第68章

第68章“nowthen,youdevil’spuppet,bestiryourselfandlookforit！”denisovshoutedsuddenly,turningpurpleanddashingatthevaletwithathreateninggesture.“thepurseistobefound,ori’llflogyou！i’llflogyouall！”

rostov,hiseyesavoidingdenisov,beganbuttoninguphisjacketfasteningonhissword,andputtingonhisforage-cap.

“itellyouthepurseistobefound,”roareddenisov,shakingtheorderlybytheshouldersandpushinghimagainstthewall.

“denisov,lethimbe;iknowwhohastakenit,”saidrostov,goingtowardsthedoorwithoutraisinghiseyes.

denisovstopped,thoughtamoment,andevidentlyunderstandingrostov’shint,heclutchedhimbythearm.

“nonsense！”heroaredsothattheveinsstoodoutonhisneckandforeheadlikecords.“itellyou,you’vegoneoutofyourmind;iwon’tallowit.thepurseishere;i’llflaytheskinoffthisrascal,anditwillbehere.”

“iknowwhohastakenit,”repeatedrostov,inashakingvoice,andhewenttothedoor.

“anditellyou,you’renottodaretodoit,”shouteddenisov,makingadashattheensigntodetainhim.butrostovpulledhisarmaway,liftedhiseyes,andlookeddirectlyandresolutelyatdenisovwithasmuchfuryasifhehadbeenhisgreatestenemy.

“doyouunderstandwhatyou’resaying？”hesaidinatremblingvoice;“exceptme,therehasbeennooneelseintheroom.sothat,ifit’snotso,whythen…”

hecouldnotuttertherest,andranoutoftheroom.

“oh,damnyouandalltherest,”werethelastwordsrostovheard.

rostovwenttotelyanin’squarters.

“themaster’snotathome,he’sgonetothestaff,”telyanin’sorderlytoldhim.“hassomethinghappened？”theorderlyadded,wonderingattheensign’stroubledface.

“no,nothing.”

“you’veonlyjustmissedhim,”saidtheorderly.

thestaffquartersweretwomilesandahalffromsalzeneck.nothavingfoundhimathome,rostovtookhishorseandrodetothequartersofthestaff.inthevillage,wherethestaffwasquartered,therewasarestaurantwhichtheofficersfrequented.rostovreachedtherestaurantandsawtelyanin’shorseattheentry.

inthesecondroomthelieutenantwassittingoveradishofsausagesandabottleofwine.

“ah,youhavecomeheretoo,youngman,”hesaid,smilingandliftinghiseyebrows.

“yes,”saidrostov,speakingasthoughtheutteranceofthewordcosthimgreateffort;andhesatdownatthenearesttable.

bothweresilent;thereweretwogermansandarussianofficerintheroom.everyonewasmute,andtheonlysoundsaudibleweretheclatterofknivesontheplatesandthemunchingofthelieutenant.whentelyaninhadfinishedhislunch,hetookoutofhispocketadoublepurse;withhislittlewhitefingers,thatwerecurvedatthetips,hepartedtherings,tookoutsomegold,andraisinghiseyebrows,gavethemoneytotheattendant.

“makehaste,please,”hesaid.

thegoldwasnew.rostovgotupandwenttotelyanin.

“letmelookatthepurse,”hesaidinalowvoice,scarcelyaudible.

withshiftingeyes,buteyebrowsstillraised,telyaningavehimthepurse.

“yes,it’saprettypurse…yes…”hesaid,andsuddenlyheturnedwhite.“youcanlookatit,youngman,”headded.

rostovtookthepurseinhishandandlookedbothatitandatthemoneyinit,andalsoattelyanin.thelieutenantlookedabouthim,ashiswaywas,andseemedsuddenlytohavegrownverygood-humoured.

“ifwegotovienna,isuspectishallleaveitallthere,butnowthere’snowheretospendourmoneyinthesewretchedlittleplaces,”hesaid.“come,giveitme,youngman;i’mgoing.”

rostovdidnotspeak.

“whatareyougoingtodo？havelunchtoo？theygiveyoudecentfood,”telyaninwenton.“giveitme.”heputouthishandandtook.holdofthepurse.rostovletgoofit.telyanintookthepurseandbegancarelesslydroppingitintothepocketofhisridingtrousers,whilehiseyebrowswerecarelesslyliftedandhismouthstoodalittleopen,asthoughhewouldsay：“yes,yes,i’mputtingmypurseinmypocket,andthat’saverysimplematter,andnoonehasanythingtodowithit.”

“well,youngman？”hesaidwithasign,andfromunderhisliftedeyebrowsheglancedintorostov’seyes.akindofgleampassedwiththeswiftnessofanelectricflashfromtelyanin’seyestotheeyesofrostov,andbackagainandbackagainandagain,allinoneinstant.

“comehere,”saidrostov,takingtelyaninbythearm.healmostedhimtothewindow.“that’sdenisov’smoney;youtookit…”hewhisperedinhisear.

“what？…what？…howdareyou？what？”…saidtelyanin.butthewordssoundedlikeaplaintive,despairingcryandprayerforforgiveness.assoonasrostovheardthesoundofhisvoice,agreatweightofsuspense,likeastone,rolledoffhisheart.hefeltglad,andatthesameinstanthepitiedthelucklesscreaturestandingbeforehim,buthehadtocarrythethingthroughtotheend.

“godknowswhatthepeopleheremaythink,”mutteredtelyanin,snatchinguphisforage-capandturningtowardsasmallemptyroom.“youmustexplain…”

“iknowthat,andi’llproveit,”saidrostov.

“i…”

theterrified,whitefaceoftelyaninbegantwitchingineverymuscle;hiseyesstillmoveduneasily,butontheground,neverrisingtothelevelofrostov’sface,andtearfulsobscouldbeheard.

“count！…don’truinayoungman…hereisthewretchedmoney,takeit.”…hethrewitonthetable.“i’veanoldfatherandmother！”

rostovtookthemoney,avoidingtelyanin’seyes,andwithoututteringaword,hewentoutoftheroom.butinthedoorwayhestoppedandturnedback.

“mygod！”hesaid,withtearsinhiseyes,“howcouldyoudoit？”

“count,”saidtelyanin,comingnearertotheensign.

“don’ttouchme,”saidrostov,drawingback.“ifyou’reinneedtakethemoney.”

hethrustapurseonhimandranoutoftherestaurant.