战争与和平(上)-第212节

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e　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　the　seat　on　which　the　old　prince　liked　to　sit；　and　near　him　the　bast　was　hanging　on　the　branches　of　a　broken　and　dried…up　magnolia。
Prince　Andrey　rode　up　to　the　house。　Several　lime…trees　in　the　old　garden　had　been　cut　down；　a　piebald　mare　and　a　colt　were　among　the　rose…trees　just　before　the　house。　The　shutters　were　all　up　in　the　house；　except　on　one　open　window　downstairs。　A　servant　lad　caught　sight　of　Prince　Andrey　and　ran　into　the　house。
Alpatitch　had　sent　his　family　away；　and　was　staying　on　alone　at　Bleak　Hills。　He　was　sitting　indoors；　reading　the　Lives　of　the　Saints。　On　hearing　that　Prince　Andrey　had　come；　he　ran　out；　spectacles　on　nose；　buttoning　himself　up；　hurried　up　to　the　prince；　and　without　uttering　a　word；　burst　into　tears；　kissing　his　knee。
Then　he　turned　away　in　anger　at　his　own　weakness；　and　began　giving　him　an　account　of　the　position　of　affairs。　Everything　precious　and　valuable　had　been　moved　to　Bogutcharovo。　Corn　to　the　amount　of　a　hundred　measures　had　been　carried　away；　but　the　hay；　and　the　wheat—an　extraordinary　crop　that　season；　so　Alpatitch　said—had　been　cut　green　and　carried　off　by　the　troops。　The　peasants　were　ruined：　some　of　them；　too；　had　gone　to　Bogutcharovo；　a　small　number　remained。　Prince　Andrey；　not　heeding　his　words；　asked；　“When　did　my　father　and　sister　go？”　meaning　when　had　they　set　off　for　Moscow。　Alpatitch；　assuming　he　was　asking　about　the　removal　to　Bogutcharovo；　answered　that　they　had　set　off　on　the　7th；　and　began　going　off　again　into　details　about　the　crops；　asking　for　instructions。
“Is　it　your　honour’s　orders　that　I　let　the　oats　go　on　getting　a　receipt　from　the　officers？”　asked　Alpatitch。　“We　have　still　six　hundred　measures　left。”
“What　am　I　to　say　to　him？”　Prince　Andrey　wondered；　looking　at　the　old　man’s　bald　head　shining　in　the　sun；　and　reading　in　his　face　the　consciousness　that　he　knew　himself　the　untimeliness　of　those　questions；　and　asked　them　only　to　stifle　his　own　grief。
“Yes；　let　it　go；”　he　said。
“If　your　excellency　noticed　any　disorder　in　the　garden；”　said　Alpatitch；　“it　could　not　be　prevented；　three　regiments　have　been　here　and　spent　the　night。　The　dragoons　were　the　worst；　I　noted　down　the　name　and　rank　of　the　commanding　officer　to　lodge　a　complaint。”
“Well；　and　what　are　you　going　to　do？　Shall　you　stay；　if　the　enemy　occupies　the　place？”　Prince　Andrey　asked　him。
Alpatitch　turned　his　face　towards　Prince　Andrey　and　looked　at　him；　then　all　at　once；　with　a　solemn　gesture；　he　lifted　his　hand　upwards：　“He　is　my　protector；　and　His　will　be　done！”　he　said。　A　group　of　peasants　and　house…serfs　were　coming　across　the　meadow；　uncovering　their　heads　as　they　drew　near　Prince　Andrey。
“Well；　good…bye！”　said　Prince　Andrey；　bending　over　to　Alpatitch。　“Go　away　yourself；　take　what　you　can；　and　tell　the　peasants　to　set　off　for　the　Ryazan　estate　or　the　property　near　Moscow。”
Alpatitch　hugged　his　leg　and　broke　into　sobs。　Prince　Andrey　gently　moved　him　away；　and　spurring　his　horse　galloped　down　the　garden　walk。
On　the　terrace　the　old　man　was　still　sitting　as　before；　as　uninterested　as　a　fly　on　some　beloved　dead　face；　knocking　on　the　sole　of　the　bast　shoe。　And　two　little　girls　came　running　from　the　plum…trees　in　the　conservatories　with　their　skirts　full　of　plums。　They　ran　almost　against　Prince　Andrey；　and　seeing　their　young　master；　the　elder　one　clutched　her　younger　companion　by　the　hand；　with　a　panic…stricken　face；　and　hid　with　her　behind　a　birch…tree　not　stopping　to　pick　up　the　green　plums　they　had　dropped。
Prince　Andrey　turned　away　from　them　in　nervous　haste；　afraid　of　letting　them　notice　that　he　had　seen　them。　He　was　sorry　to　have　frightened　the　pretty　child。　He　was　afraid　to　glance　at　her；　but　yet　he　felt　an　irresistible　inclination　to　do　so。　A　new　soothing　and　consolatory　feeling　came　upon　him；　as　gazing　at　the　little　girls；　he　became　aware　of　the　existence　of　other　human　interests；　utterly　remote　from　him；　and　as　legitimate　as　his　own。　Those　little　girls　were　evidently　possessed　by　one　passionate　desire　to　carry　off　and　devour　those　green　plums　without　being　caught；　and　Prince　Andrey　wished　them　success　in　their　enterprise。　He　could　not　resist　glancing　at　them　once　more。　Fancying　themselves　already　secure；　they　had　darted　out　of　their　hiding…place；　and　piping　something　in　their　shrill；　little　voices；　and　holding　up　their　skirts；　they　ran　gaily　and　swiftly　through　the　grass　with　their　bare；　sunburnt　little　feet。
Prince　Andrey　was　somewhat　refreshed　by　his　ride　outside　the　region　of　the　dust　of　the　high…road　along　which　the　troops　were　marching。　But　he　rode　back　into　the　road　not　far　from　Bleak　Hills；　and　overtook　his　regiment　at　the　halting…place　near　the　dike　of　a　small　pond。　It　was　about　two　o’clock　in　the　afternoon。　The　sun；　a　red　ball　through　the　dust；　baked　and　scorched　his　back　intolerably　in　his　black　coat。　The　dust　stood　as　immovable　as　ever　over　the　buzzing；　halting　troops。　There　was　not　a　breath　of　wind。　As　he　rode　towards　the　dike；　Prince　Andrey　smelled　the　fresh；　muddy　smell　of　the　pond。　He　longed　to　be　in　the　water；　however　muddy　it　might　be。　He　looked　round　at　the　pond；　from　which　he　heard　shrieks　and　laughter。　The　small　pond；　thickly　covered　with　green　slime；　was　visibly　half　a　yard　higher　and　overflowing　the　dam；　because　it　was　full　of　white；　naked　human　bodies；　with　brick…red　hands　and　heads　and　necks；　all　plunging　about　in　it。　All　that　bare　white　human　flesh　was　splashing　about　with　shrieks　and　laughter；　in　the　muddy　pool；　like　carp　floundering　in　a　net。　There　was　a　ring　of　merriment　in　that　splashing；　and　that　was　what　made　it　peculiarly　sad。
One　fair…haired　young　soldier—Prince　Andrey　knew　him—of　the　third　company；　with　a　strap　round　the　calf　of　his　leg；　stepped　back；　crossing　himself；　to　get　a　good　run；　and　plunge　into　the　water。　Another　swarthy　and　very　towzle…headed　sergeant　up　to　his　waist　in　the　water；　bending　his　fine；　muscular　figure；　was　snorting　with　enjoyment；　as　he　poured　the　water　over　his　head　with　his　blackened　hands。　There　was　a　sound　of　them　slapping　each　other；　and　shrieks　and　cries。
On　the　banks；　on　the　dike；　in　the　pond；　everywhere　there　was　white；　healthy；　muscular　flesh。　Timohin；　the　officer　with　the　red　nose；　was　rubbing　himself　with　a　towel　on　the　dike；　and　was　abashed　at　seeing　Prince　Andrey；　but　made　up　his　mind　to　address　him。
“It’s　pleasant；　really；　your　excellency；　you　should　try　it！”　he　said。
“It’s　dirty；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　grimacing。
“We　will　clear　it　out　for　you　in　a　minute。”　And　undressed　as　he　was；　Timohin　ran　to　clear　the　men　out。　“The　prince　wants　to　come。”
“What　prince？　Our　prince？”　cried　voices；　and　all　of　them　were　in　such　haste　to　make　way　for　him　that　Prince　Andrey　hardly　had　time　to　check　them。　He　thought　it　would　be　better　for　him　to　have　a　bath　in　a　barn。　“Flesh；　meat；　chair　à　canon；”　he　thought；　looking　too　at　his　own　naked　body　and　shuddering；　not　so　much　from　cold　as　from　the　repulsion　and　horror；　mysterious　to　himself；　that　he　had　felt　at　the　sight　of　that　immense　multitude　of　naked　bodies　floundering　in　the　muddy　water。
On　the　7th　of　August；　Prince　Bagration；　at　his　halting…place　at　Mihalovka　on　the　Smolensk　road；　had　written　a　letter　to　Araktcheev。　Though　the　letter　was　addressed　to　Araktcheev；　he　knew　it　would　be　read　to　the　Tsar；　and　therefore　he　weighed　every　word；　so　far　as　he　was　capable　of　doing　so。
“DEAR　COUNT　ALEXEY　ANDREIVITCH；—I　presume　that　the　minister　has　already　reported　the　abandonment　of　Smolensk　to　the　enemy。　It　is　sad；　it　is　pitiable；　and　the　whole　army　is　in　despair　at　the　most　important　place　having　been　wantonly　abandoned。　I　for　my　part　begged　him　personally　in　the　most　urgent　manner；　and　finally　wrote　to　him；　but　nothing　would　persuade　him。　I　swear　to　you　on　my　honour　that　Napoleon　was　in　a　greater　fix　than　he　has　ever　been；　and　he　might　have　lost　half　his　army；　but　could　not　have　taken　Smolensk。　Our　troops　have　fought　and　are　fighting　as　never　before。　With　fifteen　thousand　men　I　have　held　the　enemy　in　check　for　thirty…five　hours　and　beaten　them；　but　he　wouldn’t　hold　his　ground　for　fourteen　hours。　It　is　a　shame　and　a　stain　on　our　army；　and　as　for　himself