第79章

第79章princeandreytoldthedrivertostop，andaskedasoldierinwhatbattletheyhadbeenwounded.

“thedaybeforeyesterdayonthedanube，”answeredthesoldier.princeandreytookouthispurseandgavethesoldierthreegoldpieces.

“forall，”headded，addressingtheofficerashecameup.“getwell，lads，”hesaidtothesoldiers，“there’salottodoyet.”

“whatnews？”askedtheofficer，evidentlyanxioustogetintoconversation.

“goodnews！forward！”hecalledtothedriver，andgallopedon.

itwasquitedarkwhenprinceandreyrodeintobr？nn，andsawhimselfsurroundedbyhighhouses，lightedshops，thelightedwindowsofhouses，andstreetlamps，handsomecarriagesnoisilyrollingoverthepavement，andallthatatmosphereofagreattownfulloflife，whichissoattractivetoasoldieraftercamp.inspiteoftherapiddriveandsleeplessnight，princeandreyfeltevenmorealert，ashedroveuptothepalace，thanhehadonthepreviousevening.onlyhiseyesglitteredwithafeverishbrilliance，andhisideasfollowedoneanotherwithextremerapidityandclearness.hevividlypicturedagainallthedetailsofthebattle，notinconfusion，butdefinitely，incondensedshape，ashemeanttopresentthemtotheemperorfrancis.hevividlyimaginedthecasualquestionsthatmightbeputtohimandtheanswershewouldmaketothem.heimaginedthathewouldbeatoncepresentedtotheemperor.butatthechiefentranceofthepalaceanofficialranouttomeethim，andlearningthathewasaspecialmessenger，ledhimtoanotherentrance.

“turningtotherightoutofthecorridor，euerhochgeboren，youwillfindtheadjutantonduty，”theofficialsaidtohim.“hewillconductyoutotheministerofwar.”

theadjutantonduty，meetingprinceandrey，askedhimtowait，andwentintothewarminister.fiveminuteslatertheadjutantreturned，andwithmarkedcourtesy，bowingandusheringprinceandreybeforehim，heledhimacrossthecorridortotheprivateroomofthewarminister.theadjutant，byhiselaboratelyformalcourtesy，seemedtowishtoguardhimselffromanyattemptatfamiliarityonthepartoftherussianadjutant.thejoyousfeelingofprinceandreywasconsiderablydampedasheapproachedthedooroftheminister’sroom.hefeltslighted，andthefeelingofbeingslightedpassedinstantaneouslywithouthisbeingawareofithimself—intoafeelingofdisdain，whichwasquiteuncalledfor.hissubtlebrainatthesameinstantsuppliedhimwiththepointofviewfromwhichhehadtherighttofeeldisdainbothoftheadjutantandtheministerofwar.“nodoubtitseemstothemaverysimplemattertowinvictories，neverhavingsmeltpowder！”hethought.hiseyelidsdroopeddisdainfully；hewalkedwithpeculiardeliberatenessintothewarminister’sroom.thisfeelingwasintensifiedwhenhesawtheministerofwarsittingatabigtable，andforthefirsttwominutestakingnonoticeofhisentrance.theministerofwarhadhisbaldhead，withgreycurlsonthetemple，heldlowbetweentwowaxcandles；hewasreadingsomepapers，andmarkingthemwithapencil.hewentonreadingtotheend，withoutraisinghiseyesattheopeningofthedoorandthesoundoffootsteps.

“takethisandgiveithim，”saidtheministerofwartohisadjutant，handinghimthepapers，andtakingnonoticeoftherussianattaché.

princeandreyfeltthateithertheministerofwartooklessinterestinthedoingsofkutuzov’sarmythaninanyothersubjectdemandinghisattention，orthathewantedtomaketherussianattachéfeelthis.“butthat’samatterofcompleteindifferencetome，”thoughthe.theministerofwarputtheotherremainingpaperstogether，makingtheiredgeslevel，andliftedhishead.hehadanintellectualandcharacteristichead.buttheinstantheturnedtoprinceandrey，theshrewdanddeterminedexpressionofthewarminister’sfacechangedinamannerevidentlyconsciousandhabitual.onhisfacewasleftthestupidsmile—hypocritical，andnotdisguisingitshypocrisy—ofamanwhoreceivesmanypetitioners，oneafteranother.

“fromgeneral—fieldmarshalkutuzov？”hequeried.“goodnews，ihope？hastherebeenanengagementwithmortier？avictory？itwashightime！”

hetookthedespatch，whichwasaddressedtohim，andbegantoreaditwithamournfulexpression.

“ah！mygod！mygod！schmidt！”hesaidingerman.“whatacalamity！whatacalamity！”skimmingthroughthedespatch，helaiditonthetableandglancedatprinceandrey，visiblymeditatingonsomething.

“ah，whatacalamity！sotheaction，yousay，wasadecisiveone？”（“mortierwasnottaken，however，”hereflected.）“verygladyouhavebroughtgoodnews，thoughthedeathofschmidtisacostlypriceforthevictory.hismajestywillcertainlywishtoseeyou，butnotto-day.ithankyou；youmustneedrepose.to-morrow，beatthelevéeafterthereview.butiwillletyouknow.”

thestupidsmile，whichhaddisappearedwhilehewastalking，reappearedonthewarminister’sface.

“aurevoir，ithankyouindeed.hismajestytheemperorwillmostlikelywishtoseeyou，”herepeated，andhebowedhishead.

asprinceandreyleftthepalace，hefeltthatalltheinterestandhappinessthathadbeengivenhimbythisvictoryhadbeenleftbehindbyhimnowintheindifferenthandsoftheministerandtheformaladjutant.thewholetenorofhisthoughtshadinstantaneouslychanged.thebattlefiguredinhismindasaremote，far-awaymemory.