战争与和平(上)-第190部分

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ight；　others　went　on　filling　up　their　bags。　Seeing　Alpatitch；　Ferapontov　turned　to　him。
“It’s　all　over　with　Russia！”　he　shouted。　“Alpatitch！　it’s　all　over！　I’ll　set　fire　to　it　myself。　It’s　over…”Ferapontov　ran　into　the　house。
An　unbroken　stream　of　soldiers　was　blocking　up　the　whole　street；　so　that　Alpatitch　could　not　pass　and　was　obliged　to　wait。　Ferapontov’s　wife　and　children　were　sitting　in　a　cart　too；　waiting　till　it　was　possible　to　start。
It　was　by　now　quite　dark。　There　were　stars　in　the　sky；　and　from　time　to　time　the　new　moon　shone　through　the　veil　of　smoke。　Alpatitch’s　and　his　hostess’s　vehicles　moved　slowly　along　in　the　rows　of　soldiers　and　of　other　conveyances；　and　on　the　slope　down　to　the　Dnieper　they　had　to　halt　altogether。　In　a　lane　not　far　from　the　cross…roads　where　the　traffic　had　come　to　a　full　stop；　there　were　shops　and　a　house　on　fire。　The　fire　was　by　now　burning　down。　The　flame　died　down　and　was　lost　in　black　smoke；　then　flared　up　suddenly；　lighting　up　with　strange　distinctness　the　faces　of　the　crowd　at　the　cross…roads。　Black　figures　were　flitting　about　before　the　fire；　and　talk　and　shouts　could　be　heard　above　the　unceasing　crackling　of　the　flames。　Alpatitch；　seeing　that　it　would　be　some　time　before　his　gig　could　move　forward；　got　out　and　went　back　to　the　lane　to　look　at　the　fire。　Soldiers　were　scurrying　to　and　fro　before　the　fire；　and　Alpatitch　saw　two　soldiers　with　a　man　in　a　frieze　coat　dragging　burning　beams　from　the　fire　across　the　street　to　a　house　near；　while　others　carried　armfuls　of　hay。
Alpatitch　joined　a　great　crowd　of　people　standing　before　a　high　corn　granary　in　full　blaze。　The　walls　were　all　in　flames；　the　back　wall　had　fallen　in；　the　plank　roof　was　breaking　down；　and　the　beams　were　glowing。　The　crowd　were　evidently　watching　for　the　moment　when　the　roof　would　fall　in。　Alpatitch　too　waited　to　see　it。
“Alpatitch！”　the　old　man　suddenly　heard　a　familiar　voice　calling　to　him。
“Mercy　on　us；　your　excellency；”　answered　Alpatitch；　instantly　recognising　the　voice　of　his　young　master。
Prince　Andrey；　wearing　a　cape；　and　mounted　on　a　black　horse；　was　in　the　crowd；　and　looking　at　Alpatitch。
“How　did　you　come　here？”　he　asked。
“Your…your　excellency！”　Alpatitch　articulated；　and　he　broke　into　sobs。…“Your；　your…is　it　all　over　with　us；　really？　Master…”
“How　is　it　you　are　here？”　repeated　Prince　Andrey。　The　flames　flared　up　at　that　instant；　and　Alpatitch　saw　in　the　bright　light　his　young　master’s　pale　and　worn　face。　Alpatitch　told　him　how　he　had　been　sent　to　the　town　and　had　difficulty　in　getting　away。
“What　do　you　say；　your　excellency；　is　it　all　over　with　us？”　he　asked　again。
Prince　Andrey；　making　no　reply；　took　out　his　note…book；　and　raising　his　knee；　scribbled　in　pencil　on　a　leaf　he　had　torn　out。　He　wrote　to　his　sister：
“Smolensk　has　surrendered；”　he　wrote。　“Bleak　Hills　will　be　occupied　by　the　enemy　within　a　week。　Set　off　at　once　for　Moscow。　Let　me　know　at　once　when　you　start；　send　a　messenger　to　Usvyazh。”
Scribbling　these　words；　and　giving　Alpatitch　the　paper；　he　gave　him　further　directions　about　sending　off　the　old　prince；　the　princess　and　his　son　with　his　tutor；　and　how　and　where　to　let　him　hear；　as　soon　as　they　had　gone。　Before　he　had　finished　giving　those　instructions；　a　staff　officer；　followed　by　his　suite；　galloped　up　to　him。
“You　a　colonel；”　shouted　the　staff　officer；　in　a　voice　Prince　Andrey　knew　speaking　with　a　German　accent。　“Houses　are　being　set　on　fire　in　your　presence　and　you　stand　still！　What’s　the　meaning　of　it？　You　will　answer　for　it；”　shouted　Berg；　who　was　now　assistant　to　the　head　of　the　staff　of　the　assistant　of　the　chief　officer　of　the　staff　of　the　commander　of　the　left　flank　of　the　infantry　of　the　first　army；　a　very　agreeable　and　prominent　position；　so　Berg　said。
Prince　Andrey　stared　at　him；　and　without　making　any　reply　went　on　addressing　Alpatitch。
“Tell　them　then　that　I　shall　wait　for　an　answer　till　the　10th；　and　if　I　don’t　receive　news　by　the　10th；　that　they　have　all　gone　away；　I　shall　be　obliged　to　throw　up　everything　and　go　myself　to　Bleak　Hills。”
“Prince；”　said　Berg；　recognising　Prince　Andrey；　“I　only　speak　because　it’s　my　duty　to　carry　out　my　instructions；　because　I　always　do　exactly　carry　out…You　must　please　excuse　me；”　Berg　tried　to　apologise。
There　was　a　crash　in　the　fire。　The　flames　subsided　for　an　instant；　black　clouds　of　smoke　rolled　under　the　roof。　There　was　another　fearful　crash；　and　the　falling　of　some　enormous　weight。
“Ooo…roo！”　the　crowd　yelled；　as　the　ceiling　of　the　granary　fell　in；　and　a　smell　of　baked　cakes　rose　from　the　burning　wheat。　The　flames　flared　up　again；　and　lighted　up　the　delighted　and　careworn　faces　of　the　crowd　around　it。
The　man　in　the　frieze　coat；　brandishing　his　arms　in　the　air；　was　shouting：
“First…rate！　Now　she’s　started！　First…rate；　lads！…”　“That’s　the　owner　himself；”　murmured　voices。
“So　you　tell　them　everything　I　have　told　you；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　addressing　Alpatitch。　And　without　bestowing　a　word　on　Berg；　who　stood　mute　beside　him；　he　put　spurs　to　his　horse　and　rode　down　the　lane。


Chapter　5
FROM　SMOLENSK　the　troops　continued　to　retreat。　The　enemy　followed　them。　On　the　10th　of　August　the　regiment　of　which　Prince　Andrey　was　in　command　was　marching　along　the　high…road　past　the　avenue　that　led　to　Bleak　Hills。　The　heat　and　drought　had　lasted　more　than　three　weeks。　Every　day　curly　clouds　passed　over　the　sky；　rarely　covering　the　sun；　but　towards　evening　the　sky　cleared　again　and　the　sun　set　in　a　glowing；　red　mist。　But　a　heavy　dew　refreshed　the　earth　at　night。　The　wheat　left　in　the　fields　was　burnt　up　and　dropping　out　of　the　ear。　The　marshes　were　dry。　The　cattle　lowed　from　hunger；　finding　nothing　to　graze　on　in　the　sunbaked　meadows。　Only　at　night　in　the　woods；　as　long　as　the　dew　lasted；　it　was　cool。　But　on　the　road；　on　the　high…road　along　which　the　troops　marched；　there　was　no　coolness　even　at　night；　not　even　where　the　road　passed　through　the　woods。　The　dew　was　imperceptible　on　the　sandy　dust　of　the　road；　more　than　a　foot　deep。　As　soon　as　it　was　daylight；　the　soldiers　began　to　move。　The　transports　and　artillery　moved　noiselessly；　buried　up　to　their　axles；　and　the　infantry　sank　to　their　ankles　in　the　soft；　stifling；　burning　dust；　that　never　got　cool　even　at　night。　The　sandy　dust　clung　to　their　legs　and　to　the　wheels；　rose　in　a　cloud　over　their　heads；　and　got　into　the　eyes　and　hair　and　nostrils　and　lungs　of　the　men　and　beasts　that　moved　along　the　road。　The　higher　the　sun　rose；　the　higher　rose　the　cloud　of　dust；　and　through　the　fine；　burning　dust　the　sun　in　the　cloudless　sky　looked　like　a　purple　ball；　at　which　one　could　gaze　with　undazzled　eyes。　There　was　no　wind；　and　the　men　gasped　for　breath　in　the　stagnant　atmosphere。　They　marched　with　handkerchiefs　tied　over　their　mouths　and　noses。　When　they　reached　the　villages；　there　was　a　rush　for　the　wells。　They　fought　over　the　water　and　drank　it　down　to　the　mud。
Prince　Andrey　was　in　command　of　a　regiment；　and　the　management　of　the　regiment；　the　welfare　of　his　men；　the　necessity　of　receiving　and　giving　orders　occupied　his　mind。　The　burning　and　abandonment　of　Smolensk　made　an　epoch　in　Prince　Andrey’s　life。　A　new　feeling　of　intense　hatred　of　the　enemy　made　him　forget　his　own　sorrow。　He　was　devoted　heart　and　soul　to　the　interests　of　his　regiment；　he　was　careful　of　the　welfare　of　his　men　and　his　officers；　and　cordial　in　his　manner　with　them。　They　called　him　in　the　regiment　“our　prince；”　were　proud　of　him；　and　loved　him。　But　he　was　kind　and　gentle　only　with　his　own　men；　with　Timohin；　and　others　like　him；　people　quite　new　to　him；　belonging　to　a　different　world；　people　who　could　have　no　notion　of　his　past。　As　soon　as　he　was　brought　into　contact　with　any　of　his　old　acquaintances；　any　of　the　staff　officers；　he　bristled　up　again　at　once；　and　was　vindictive；　ironical；　and　contemptuous。　Everything　associated　by　memories　with　the　past　was　repulsive　to　him；　and　so；　in　his　relations　with　that　old　world；　he　confined　himself　to　trying　to　do　his　duty；　and　not　to　be　unfair。
Prince　Andrey；　in　fact；　saw　everything　in　the　darkest；　gloomiest　light；　especially　after　Smolensk；　which　he　considered　could　and　should　have　been　defended；　had　been　abandoned；　on　the　6th　of　August；　and　his　invalid　father　had　been　forced；　as　he　supposed；　to　flee　to　Moscow；　leaving　Bleak　Hills；　the　house　that　he　had　so　loved；　that　he　had　designed　and　settled　with　his　peasants；　to　be　plundered。　But　in　spite　of　that；　thanks　to　his　position；　Prince　Andrey　had　another　subject　to　think　of；　quite　apart　from　all　general　questions；　his　regiment。　On　the　10th　of　August；　the　column　of　which　his　regiment　formed　part　reached　the　turning　leading　off　to　Bleak　Hills。　Two　days　before　Prince　Andrey　had　received　the　news　that　his　father；　his　son；　and　his　sister　had　gone　away　to　Moscow。　Though　there　was　nothing　for　Prince　Andrey　to　do　at　Bleak　Hills；　he　decided；　with　characteristic　desire　to　aggravate　his　own　sufferings；　that　he　must　ride　over　there。
He　ordered　his　horse　to　be　saddled；　and　turned　off　from　the　main　line　of　march　towards　his　father’s　house；　where　he　had　been　born　and　had　spent　his　childhood。　As　he　rode　by　the　pond；　where　there　always　used　to　be　dozens　of　peasant　women　gossiping；　rinsing　their　linen；　or　beating　it　with　washing　bats；　Prince　Andrey　noticed　that　there　was　no　one　by　the　pond；　and　that　the　platform　where　they　used　to　stand　had　been　torn　away；　and　was　floating　sideways　in　the　middle　of　the　pond；　half　under　water。　Prince　Andrey　rode　up　to　the　keeper’s　lodge。　There　was　no　one　to　be　seen　at　the　stone　gates　and　the　door　was　open。　The　paths　of　the　garden　were　already　overgrown　with　weeds；　and　cattle　and　horses　were　straying　about　the　English　park。　Prince　Andrey　rode　up　to　the　conservatory：　the　panes　were　smashed；　and　some　of　the　trees　in　tubs　were　broken；　others　quite　dried　up。　He　called　Taras；　the　gardener。　No　one　answered。　Going　round　the　conservatory　on　the　terrace；　he　saw　that　the　paling…fence　was　all　broken　down；　and　branches　of　the　plum…trees　had　been　pulled　off　with　the　fruit。　An　old　peasant；　whom　Prince　Andrey　used　to　see　in　his　childhood　at　the　gate；　was　sitting　on　the　green　garden　seat　plaiting　bast　shoes。
He　was　deaf；　and　did　not　hear　Prince　Andrey’s　approach。　He　was　sitting　on　t