第65章

第65章princeandreywasoneofthoserarestaff-officerswhoseinterestswereconcentratedonthegeneralprogressofthewar.onseeingmackandlearningthedetailsofhisoverthrow,hegraspedthefactthathalfthecampaignwaslost;heperceivedallthedifficultyofthepositionoftherussiantroops,andvividlypicturedtohimselfwhatlaybeforethearmy,andtheparthewouldhavetoplayintheworkinstoreforthem.hecouldnothelpfeelingarushofjoyfulemotionatthethoughtofthehumiliationofself-confidentaustria,andtheprospectwithinaweek,perhaps,ofseeingandtakingpartinthemeetingoftherussianswiththefrench,thefirstsincesuvorov’sday.buthewasafraidofthegeniusofbonaparte,whichmightturnouttobemorepowerfulthanallthebraveryoftherussiantroops;andatthesametimehecouldnotbeartoentertaintheideaofthedisgraceofhisfavouritehero.

excitedandirritatedbytheseideas,princeandreywenttowardshisownroomtowritetohisfather,towhomhewroteeveryday.inthecorridorhemetnesvitsky,thecomradewithwhomhesharedaroom,andthecomicman,zherkov.theywere,asusual,laughingatsomejoke.

“whatareyoulookingsodismalabout？”askednesvitsky,noticingprinceandrey’spalefaceandgleamingeyes.

“there’snothingtobegayabout,”answeredbolkonsky.

justasprinceandreymetnesvitskyandzherkov,therecametowardsthemfromtheotherendofthecorridorstrauch,anaustriangeneral,whowasonkutuzov’sstaffinchargeoftheprovisioningoftherussianarmy,andthememberofthehofkriegsrath,whohadarrivedthepreviousevening.therewasplentyofroominthewidecorridorforthegeneralstopassthethreeofficerseasily.butzherkov,pullingnesvitskybackbythearm,criedinabreathlessvoice：

“theyarecoming！…theyarecoming！…moveaside,makeway！please,makeway.”

thegeneralsadvancedwithanairofwishingtoavoidburdensomehonours.thefaceofthecomicman,zherkov,suddenlyworeastupidsmileofglee,whichheseemedunabletosuppress.

“yourexcellency,”hesaidingerman,movingforwardandaddressingtheaustriangeneral,“ihavethehonourtocongratulateyou.”hebowed,andawkwardly,aschildrendoatdancing-lessons,hebeganscrapingfirstwithonelegandthenwiththeother.thememberofthehofkriegsrathlookedseverelyathim,butseeingtheseriousnessofhisstupidsmile,hecouldnotrefusehimamoment’sattention.hescreweduphiseyesandshowedthathewaslistening.

“ihavethehonourtocongratulateyou.generalmackhasarrived,quitewell,onlyslightlywoundedhere,”headded,pointingwithabeamingsmiletohishead.

thegeneralfrowned,turnedawayandwenton.

“gott,wiena？v！”hesaidangrily,whenhewasafewstepsaway.

nesvitskywithachucklethrewhisarmsroundprinceandrey,butbolkonsky,turningevenpaler,pushedhimawaywithafuriousexpression,andturnedtozherkov.thenervousirritability,intowhichhehadbeenthrownbythesightofmack,thenewsofhisdefeatandthethoughtofwhatlaybeforetherussianarmy,foundaventinangeratthemisplacedjestofzherkov.

“ifyou,sir,”hebegancuttingly,withaslighttremblinginhislowerjaw,“liketobeaclown,ican’tpreventyourbeingso,butifyoudaretoplaythefoolanothertimeinmypresence,i’llteachyouhowtobehave.”

nesvitskyandzherkovweresoastoundedatthisoutburstthattheygazedatbolkonskywithopeneyes.

“why,ionlycongratulatedthem,”saidzherkov.

“iamnotjestingwithyou;besilent,please！”shoutedbolkonsky,andtakingnesvitsky’sarm,hewalkedawayfromzherkov,whocouldnotfindanyreply.

“come,whatisthematter,mydearboy？”saidnesvitsky,tryingtosoothehim.

“what’sthematter？”saidprinceandrey,standingstillfromexcitement.“why,yououghttounderstandthatwe’reeitherofficers,whoservetheirtsarandtheircountryandrejoiceintheess,andgrieveatthedefeatofthecommoncause,orwe’rehirelings,whohavenointerestinourmaster’sbusiness.fortythousandmenmassacredandthearmyofouralliesdestroyed,andyoufindsomethinginthattolaughat,”hesaid,asthoughbythisfrenchphrasehewerestrengtheninghisview.“itisallverywellforaworthlessfellowlikethatindividualofwhomyouhavemadeafriend,butnotforyou,notforyou.nonebutschoolboyscanfindamusementinsuchjokes,”princeandreyaddedinrussian,utteringthewordwithafrenchaccent.henoticedthatzherkovcouldstillhearhim,andwaitedtoseewhetherthecornetwouldnotreply.butthecornetturnedandwentoutofthecorridor.