gloomy　face　to　the　hut　shared　by　Denisov　and　Rostov；　and　regretfully　showed　them　a　formal　communication　to　Major　Denisov　from　the　colonel；　in　which　inquiries　were　made　about　the　incidents　of　the　previous　day。　The　adjutant　informed　them　that　the　affair　seemed　likely　to　take　a　very　disastrous　turn；　that　a　court…martial　was　to　be　held；　and　that；　with　the　strictness　now　prevailing　as　regards　pillaging　and　breach　of　discipline；　it　would　be　a　lucky　chance　if　it　ended　in　being　degraded　to　the　ranks。
The　case；　as　presented　by　the　offended　parties；　was　that　Major　Denisov；　after　carrying　off　the　transports；　had　without　any　provocation　come　in　a　drunken　condition　to　the　chief　commissioner　of　the　commissariat；　had　called　him　a　thief；　threatened　to　beat　him；　and；　when　he　was　led　out；　had　rushed　into　the　office；　attacked　two　officials；　and　sprained　the　arm　of　one　of　them。
In　response　to　further　inquiries　from　Rostov；　Denisov　said；　laughing；　that　it　did　seem　certainly　as　though　some　other　fellow　had　been　mixed　up　in　it；　but　that　it　was　all　stuff　and　nonsense；　that　he　would　never　dream　of　being　afraid　of　courts　of　any　sort；　and　that　if　the　scoundrels　dared　to　pick　a　quarrel　with　him；　he　would　give　them　an　answer　they　wouldn’t　soon　forget。
Denisov　spoke　in　this　careless　way　of　the　whole　affair。　But　Rostov　knew　him　too　well　not　to　detect　that　in　his　heart　（though　he　hid　it　from　others）　he　was　afraid　of　a　court…martial；　and　was　worrying　over　the　matter；　which　was　obviously　certain　to　have　disastrous　consequences。　Documents　began　to　come　every　day；　and　notices　from　the　court；　and　Denisov　received　a　summons　to　put　his　squadron　under　the　command　of　the　officer　next　in　seniority；　and　on　the　first　of　May　to　appear　before　the　staff　of　the　division　for　an　investigation　into　the　row　in　the　commissariat　office。　On　the　previous　day　Platov　undertook　a　reconnaissance　of　the　enemy　with　two　regiments　of　Cossacks　and　two　squadrons　of　hussars。　Denisov；　with　his　usual　swaggering　gallantry；　rode　in　the　front　of　the　line。　One　of　the　bullets　fired　by　the　French　sharpshooters　struck　him　in　the　fleshy　upper　part　of　the　leg。　Possibly　at　any　other　time　Denisov　would　not　have　left　the　regiment　for　so　slight　a　wound；　but　now　he　took　advantage　of　it　to　excuse　himself　from　appearing　before　the　staff；　and　went　into　the　hospital。


Chapter　17
IN　THE　MONTH　of　June　was　fought　the　battle　of　Friedland；　in　which　the　Pavlograd　hussars　did　not　take　part。　It　was　followed　by　a　truce。　Rostov；　who　sorely　felt　his　friend’s　absence；　and　had　had　no　news　of　him　since　he　left；　was　uneasy　about　his　wound　and　the　course　his　difficulties　might　be　taking；　and　he　took　advantage　of　the　truce　to　get　leave　to　visit　Denisov　at　the　hospital。
The　hospital　was　in　a　little　Prussian　town；　which　had　twice　been　sacked　by　Russian　and　French　troops。　In　the　summer　weather；　when　the　country　looked　so　pleasant；　this　little　town　presented　a　strikingly　melancholy　contrast；　with　its　broken　roofs　and　fences；　its　foul　streets　and　ragged　inhabitants；　and　the　sick　and　drunken　soldiers　wandering　about　it。
The　hospital　was　a　stone　house　with　remnants　of　fence　torn　up　in　the　yard；　and　window　frames　and　panes　partly　broken。　Several　soldiers　bandaged　up；　and　with　pale　and　swollen　faces；　were　walking　or　sitting　in　the　sunshine　in　the　yard。
As　soon　as　Rostov　went　in　at　the　door；　he　was　conscious　of　the　stench　of　hospital　and　putrefying　flesh　all　about　him。　On　the　stairs　he　met　a　Russian　army　doctor　with　a　cigar　in　his　mouth。　He　was　followed　by　a　Russian　trained　assistant。
“I　can’t　be　everywhere　at　once；”　the　doctor　was　saying；　“come　in　the　evening　to　Makar　Alexyevitch’s；　I　shall　be　there。”　The　assistant　asked　some　further　question。　“Oh！　do　as　you　think　best！　What　difference　will　it　make？”
The　doctor　caught　sight　of　Rostov　mounting　the　stairs。
“What　are　you　here　for；　your　honour？”　said　the　doctor。　“What　are　you　here　for？　Couldn’t　you　meet　with　a　bullet　that　you　want　to　pick　up　typhus？　This　is　a　pest…house；　my　good　sir。”
“How　so？”　asked　Rostov。
“Typhus；　sir。　It’s　death　to　any　one　to　go　in。　It’s　only　we　two；　Makeev　and　I”　（he　pointed　to　the　assistant）　“who　are　still　afoot　here。　Five　of　us；　doctors；　have　died　here　already。　As　soon　as　a　new　one　comes；　he’s　done　for　in　a　week；”　said　the　doctor　with　evident　satisfaction。　“They　have　sent　for　Prussian　doctors；　but　our　allies