第67章

第67章“wherewasthat？atbykov’s？attherat’s？…iknewit,”saidathinvoice,andthereupontherewalkedintotheroomlieutenanttelyanin,alittleofficerinthesamesquadron.

rostovputthepurseunderthepillow,andshookthedamplittlehandthatwasofferedhim.telyaninhadforsomereasonbeentransferredfromtheguardsjustbeforetheregimentsetout.hehadbehavedverywellintheregiment,buthewasnotliked,androstov,inparticular,couldnotendurehim,andcouldnotconcealhisgroundlessaversionforthisofficer.

“well,youngcavalryman,howismyrookdoingforyou？”（rookwasariding-horsetelyaninhadsoldtorostov.）thelieutenantneverlookedthepersonhewasspeakingtointheface.hiseyeswerecontinuallyflittingfromoneobjecttoanother.“isawyouridingtoday…”

“oh,he’sallright;agoodhorse,”answeredrostov,thoughthehorse,forwhichhehadpaidsevenhundredroubles,wasnotworthhalfthatsum.“he’sbeguntogoalittlelameintheleftforeleg…”headded.

“thehoofcracked！that’snomatter.i’llteachyou,i’llshowyouthesortofthingtoputonit.”

“yes,pleasedo,”saidrostov.

“i’llshowyou,i’llshowyou,it’snotasecret.butyou’llbegratefultomeforthathorse.”

“theni’llhavethehorsebroughtround,”saidrostov,anxioustoberidoftelyanin.hewentouttoorderthehorsetobebroughtround.

intheouterroomdenisovwassquattingonthethresholdwithapipe,facingthesergeant,whowasgivinghimsomereport.onseeingrostov,denisovscreweduphiseyes,andpointingoverhisshoulderwithhisthumbtotheroomwheretelyaninwassitting,hefrownedandshookhisheadwithanairofloathing.

“ugh！idon’tlikethefellow,”hesaid,regardlessofthepresenceofthesergeant.

rostovedhisshouldersasthoughtosay,“nordoi,butwhat’sonetodo？”andhavinggivenhisorder,hewentbacktotelyanin.

thelatterwasstillsittinginthesameindolentposeinwhichrostovhadlefthim,rubbinghislittlewhitehands.

“whatnastyfacesthereareinthisworld！”thoughtrostovashewentintotheroom.

“well,haveyougivenordersforthehorsetobefetchedout？”saidtelyanin,gettingupandlookingcarelesslyabouthim.

“yes.”

“well,youcomealongyourself.ionlycameroundtoaskdenisovaboutyesterday’sorder.haveyougotit,denisov？”

“notyet.butwhereareyouoffto？”

“i’mgoingtoshowthisyoungmanherehowtoshoeahorse,”saidtelyanin.

theywentoutdownthestepsandintothestable.thelieutenantshowedhowtoputontheremedy,andwentawaytohisownquarters.

whenrostovwentbacktherewasabottleofvodkaandsomesausageonthetable.denisovwassittingatthetable,andhispenwassqueakingoverthepaper.helookedgloomilyintorostov’sface.

“iamwritingtoher,”hesaid.heleanedhiselbowonthetablewiththepeninhishand,andobviouslyrejoicedatthepossibilityofsayingbywordofmouthallhemeanttowrite,hetoldthecontentsofhislettertorostov.“yousee,mydearboy,”hesaid,“weareplungedinslumber,wearethechildrenofdustandashes,untilwelove…butlove,andyouareagod,youarepure,asonthefirstdayofcreation.…who’sthatnow？sendhimtothedevil！i’venotime！”heshoutedtolavrushka,who,notintheslightestdaunted,wentuptohim.

“why,whoshoulditbe？youtoldhimtocomeyourself.thesergeanthascomeforthemoney.”

denisovfrowned,seemedabouttoshoutsomereply,butdidnotspeak.

“it’sanuisance,”hesaidtohimself.“howmuchmoneywasthereleftthereinthepurse？”heaskedrostov.

“sevennewandthreeoldgoldpieces.”

“oh,it’sanuisance！well,whyareyoustandingthere,youmummy？sendthesergeant！”denisovshoutedtolavrushka.

“please,denisov,takethemoneyfromme;i’veplenty,”saidrostov,blushing.

“idon’tlikeborrowingfrommyownfriends;idislikeit,”grumbleddenisov.

“butifyouwon’ttakemoneyfrommelikeacomrade,you’lloffendme.i’vereallygotit,”repeatedrostov.

“oh,no.”anddenisovwenttothebedtotakethepursefromunderthepillow.

“wheredidyouputit,rostov？”

“underthelowerpillow.”

“butit’snotthere.”denisovthrewboththepillowsonthefloor.therewasnopurse.“well,that’saqueerthing.”

“waitabit,haven’tyoudroppedit？”saidrostov,pickingthepillowsuponeatatimeandshakingthem.hetookoffthequiltandshookit.thepursewasnotthere.

“couldihaveforgotten？no,forithoughtthatyoukeepitlikeasecrettreasureunderyourhead,”saidrostov.“ilaidthepursehere.whereisit？”heturnedtolavrushka.

“inevercameintotheroom.whereyouputit,thereitmustbe.”

“butitisn’t.”

“you’realwayslikethat;youthrowthingsdownanywhereandforgetthem.lookinyourpockets.”

“no,ifihadn’tthoughtofitsbeingasecrettreasure,”saidrostov,“butirememberwhereiputit.”

lavrushkaransackedthewholebed,glancedunderitandunderthetable,ransackedthewholeroomandstoodstillinthemiddleoftheroom.denisovwatchedlavrushka’smovementsinsilence,andwhenlavrushkaflunguphishandsinamazementtosignifythatitwasnowhere,helookedroundatrostov.

“rostov,noneofyourschoolboyjokes.”

rostov,feelingdenisov’seyesuponhim,liftedhiseyesandinstantlydroppedthemagain.allhisblood,whichfeltasthoughithadbeenlockedupsomewherebelowhisthroat,rushedtohisfaceandeyes.hecouldhardlydrawhisbreath.

“andthere’sbeennooneintheroombutthelieutenantandyourselves.itmustbeheresomewhere,”saidlavrushka.