第620章

第620章itwasawarm,rainy,autumnday.theskyandthehorizonwerealloftheuniformtintofmuddywater.sometimesamistseemedtobefalling,andsometimestherewasasuddendownpourofheavy,slantingrain.

denisov,inalongcapeandahighfurcap,bothstreamingwithwater,wasridingathin,pinched-looking,thoroughbredhorse.withhisheadaslant,andhisearsprickedup,likehishorse,hewasfrowningatthedrivingrain,andanxiouslylookingbeforehim.hisface,whichhadgrownthin,andwascoveredwithathick,short,blackheard,lookedwrathful.

besidedenisov,wearingalsoalongcapeandahighcap,andmountedonasleek,sturdydonhorse,rodetheesaul,orhetmanofthecossacks—denisov’spartnerinhisenterprises.

theesaul,lovaiskythethird,alsoinacape,andahighcap,wasalongcreature,flatasaboard,withapaleface,flaxenhair,narrow,lighteyes,andanexpressionofcalmself-confidencebothinhisfaceandhisattitude.thoughitwasimpossibletosaywhatconstitutedthepeculiarityofhorseandrider,atthefirstglanceattheesaulandatdenisov,itwasevidentthatdenisovwasbothwetanduncomfortable;thatdenisovwasamansittingonahorse;whiletheesaulseemedascomfortableandcalmasalways,andseemednotamansittingonahorse,butamanformingonewholewithahorse—asinglebeingenlargedbythestrengthoftwo.

alittleaheadofthemwalkedapeasant-guide,soakedthroughandthroughinhisgreyfullcoatandwhitecap.

alittlebehind,onathin,delicatekirghizponywithaflowingtailandmane,andamouthfleckedwithblood,rodeayoungofficerinabluefrenchmilitarycoat.besidehimrodeanhussar,withaboyinatatteredfrenchuniformandbluecap,percheduponhishorsebehindhim.theboyheldontothehussarwithhandsredwithcold,andkeptmovinghisbarefeet,tryingtowarmthem,andliftinghiseyebrows,gazedabouthimwonderingly.thiswasthefrenchdrummer,whohadbeentakeninthemorning.

alongthenarrow,muddy,cut-upforest-tracktherecamehussarsinknotsofthreeandfouratatime,andthencossacks;someincapes,someinfrenchcloaks;otherswithhorse-clothspulledovertheirheads.thehorses,chestnutandbay,alllookedblackfromthesoakingrain.theirneckslookedstrangelythinwiththeirdrenchedmanes,andsteamroseincloudsfromthem.clothes,saddles,andbridles,allwerestickyandswollenwiththewet,liketheearthandthefallenleaveswithwhichthetrackwasstrewn.themensathuddledup,tryingnottomove,soastokeepwarmthewaterthathadalreadyreachedtheirskins,andnottoletanyfreshstreamofcoldraintrickleinanywhereundertheirseat,orattheirkneesornecks.inthemidstofthefileofcossackstwoons,drawnbyfrenchhorses,andcossacksaddle-horseshitchedoninfront,rumbledoverstumpsandbranches,andsplashedthroughtherutsfullofwater.

denisov’shorse,inavoidingapuddleinthetrack,knockedhisrider’skneeagainstatree.

“ah,devil！”denisovcriedangrily;andshowinghisteeth,hestruckhishorsethreetimeswithhiswhip,splashinghimselfandhiscomradeswithmud.denisovwasoutofhumour,bothfromtherainandhunger（noonehadeatenanythingsincemorning）;and,mostofall,fromhavingnonewsofdolohov,andfromnofrenchprisonerhavingbeencaughttogivehiminformation.

“weshallneverhavesuchanotherchancetofallonthetransportasto-day.toattackthemalonewouldberisky,andtoputitofftoanotherday—someoneoftheerleaderswillcarrythebootyofffromunderournoses,”thoughtdenisov,continuallylookingahead,andfancyinghesawthemessengerfromdolohovheexpected.

comingoutintoaclearingfromwhichhecouldgetaviewtosomedistanceontheright,denisovstopped.

“there’ssomeonecoming,”hesaid.

theesaullookedinthedirectiondenisovwaspointingto.