第453章

第453章othersofpierre’sacquaintancesjoinedhim;andhehadnottimetoanswerallthequestionsaboutmoscowthatwereshowereduponhim,nortolistentoalltheyhadtotellhim.everyfaceworealookofexcitementandagitation.butitseemedtopierrethatthecauseoftheexcitementthatwasbetrayedbysomeofthosefaceswastobefoundinquestionsofpersonaless,andhecouldnotforgetthatotherlookofexcitementhehadseenintheotherfaces,thatestedproblems,notofpersonaless,buttheuniversalquestionsoflifeanddeath.

kutuzovnoticedpierre’sfigureandthegroupgatheredabouthim.

“callhimtome,”saidkutuzov.

anadjutantcommunicatedhishighness’sdesire,andpierrewenttowardsthebench.butamilitiamanapproachedkutuzovbeforehim.itwasdolohov.

“howdoesthatmancometobehere？”askedpierre.

“oh,he’ssuchaslydog,hepokeshimselfineverywhere！”wastheanswerhereceived.“hehasbeendegradedtotheranks,youknow.nowhewantstopopupagain.hehasmadeplansofsomesortandspiesintheenemy’slinesatnight…buthe’sapluckyfellow…”

pierretookoffhishatandbowedrespectfullytokutuzov.

“idecidedthatifiweretolaythematterbeforeyourhighness,youmightdismissmeorsaythatyouwereawareofthefactsandthenishouldn’tloseanything,”dolohovwassaying.

“tobesure.”

“andifiwereright,ishoulddoaserviceformyfatherland,forwhichiamreadytodie.”

“tobesure…tobesure…”

“andifyourhighnesshasneedofamanwhowouldnotsparehisskingraciouslyrememberme…perhapsimightbeofusetoyourhighness…”

“tobesure…tobesure…”repeatedkutuzov,lookingwithlaughing,half-closedeyeatpierre.

meanwhileboris,withhiscourtier-liketact,hadmovedclosetothecommander-in-chiefwithpierre,andinthemostnaturalmanner,inaquietvoice,asthoughcontinuinghispreviousconversation,hesaidtopierre：

“thepeasantmilitiamenhavesimplyputonclean,whiteshirtstobereadytodie.whatheroism,count！”

borissaidthistopierrewiththeevidentintentionofbeingoverheardbyhisexcellency.heknewkutuzov’sattentionwouldbecaughtbythosewords,andhishighnessdidinfactaddresshim.

“whatareyousayingaboutthemilitia？”hesaidtoboris.

“theyhaveputonwhiteshirts,yourhighness,bywayofpreparingforto-morrow,tobereadyfordeath.”

“ah！…amarvellous,uniquepeople,”saidkutuzov,andclosinghiseyesheshookhishead.“auniquepeople！”herepeated,withasigh.

“doyouwantasniffofpowder？”hesaidtopierre.“yes;apleasantsmell.ihavethehonourtobeoneofyourwife’sworshippers;isshequitewell？myquartersareatyourservice.”andkutuzovbegan,asoldpeopleoftendo,gazingabstractedlyabouthim,asthoughforgettingallhehadtosayordo.apparentlyrecollectingtheobjectofhissearch,hebeckonedtoandreysergeitchkaisarov,thebrotherofhisadjutant.

“howwasit,howdotheygo,thoseversesofmarin？howdotheygo？whathewroteongerakov：‘youwillbeteacherinthecorps…’tellme,tellme,”saidkutuzov,hiscountenancerelaxinginreadinessforalaugh.kaisarovrepeatedthelines…kutuzov,smiling,noddedhisheadtotherhythmoftheverse.

whenpierremovedawayfromkutuzov,dolohovapproachedandtookhishand

“iamverygladtomeetyouhere,count,”hesaid,aloud,disregardingthepresenceofoutsiders,andspeakingwithamarkeddeterminationandgravity.“ontheeveofadaywhichgodknowswhoamonguswillbedestinedtosurviveiamgladtohavethechanceoftellingyouthatiregretthemisunderstandingstherehavebeenbetweenusinthepast;andishouldbegladtothinkyouhadnothingagainstme.ibegyoutoforgiveme.”

pierrelookedwithasmileatdolohov,notknowingwhattosaytohim.withtearsstartingintohiseyes,dolohovembracedandkissedpierre.

borishadsaidafewwordstohisgeneral,andcountbennigsenaddressedpierre,proposingthatheshouldaccompanythemalongtheline.

“youwillfinditinteresting,”hesaid.

“yes,veryinteresting,”saidpierre.

halfanhourlaterkutuzovwasonhiswaybacktotatarinovo,whilebennigsenandhissuite,withpierreamongthem,wereinspectingtheposition.