战争与和平(上)-第299节

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tter；　with　a　frowning　face；　came　out　to　the　officer；　and　hearing　his　story；　took　the　papers　from　him　without　a　word。
“Do　you　suppose　it　was　by　chance　that　he　was　not　at　home？”　said　a　comrade　of　the　officer’s　who　was　on　the　staff；　speaking　of　Yermolov　that　evening。　“That’s　all　stuff　and　nonsense；　it　was　all　done　on　purpose。　To　play　a　trick　on　Konovnitsyn。　You　see；　there’ll　be　a　pretty　kettle　of　fish　to…morrow！”


Chapter　5
THE　DECREPIT　OLD　MAN；　Kutuzov；　had　bade　them　wake　him　early　next　day；　and　in　the　early　morning　he　said　his　prayers；　dressed；　and　with　a　disagreeable　consciousness　that　he　had　to　command　in　a　battle　of　which　he　did　not　approve；　he　got　into　his　carriage　and　drove　from　Letashevka；　five　versts　behind　Tarutino；　to　the　place　where　the　attacking　columns　were　to　be　gathered　together。　Kutuzov　drove　along；　dropping　asleep　and　waking　up　again；　and　listening　to　hear　whether　that　were　the　sound　of　shots　on　the　right；　whether　the　action　had　not　begun。　But　everything　was　still　quiet。　A　damp　and　cloudy　autumn　day　was　dawning。　As　he　approached　Tarutino；　Kutuzov　noticed　cavalry　soldiers　leading　their　horses　to　a　watercourse　across　the　road　along　which　he　was　riding。　Kutuzov　looked　at　them；　stopped　his　carriage；　and　asked　what　regiment　did　they　belong　to。　They　belonged　to　a　column　which　was　to　have　been　far　away　in　front　in　ambush。
“A　mistake；　perhaps；”　thought　the　old　commander…in…chief。　But　as　he　drove　on　further；　Kutuzov　saw　infantry　regiments　with　their　arms　stacked；　and　the　soldiers　in　their　drawers　busy　cooking　porridge　and　fetching　wood。　He　sent　for　their　officer。　The　officer　submitted　that　no　command　to　advance　had　been　given。
“No　command　…”　Kutuzov　began；　but　he　checked　himself　at　once；　and　ordered　the　senior　officer　to　be　summoned　to　him。　Getting　out　of　the　carriage；　with　drooping　head　he　walked　to　and　fro　in　silence；　breathing　heavily。　When　the　general　staff　officer；　Eichen；　for　whom　he　had　sent；　arrived；　Kutuzov　turned　purple　with　rage；　not　because　that　officer　was　to　blame　for　the　mistake；　but　because　he　was　an　object　of　sufficient　importance　for　him　to　vent　his　wrath　on。　And　staggering　and　gasping；　the　old　man　fell　into　that　state　of　fury　in　which　he　would　sometimes　roll　on　the　ground　in　frenzy；　and　flew　at　Eichen；　shaking　his　fists；　and　shouting　abuse　in　the　language　of　the　gutter。　Another　officer；　Captain　Brozin；　who　was　in　no　way　to　blame；　happening　to　appear；　suffered　the　same　fate。
“What　will　the　blackguards　do　next？　Shoot　them！　The　scoundrels！”　he　shouted　hoarsely；　shaking　his　fist　and　staggering。　He　was　in　a　state　of　actual　physical　suffering。　He；　his　highness　the　commander…in…chief；　who　was　assured　by　every　one　that　no　one　in　Russia　had　ever　had　such　power　as　he；　he　put　into　this　position—made　a　laughing…stock　to　the　whole　army。　“Worrying　myself；　praying　over　to…day；　not　sleeping　all　night；　and　thinking　about　everything—all　for　nothing！”　he　thought　about　himself。　“When　I　was　a　mere　boy　of　an　officer　no　one　would　have　dared　to　make　a　laughing…stock　of　me　like　this　…　And　now！”　He　was　in　a　state　of　physical　suffering；　as　though　from　corporal　punishment；　and　could　not　help　expressing　it　in　wrathful　and　agonised　outcries。　But　soon　his　strength　was　exhausted；　and　looking　about　him；　feeling　that　he　had　said　a　great　deal　that　was　unjust；　he　got　into　his　carriage　and　drove　back　in　silence。
His　wrath　once　spent　did　not　return　again；　and　Kutuzov；　blinking　feebly；　listened　to　explanations　and　self…justifications　（Yermolov　himself　did　not　put　in　an　appearance　till　next　day）；　and　to　the　earnest　representation　of　Bennigsen；　Konovnitsyn；　and　Toll　that　the　battle　that　had　not　come　off　should　take　place　on　the　following　day。　And　again　Kutuzov　had　to　acquiesce。


Chapter　6
NEXT　DAY　the　troops　were　massed　in　their　appointed　places　by　the　evening；　and　were　moving　forward　in　the　night。　It　was　an　autumn　night　with　a　sky　overcast　by　purplish…black　clouds；　but　free　from　rain。　The　earth　was　damp；　but　not　muddy；　and　the　troops　advanced　noiselessly；　except　for　a　hardly　audible　jingling　now　and　then　from　the　artillery。　They　were　forbidden　to　talk　aloud；　to　smoke　or　to　strike　a　light；　the　horses　were　kept　from　neighing。　The　secrecy　of　the　enterprise　increased　its　attractiveness。　The　men　marched　on　gaily。　Several　columns　halted；　stacked　their　guns　in　piles；　and　lay　down　on　the　chilly　ground；　supposing　they　had　reached　their　destination。　Other　columns　（the　majority）　marched　all　night　long；　and　arrived　somewhere；　unmistakably　not　where　they　were　meant　to　be。
Count　Orlov…Denisov　with　his　Cossacks　（the　detachment　of　least　importance　of　the　lot）　was　the　only　one　that　reached　the　right　place　at　the　right　time。　This　detachment　halted　at　the　extreme　edge　of　a　forest；　on　a　path　from　the　village　of　Stromilovo　to　Dmitrovskoe。
Before　dawn　Count　Orlov；　who　had　fallen　asleep；　was　waked　up。　A　deserter　from　the　French　camp　was　brought　to　him。　It　was　a　Polish　under…officer　of　Poniatovsky’s　corps。　This　under…officer　explained　in　Polish　that　he　had　deserted　because　he　had　been　insulted　in　the　service；　because　he　ought　long　ago　to　have　been　an　officer；　and　was　braver　than　any　of　them；　and　so　he　had　thrown　them　up　and　wanted　to　punish　them。　He　said　that　Murat　was　camping　for　the　night　a　verst　from　them；　and　that　if　they　would　give　him　a　convoy　of　a　hundred　men　he　would　take　him　alive。　Count　Orlov…Denisov　took　council　with　his　comrades。　The　proposition　was　too　alluring　to　be　refused。　Every　one　clamoured　to　go；　everyone　advised　making　the　attempt。　After　many　disputes　and　confabulations；　it　was　settled　that　Major…General　Grekov；　with　two　regiments　of　Cossacks；　should　go　with　the　Polish　deserter。
“Now；　remember；”　said　Count　Orlov…Denisov　to　the　Polish　deserter；　as　he　dismissed　him；　“if　you　have　been　lying；　I　will　have　you　shot　like　a　dog；　but　if　it’s　true；　a　hundred　crowns。”
The　deserter　made　no　reply　to　these　words；　and　with　a　resolute　air　mounted　his　horse　and　rode　off　with　Grekov’s　men；　who　were　hurriedly　gathered　together。　They　disappeared　into　the　wood。　Count　Orlov；　shivering　from　the　freshness　of　the　dawning　morning；　and　excited　by　the　enterprise　he　had　undertaken　on　his　own　responsibility；　came　out　of　the　wood；　accompanying　Grekov；　and　began　scrutinising　the　enemy’s　camp；　faintly　visible　now　in　the　deceptive　light　of　the　approaching　dawn　and　the　smouldering　camp…fires。　On　the　open　copse　on　Count　Orlov…Denisov’s　right　our　columns　ought　to　have　been　visible。　Count　Orlov…Denisov　looked　in　that　direction；　but　although　they　could　have　been　seen　even　if　a　long　distance　away；　these　columns　were　not　in　sight。　Count　Orlov…Denisov　fancied；　and　his　adjutant；　who　was　extremely　long…sighted；　confirmed　the　idea；　that　they　were　beginning　to　move　in　the　French　camp。
“Oh；　of　course　it’s　too　late；”　said　Count　Orlov；　staring　at　the　camp。　As　so　often　happens　when　the　man　in　whom　we　are　putting　faith　is　no　longer　before　our　eyes；　it　all　seemed　at　once　perfectly　clear　and　obvious　to　him　that　the　deserter　had　been　playing　them　false；　that　he　had　been　telling　them　lies；　and　was　only　spoiling　the　whole　attack　by　removing　these　two　regiments；　which　he　was　leading　away—God　only　knew　where！　As　if　it　were　possible　to　capture　the　general　out　of　such　a　mass　of　troops。
“No　doubt　he　was　lying；　the　scoundrel；”　said　the　Count。
“We　can　turn　them　back；”　said　one　of　the　suite；　who　was　feeling　just　the　same　mistrust　in　the　undertaking　as　he　gazed　at　the　camp。
“Ah！　Yes　…　what　do　you　think；　or　shall　we　leave　them？　Or　not？”
“Do　you　command　them　to　return？”
“To　return；　yes；　to　return！”　Count　Orlov　said；　with　sudden　decision；　looking　at　his　watch；　“it　will　be　too　late；　it’s　quite　light。”
And　an　adjutant　galloped　into　the　wood　after　Grekov。　When　Grekov　came　back；　Count　Orlov…Denisov；　excited　by　giving　up　this　enterprise；　and　by　vainly　waiting　for　the　infantry　columns；　which　still　did　not　appear；　and　by　the　enemy’s　being　so　near　（every　man　in　his　detachment　was　feeling　the　same）；　resolved　to　attack。
In　a　whisper　he　gave　the　command：　“Mount！”
The　men　got　into　their　places；　crossed　themselves　…　“In　God’s　name；　off！”
“Hurrah！”　rang　out　in　the　wood；　and　the　Cossacks；　with　spears　lowered；　flew　gaily；　one　hundred　after　another；　across　the　stream　into　the　camp；　as　though　they　were　being　shot　out　of　a　sack。
One　desperate；　frightened　scream　from　the　first　Frenchman　who　caught　sight　of　the　Cossacks；　and　every　creature　in　the　camp；　undressed　and　half…asleep；　was　running　away；　abandoning　cannons；　muskets；　and　horses。
If　the　Cossacks　had　pursued　the　French　without　regard　to　what　they　left　all　around　and　behind　them；　they　could　have　captured　Murat　and　all　there　was　there。　Their　commanding　officers　tried　to　make　them　do　so。　But　there　was　no　making　the　Cossacks　budge　when　they　had　got　booty　and　prisoners。　No　one　heeded　the　word　of　command。　They　had　taken　fifteen　hundred　prisoners；　thirty…eight　cannons；　flags；　and；　what　was　of　most　consequence　in　the　eyes　of　the　Cossacks；　horses；　saddles；　coverings　and　various　other　objects。　All　of　this　they　wanted　to　see　after；　to　secure　the　prisoners　and　the　cannons；　to　divide　the　booty；　to　shout　at　and　even　fight　with　one　another　over　the　spoils；　and　all　this　absorbed　the　Cossacks’　attention。　The　Frenchmen