第628章

第628章petyaanddolohov,afterdressingupinfrenchuniformsandshakoes,rodetotheclearingfromwhichdenisovhadlookedatthefrenchcamp,andcomingoutofthewood,descendedintothehollowinthepitchdarkness.whentheyhadriddendownhill,dolohovbadethecossacksaccompanyinghimtowaitthere,andsetoffatasmarttrotalongtheroadtowardsthebridge.petya,faintwithexcitement,trottedalongbesidehim.

“ifwearecaught,iwon’tbetakenalive.ihaveapistol,”whisperedpetya.

“don’tspeakrussian,”saiddolohov,inarapidwhisper,andatthatmomenttheyheardinthedarkthechallenge：“whogoesthere？”andtheclickofagun.

thebloodrushedintopetya’sface,andheclutchedathispistol.

“uhlansofthesixthregiment,”saiddolohov,neitherhasteningnorslackeninghishorse’space.

theblackfigureofasentinelstoodonthebridge.

“thepassword？”

dolohovreinedinhishorse,andadvancedatawalkingpace.

“tellme,iscolonelgerardhere？”hesaid.

“password？”repeatedthesentinel,makingnoreplyandbarringtheirway.

“whenanofficermakeshisround,sentinelsdon’taskhimforthepassword…”crieddolohov,suddenlylosinghistemperandridingstraightatthesentinel.“iaskyou,isthecolonelhere？”

andnotwaitingforananswerfromthesentinel,whomovedaside,dolohovrodeatawalkingpaceuphill.

noticingtheblackoutlineofamancrossingtheroad,dolohovstoppedtheman,andaskedwherethecolonelandofficerswere.theman,asoldierwithasackoverhisshoulder,stopped,camecloseuptodolohov’shorse,strokingitwithhishand,andtoldtheminasimpleandfriendlywaythatthecolonelandtheofficerswerehigherupthehill,ontheright,inthecourtyardofthefarm,ashecalledthelittlemanor-house.

aftergoingfurtheralongtheroad,frombothsidesofwhichtheyheardfrenchtalkroundthecamp-fires,dolohovturnedintotheyardofthemanor-house.onreachingthegate,hedismountedandwalkedtowardsabig,blazingfire,roundwhichseveralmenweresitting,engagedinloudconversation.therewassomethingboilinginacauldronononeside,andasoldierinapeakedcapandbluecoat,kneelinginthebrightglowofthefire,wasstirringitwithhisramrod.

“he’satoughcustomer,”saidoneoftheofficers,sittingintheshadowontheoppositesideofthefire.

“he’llmakethemrun,therabbits”（afrenchproverb）,saidtheother,withalaugh.

bothpaused,andpeeredintothedarknessatthesoundofthestepsofpetyaanddolohovapproachingwiththeirhorses.

“bonjour,messieurs！”dolohovcalledloudlyanddistinctly.

therewasastiramongtheofficersintheshadow,andatallofficerwithalongneckcameroundthefireandwentuptodolohov.