第66章

第66章thepavlogradskyregimentofhussarswasstationedtwomilesfrombraunau.thesquadroninwhichnikolayrostovwasservingasensignwasbilletedonagermanvillage,salzeneck.theofficerincommandofthesquadron,captaindenisov,knownthroughthewholecavalrydivisionunderthenameofvaskadenisov,hadbeenassignedthebestquartersinthevillage.ensignrostovhadbeensharinghisquarters,eversinceheovertooktheregimentinpoland.

onthe8thofoctober,theverydaywhenatheadquartersallwasastiroverthenewsofmack’sdefeat,theroutineoflifewasgoingonasbeforeamongtheofficersofthissquadron.

denisov,whohadbeenlosingallnightatcards,hadnotyetreturnedhome,whenrostovrodebackearlyinthemorningfromaforagingexpedition.rostov,inhisensign’suniform,rodeuptothesteps,withajerktohishorse,swunghislegoverwithasupple,youthfulaction,stoodamomentinthestirrupasthoughloathtopartfromthehorse,atlastsprangdownandcalledtheorderly.

“ah,bondarenko,friendofmyheart,”hesaidtothehussarwhorushedheadlonguptohishorse.“walkhimupanddown,mydearfellow,”hesaid,withthatgayandbrotherlycordialitywithwhichgood-heartedyoungpeoplebehavetoeveryone,whentheyarehappy.

“yes,yourexcellency,”answeredthelittlerussian,shakinghisheadgood-humouredly.

“mindnow,walkhimaboutwell！”

anotherhussarrusheduptothehorsetoo,butbondarenkohadalreadyholdofthereins.

itwasevidentthattheensignwasliberalwithhistips,andthathisservicewasaprofitableone.rostovstrokedthehorseontheneckandthenonthehaunch,andlingeredonthesteps.

“splendid！whatahorsehewillbe！”hesaidtohimself,andsmilingandholdinghissword,heranupthesteps,clankinghisspurs.thegerman,onwhomtheywerebilleted,lookedoutofthecowshed,wearingajerkinandapointedcap,andholdingafork,withwhichhewasclearingoutthedung.thegerman’sfacebrightenedatoncewhenhesawrostov.hesmiledgood-humouredlyandwinked.“good-morning,good-morning！”herepeated,apparentlytakingpleasureingreetingtheyoungman.

“atworkalready？”saidrostov,stillwiththesamehappy,fraternalsmilethatwasconstantlyonhiseagerface.“longlivetheaustrians！longlivetherussians！hurrahfortheemperoralexander！”hesaid,repeatingphrasesthathadoftenbeenutteredbythegerman.thegermanlaughed,camerightoutofthecowshed,pulledoffhiscap,andwavingitoverhishead,cried：

“andlonglivealltheworld！”

rostovtoo,likethegerman,wavedhiscapoverhisbead,andlaughingcried：“andhurrahforalltheworld！”thoughtherewasnoreasonforanyspecialrejoicingeitherforthegerman,clearingouthisshed,orforrostov,comingbackfromforagingforhay,boththesepersonsgazedatoneanotherindelightedecstasyandbrotherlylove,edtheirheadsateachotherintokenoftheirmutualaffection,andpartedwithsmiles,thegermantohiscowshed,androstovtothecottagehesharedwithdenisov.

“where’syourmaster？”heaskedoflavrushka,denisov’svalet,wellknowntoalltheregimentasarogue.

“hishonour’snotbeeninsincetheevening.he’sbeenlosing,forsure,”answeredlavrushka.“iknowbynow,ifhewins,he’llcomehomeearlytoboastofhisluck;butifhe’snotbackbymorning,itmeansthathe’slost,—he’llcomebackinarage.shallibringcoffee？”

“yes,bringit.”

tenminuteslater,lavrushkabroughtinthecoffee.

“he’scoming！”saidhe;“nowfortrouble！”

rostovglancedoutofthewindowandsawdenisovreturninghome.denisovwasalittlemanwitharedface,sparklingblackeyes,tousledblackwhiskersandhair.hewaswearinganunbuttonedtunic,widebreechesthatfellinfolds,andonthebackofhisheadacrushedhussar’scap.gloomily,withdowncasthead,hedrewnearthesteps.

“lavrushka,”heshouted,loudlyandangrily,lispingther,“come,takeitoff,blockhead！”

“well,iamtakingitoff,”answeredlavrushka’svoice.

“ah！youareupalready,”saiddenisov,comingintotheroom.

“longago,”saidrostov;“i’vebeenoutalreadyafterhay,andihaveseenfr？uleinmathilde.”

“really？andi’vebeenlosing,myboy,allnight,likethesonofadog,”crieddenisov,notpronouncinghisr’s.“suchill-luck！suchill-luck！…assoonasyouleft,myluckwasgone.hey,tea？”

denisov,puckeringuphisfaceasthoughheweresmiling,andshowinghisshort,strongteeth,beganwithhisshort-fingeredhandsrufflinguphisthick,blackhair,thatwastangledlikeaforest.

“thedevilwasinmetogotothatrat”（thenicknameofanofficer）,hesaid,rubbinghisbrowandfacewithbothhands.“onlyfancy,hedidn’tdealmeonecard,notone,notonecard！”denisovtookthelightedpipethatwashandedtohim,grippeditinhisfist,andscatteringsparks,hetappeditonthefloor,stillshouting.

“heletsmehavethesimple,andbeatstheparole;letsmegetthesimple,andbeatstheparole.”

hescatteredthesparks,brokethepipe,andthrewitaway.thendenisovpaused,andallatonceheglancedbrightlyatrostovwithhisgleamingblackeyes.

“iftherewereonlywomen.buthere,exceptdrinking,there’snothingtodo.ifonlywecouldgettofightingsoon.…hey,who’sthere？”hecalledtowardsthedoor,catchingthesoundsofthickbootsandclankingspursthatcametoastop,andofarespectfulcough.

“thesergeant！”saidlavrushka.denisovpuckereduphisfacemorethanever.

“that’sanuisance,”hesaid,flingingdownapursewithseveralgoldcoinsinit.“rostov,count,there’sadearboy,howmuchisleft,andputthepurseunderthepillow,”hesaid,andhewentouttothesergeant.rostovtookthemoneyandmechanicallysortingandarranginginheapstheoldandnewgold,hebegancountingitover.

“ah,telyanin！good-morning！iwascleanedoutlastnight,”hehearddenisov’svoicesayingfromtheotherroom.