第480章
第480章oneofthedoctorscameoutofthetentwithablood-stainedapron,andsmall,blood-stainedhands,inoneofwhichhehadacigar,carefullyheldbetweenhisthumbandlittlefinger,thatitmightnotbestainedtoo.thisdoctorthrewhisheadup,andlookedabouthim,butoverthelevelofthewoundedcrowd.hewasevidentlylongingforashortrespite.afterturninghisheadfromrighttoleftforafewminutes,hesighedanddroppedhiseyesagain.
“allright,immediately,”hesaidinreplytoanassistant,whopointedhimourprinceandrey,andhebadethebearerscarryhimintothetent.
amurmurroseinthecrowdofwoundedmenwaiting.
“eveninthenextworldit’sonlythegentrywhowillhaveagoodtime,”saidone.
princeandreywascarriedin,andlaidonatablethathadjustbeencleared,andwasbeingrinsedoverbyanassistant.hecouldnotmakeoutdistinctlywhatwasinthetent.thepitifulgroansonallsides,andtheexcruciatingpaininhisthigh,hisstomach,andhisbackdistractedhisattention.everythinghesawaroundmeltedforhimintoasinglegeneralimpressionofnaked,blood-stained,humanflesh,whichseemedtofillupthewholelow-pitchedtent,as,afewweeksbefore,onthathotaugustday,thebarehumanfleshhadfilledupthedirtypondalongthesmolenskroad.yes,itwasthesameflesh,thesamechairàcanon,thesightofwhichhadarousedinhimthenahorror,thatseemedpropheticofwhathefeltnow.
therewerethreetablesinthetent.twowereoccupied,onthethirdtheylaidprinceandrey.forsometimehewasleftalone,aninvoluntarywitnessofwhatwasbeingdoneattheothertables.onthetablenearestsatatatar,probablyofacossackregiment,judgingfromtheuniformthathadbeenthrowndowncloseby.foursoldierswereholdinghim.adoctorinspectacleswascuttingsomethinginhisbrown,muscularback.
‘ooh!ooh!ooh!…”thetatar,asitwere,grunted,andallofasudden,throwinguphisbroad,swarthy,sun-burnedface,andshowinghiswhiteteeth,hebeganling,twitching,andshriekingapiercinglyshrill,prolongedscream.ontheothertable,roundwhichanumberofpersonswerestanding,abig,stoutmanlayonhisback,withhisheadflungback.thecolourandcurlinessofthehairandtheshapeseemedstrangelyfamiliartoprinceandrey.severalassistantswereholdinghim,andweighingonhischest.onewhite,plumplegwasincessantlymovingwitharapid,spasmodictwitching.thismanwassobbingandchokingconvulsively.twodoctors—onewaspaleandtrembling—weremutelyengagedindoingsomethingwiththeotherred,goryleg.havingfinishedwiththetatar,overwhomacloakwasthrown,thedoctorinspectaclescameuptoprinceandrey,wipinghishands.
heglancedathisface,andhurriedlyturnedaway.“undresshim!whyareyoudawdling?”heshoutedangrilytotheassistant.