友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
合租小说网 返回本书目录 加入书签 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 『收藏到我的浏览器』

战争与和平(上)-第29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!


“Even on the Tsaritsyn review ground they wouldn’t be turned off。”
“Eh?” said the commander。
At that moment two figures on horseback came into sight on the road from the town; where sentinels had been posted to give the signal。 They were an adjutant; and a Cossack riding behind him。
The adjutant had been sent by the commander…in…chief to confirm to the commander what had not been clearly stated in the previous order; namely; that the commander…in…chief wished to inspect the regiment exactly in the order in which it had arrived—wearing their overcoats; and carrying their baggage; and without any sort of preparation。
A member of the Hofkriegsrath from Vienna had been with Kutuzov the previous day; proposing and demanding that he should move on as quickly as possible to effect a junction with the army of Archduke Ferdinand and Mack; and Kutuzov; not considering this combination advisable; had intended; among other arguments in support of his view; to point out to the Austrian general the pitiable condition in which were the troops that had arrived from Russia。 It was with this object; indeed; that he had meant to meet the regiment; so that the worse the condition of the regiment; the better pleased the commander…in…chief would be with it。 Though the adjutant did not know these details; he gave the general in command of the regiment the message that the commander…in…chief absolutely insisted on the men being in their overcoats and marching order; and that; if the contrary were the case; the commander…in…chief would be displeased。
On hearing this the general’s head sank; he shrugged his shoulders; and flung up his hands with a choleric gesture。
“Here’s a mess we’ve made of it;” he said。 “Why; didn’t I tell you; Mihail Mitritch; that on the march meant in their overcoats;” he said reproachfully to the major。 “Ah; my God!” he added; and stepped resolutely forward。 “Captains of the companies!” he shouted in a voice used to command。 “Sergeants!… Will his excellency be coming soon?” he said; turning to the adjutant with an expression of respectful deference; that related obviously only to the person he was speaking of。
“In an hour’s time; I believe。”
“Have we time to change clothes?”
“I can’t say; general。…”
The general; going himself among the ranks; gave orders for the men to change back to their overcoats。 The captains ran about among the companies; the sergeants bustled to and fro (the overcoats were not quite up to the mark); and instantaneously the squadrons; that had been in regular order and silent; were heaving to and fro; straggling apart and humming with talk。 The soldiers ran backwards and forwards in all directions; stooping with their shoulders thrown back; drawing their knapsacks off over their heads; taking out their overcoats and lifting their arms up to thrust them into the sleeves。
Half an hour later everything was in its former good order again; only the squadrons were now grey instead of black。 The general walked in front of the regiment again with his quivering strut; and scanned it from some distance。
“What next? what’s this!” he shouted; stopping short。 “Captain of the third company!”
“The captain of the third company to the general! The captain to the general of the third company to the captain!” … voices were heard along the ranks; and an adjutant ran to look for the tardy officer。 When the sound of the officious voices; varying the command; and; by now; crying; “the general to the third company;” reached their destination; the officer called for emerged from behind his company; and; though he was an elderly man and not accustomed to running; he moved at a quick trot towards the general; stumbling awkwardly over the toes of his boots。 The captain’s face showed the uneasiness of a schoolboy who is called up to repeat an unlearnt lesson。 Patches came out on his red nose (unmistakably due to intemperance); and he did not know how to keep his mouth steady。 The general looked the captain up and down as he ran panting up; slackening his pace as he drew nearer。
“You’ll soon be dressing your men in petticoats! What’s the meaning of it?” shouted the general; thrusting out his lower jaw and pointing in the ranks of the third division to a soldier in an overcoat of a colour different from the rest。 “Where have you been yourself? The commander…in…chief is expected; and you’re not in your place? Eh? … I’ll teach you to rig your men out in dressing…gowns for inspection! … Eh?”
The captain; never taking his eyes off his superior officer; pressed the peak of his cap more and more tightly with his two fingers; as though he saw in this compression his only hope of safety。
“Well; why don’t you speak? Who’s that dressed up like a Hungarian?” the general jested bitterly。
“Your excellency …”
“Well; what’s your excellency? Your excellency! Your excellency! But what that means; your excellency; nobody knows。”
“Your excellency; that’s Dolohov; the degraded officer;” the captain said softly。
“Well; is he degraded to be a field…marshal; or a common soldier? If he’s a soldier; then he must be dressed like all the rest; according to regulation。”
“Your excellency; you gave him leave yourself on the march。”
“Gave him leave? There; you’re always like that; you young men;” said the general; softening a little。 “Gave him leave? If one says a word to you; you go and …” The general paused。 “One says a word to you; and you go and…Eh?” he said with renewed irritation。 “Be so good as to clothe your men decently。…”
And the general; looking round at the adjutant; walked with his quivering strut towards the regiment。 It was obvious that he was pleased with his own display of anger; and that; walking through the regiment; he was trying to find a pretext for wrath。 Falling foul of one officer for an unpolished ensign; of another for the unevenness of the rank; he approached the third company。
“How are you standing? Where is your leg? Where is your leg?” the general shouted with a note of anguish in his voice; stopping five men off Dolohov; who was wearing his blue overcoat。 Dolohov slowly straightened his bent leg; and looked with his clear; insolent eyes straight in the general’s face。
“Why are you in a blue coat? Off with it!…Sergeant! change his coat…the dir…” Before he had time to finish the word—
“General; I am bound to obey orders; but I am not bound to put up with…” Dolohov hastened to say。
“No talking in the ranks! … No talking; no talking!”
“Not bound to put up with insults;” Dolohov went on; loudly and clearly。 The eyes of the general and the soldier met。 The general paused; angrily pulling down his stiff scarf。
“Change your coat; if you please;” he said as he walked away。


Chapter 2
“COMING!” the sentinel shouted at that moment。 The general; turning red; ran to his horse; with trembling hands caught at the stirrup; swung himself up; settled himself in the saddle; drew out his sword; and with a pleased and resolute face opened his mouth on one side; in readiness to shout。 The regiment fluttered all over; like a bird preening its wings; and subsided into stillness。
“Silence!” roared the general; in a soul…quaking voice; expressing at once gladness on his own account; severity as regards the regiment; and welcome as regards the approaching commander…in…chief。
A high; blue Vienna coach with several horses was driving at a smart trot; rumbling on its springs; along the broad unpaved high…road; with trees planted on each side of it。 The general’s suite and an escort of Croats galloped after the coach。 Beside Kutuzov sat an Austrian general in a white uniform; that looked strange among the black Russian ones。 The coach drew up on reaching the regiment。 Kutuzov and the Austrian general were talking of something in low voices; and Kutuzov smiled slightly as; treading heavily; he put his foot on the carriage step; exactly as though those two thousand men gazing breathlessly at him and at their general; did not exist at all。
The word of command rang out; again the regiment quivered with a clanking sound as it presented arms。 In the deathly silence the weak voice of the commander…in…chief was audible。 The regiment roared: “Good health to your Ex 。。 lency 。。 lency 。。 lency!” And again all was still。 At first Kutuzov stood in one spot; while the regiment moved; then Kutuzov began walking on foot among the ranks; the white general beside him; followed by his suite。
From the way that the general in command of the regiment saluted the commander…in…chief; fixing his eyes intently on him; rigidly respectful and obsequious; from the way in which; craning forward; he followed the generals through the ranks; with an effort restraining his quivering strut; and darted up at every word and every gesture of the commander…in…chief;—it was evident that he performed his duties as a subordinate with even greater zest than his duties as a commanding officer。 Thanks to the strictness and assiduity of its commander; the regiment was in excellent form as compared with the others that had arrived at Braunau at the same time。 The sick and the stragglers left behind only numbered two hundred and seventeen; and everything was in good order except the soldiers’ boots。
Kutuzov walked through the ranks; stopping now and then; and saying a few friendly words to officers he had known in the Turkish war; and sometimes to the soldiers。 Looking at their boots; he several times shook his head dejectedly; and pointed them out to the Austrian general with an expression as much as to say that he blamed no one for it; but he could not help seeing what a bad state of things it was。 The general in command of the regiment; on every occasion such as this; ran forward; afraid of missing a single word the commander…in…chief might utter regarding the regiment。 Behind Kutuzov; at such a distance that every word; even feebly articulated; could be heard; followed his suite; consisting of some twenty persons。 These gentlemen were talking among themselves; and sometimes laughed。 Nearest of all to the commander…in…chief walked a handsome adjutant。 It was Prince Bolkonsky。 Beside him was his comrade Nesvitsky; a tall staff…officer; excessively stout; with a good…natured; smilin
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
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!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!