第492章

第492章inthelargebestroomofthepeasantandreysavostyanov’scottage,attwoo’clock,acouncilmet.themenandwomenandchildrenofthepeasant’sbigfamilyallcrowdedtogetherintheroomontheothersideofthepassage.onlyandrey’slittlegrandchild,malasha,achildofsix,whomhishighnesshadpetted,givinghersugarwhilehedrankhistea,stayedbehindbythebigstoveinthebestroom.malashapeepedoutfromonthestovewithshydelightatthefaces,theuniforms,andthecrossesofthegenerals,whokeptcomingintotheroomoneafteranother,andsittinginarowonthebroadbenchesinthebestcornerundertheholyimages.“granddad”himself,asmalashainherownmindcalledkutuzov,wassittingapartfromtherestinthedarkcornerbehindthestove.hesatsunkallofaheapinafoldingarmchair,andwascontinuallyclearinghisthroatandstraighteningthecollarofhiscoat,which,thoughitwasunbuttoned,stillseemedtogallhisneck.thegenerals,astheycameinoneafteranother,walkeduptothecommander-in-chief：heshookhandswithsome,toothershemerelynodded.

theadjutant,kaisarov,wouldhavedrawnbackacurtainfromthewindowfacingkutuzov,butthelattershookhishandangrilyathim,andkaisarovsawthathishighnessdidnotcareforthemtoseehisface.

roundthepeasant’sdealtable,onwhichlaymaps,plans,pencils,andpapers,therewassuchacrowdthattheorderliesbroughtinanotherbench,andsetitnearthetable.yermolov,kaisarov,andtollseatedthemselvesonthisbench.intheforemostplace,undertheholyimages,satbarclaydetolly,withhisorderofst.georgeonhisneck,withhispale,sicklyfaceandhighforeheadthatmethisbaldhead.hehadbeeninthethroesoffeverforthelasttwodays,andwasshiveringandshakingnow.besidehimsatuvarov,speakingtohimwithrapidgesticulationsinthesamelowvoiceinwhicheverybodyspoke.littlechubbydohturovwaslisteningattentivelywithhiseyebrowsraisedandhishandsclaspedoverhisstomach.ontheotherside,restinghisbroadheadonhishand,satcountosterman-tolstoy,withhisboldfeaturesandbrillianteyes,apparentlyplungedinhisownthoughts.raevskysattwistinghisblackcurlsonhistemples,ashealwaysdid,andlookingwithimpatiencefromkutuzovtothedoor.konovnitsyn’sfirm,handsome,good-humouredfacewasbrightwithaslyandkindlysmile.hecaughtmalasha’seye,andmadesignstoherwithhiseyes,thatsetthelittlegirlsmiling.

theywereallwaitingforbennigsen,who,onthepretextofafreshinspectionoftheposition,wasengagedinfinishinghisluxuriousdinner.theywaitedforhimfromfourtosixo’clock,andallthattimedidnotenterontheirdeliberations,buttalkedofextraneousmattersinsubduedtones.

onlywhenbennigsenhadenteredthehut,kutuzovmovedoutofhiscornerandcameuptothetable,butsattheresothathisfacedidnotcomewithinthelightofthecandlesonit.

bennigsenopenedthecouncilbythequestion：whethertoabandontheholyandancientcapitalofrussia,ortodefendit？

aprolongedsilencefollowed.everyfacewasknitted,andinthestillnesskutuzovcouldbeheardangrilycoughingandclearinghisthroat.alleyeswerefixedonhim.malashatoogazedat“granddad.”

shewasnearestofalltohim,andsawthathisfacewasworking;heseemedtobegoingtocry.butthatdidnotlastlong.