第540章

第540章asthefrenchofficerdrewpierrewithhimintotheroom，thelatterthoughtithisdutytoassurethecaptainagainthathewasnotafrenchman，andwouldhavewithdrawn，butthefrenchofficerwouldnothearofit.hewassocourteous，polite，good-humoured，andgenuinelygratefultohimforsavinghislifethatpierrehadnotthehearttorefuse，andsatdownwithhiminthedining-room，thefirstroomtheyentered.topierre’sasseverationthathewasnotafrenchman，thecaptain，plainlyunabletocomprehendhowanyonecouldrefusesoflatteringatitle，edhisshoulders，andsaidthatifheinsistedinpassingforarussian，sobeit，butthatinspiteofthatheshouldyetfeelboundtohimforeverbysentimentsofgratitudeforthedefenceofhislife.

ifthismanhadbeenendowedwitheventheslightestfacultyofperceivingthefeelingsofothers，andhadhadthefaintestinklingofpierre’ssentiments，thelatterwouldprobablyhavelefthim.buthislivelyimpenetrabilitytoeverythingnothimselfvanquishedpierre.

“frenchmanorrussianprinceincognito，”saidthefrenchman，lookingatpierre’sfine，thoughdirtylinen，andtheringonhisfinger；“iowemylifetoyou，andiofferyoumyfriendship.afrenchmanneverforgetsaninsultoraservice.iofferyoumyfriendship.that’sallisay.”

inthetonesofthevoice，theexpressionoftheface，andthegesturesoftheofficer，therewassomuchna？vegoodnatureandgoodbreeding（inthefrenchsense）thatpierreunconsciouslyrespondedwithasmiletohissmile，ashetookhisoutstretchedhand.

“captainramballeofthe13thlightbrigade，decoratedfortheaffairofthe7thseptember，”heintroducedhimself，anirrepressiblesmileofcomplacencylurkingunderhismoustache.“willyoutellmenowtowhomihavethehonourofspeakingsoagreeably，insteadofremainingintheambulancewiththatmadman’sballinmybody？”

pierreansweredthathewouldnottellhimhisname，andwasbeginningwithablush，whiletryingtoinventaname，tospeakofthereasonsforwhichhewasunabletodoso，butthefrenchmanhurriedlyinterruptedhim.

“enough！”hesaid.“iunderstandyourreasons；youareanofficer…astaffofficer，perhaps.youhavebornearmsagainstus.that’snotmybusiness.ioweyoumylife.that’senoughforme.iamatyourdisposal.youareanobleman？”headded，withanintonationofinquiry.pierrebowed.

“yourbaptismalname，ifyouplease？iasknothingmore.m.pierre，yousay？perfect！that’salliwanttoknow.”

whentheyhadbroughtinthemutton，anomelette，asamovar，vodka，andwinefromarussiancellarbroughtwiththembythefrench，ramballeedpierretosharehisdinner；andatoncewiththehasteandgreedinessofahealthy，hungryman，settoworkontheviandshimself，munchingvigorouslywithhisstrongteeth，andcontinuallysmackinghislipsandexclaiming，“excellent！exquis！”hisfacebecameflushedandperspiring.pierrewashungry，andpleasedtosharetherepast.morel，theorderly，broughtinapotofhotwater，andputabottleofredwinetowarminit.hebroughtintooabottleofkvassfromthekitchenforthemtotaste.thisbeveragewasalreadyknowntothefrench，andhadreceivedanickname.theycalleditlimonadedecochon，andmorelpraisedthis“pigs’lemonade，”whichhehadfoundinthekitchen.butasthecaptainhadthewinetheyhadpickedupastheycrossedmoscow，heleftthekvassformorel，andattackedthebottleofbordeaux.hewrappedanapkinroundthebottle，andpouredoutwineforhimselfandpierre.thewine，andthesatisfactionofhishunger，madethecaptainevenmorelively，andhechattedawaywithoutapausealldinner-time.

“yes，mydearm.pierre，ioweyouafinevotivecandleforsavingmefromthatmaniac.ihavebulletsenoughinmybody，youknow.hereisonefromwagram”（hepointedtohisside），“andtwofromsmolensk”（heshowedthescaronhischeek）.“andthislegwhichwon’twalk，asyousee.itwasatthegreatbattleoflamoskowaonthe7ththatigotthat.sacrédieu，itwasfine！yououghttohaveseenthat；itwasadelugeoffire.youcutusoutatoughjob；youcanboastofthat，mywordonit！andonmyword，inspiteofthecoughicaught，ishouldbereadytobeginagain.ipitythosewhodidnotseeit.”

“iwasthere，”saidpierre.

“really！”pursuedthefrenchman.“well，somuchthebetter.youarefineenemies，though.thegreatredoubtwaswellheld，bymypipe.andyoumadeuspayheavilyforittoo.iwasatitthreetimes，asi’msittinghere.threetimeswewereuponthecannons，andthreetimesweweredrivenbacklikecardboardfigures.oh，itwasfine，m.pierre.yourgrenadiersweresuperb，god’sthunder.isawthemsixtimesinessionclosetheranksandmarchasthoughonparade.finefellows.ourkingofnaples，whoknowsallaboutit，cried，bravo！ah，ah，soldierslikeourselves，”hesaidafteramoment’ssilence.“somuchthebetter，somuchthebetter，m.pierre.terribleinwar…gallant，withthefair”（hewinkedwithasmile）—“thereyouhavethefrench，m.pierre，eh？”

thecaptainwassona？velyandgood-humouredlygayandobtuseandself-satisfiedthatpierrealmostwinkedinresponse，ashelookedgood-humouredlyathim.probablytheword“gallant”broughtthecaptaintoreflectonthestateofthingsinmoscow.

“bytheway，tellme，isittruethatallthewomenhaveleftmoscow？whataqueeridea！whathadtheytofear？”

“wouldnotthefrenchladiesquitparis，iftherussiansweretoenterit？”saidpierre.

“ha—ha—ha！…”thefrenchmangaveventtoagay，sanguinechuckle，slappingpierreontheshoulder.“that’sagoodone，thatis，”hewenton.“paris…butparis…”

“parisisthecapitaloftheworld，”saidpierre，finishingthesentenceforhim.

thecaptainlookedatpierre.hehadthehabitofstoppingshortinthemiddleofconversation，andstaringintentlywithhislaughinggenialeyes.