第439章

第439章“oh！weusedtobefriends,”saidkutuzov,morecheerily.“verygood,verygood,mydearboy;youstayhereonthestaff;we’llhaveatalkto-morrow.”noddingtodenisov,heturnedawayandputouthishandforthepaperskonovnitsynhadbroughthim.

“willnotyourhighnessbepleasedtowalkintothehouse？”saidthegeneralondutyinadiscontentedvoice;“it’snecessarytolookthroughtheplansandtosignsomepapers.”anadjutantappearedatthedoortoannouncethateverythingwasinreadinesswithin.butapparentlykutuzovpreferredtoberidofbusinessbeforegoingindoors.hepaused…

“no;haveatableplacedhere,mydearboy;i’lllookthroughthemhere,”hesaid.“don’tyougoaway,”headded,addressingprinceandrey.princeandreyremainedintheporchlisteningtothegeneralonduty.

whilethelatterwaspresentinghisreportprinceandreyheardthewhisperofawoman’svoiceandtherustleofawoman’ssilkdressatthedoor.severaltimesglancinginthatdirectionhenoticedbehindthedooraplump,rosy-faced,good-lookingwomaninapinkdresswithalilacsilkkerchiefonherhead.shehadadishinherhandandwasapparentlywaitingforthecommander-in-chieftoenter.kutuzov’sadjutantexplainedtoprinceandreyinawhisperthatthiswasthepriest’swife,themistressofthehouse,whointendedtoofferhishighnessbreadandsalt,theemblemsofwelcome,onhisentrance.herhusbandhadmethishighnesswiththecrossinchurch,andsheintendedtowelcomehimtothehouse.…“she’sverypretty,”addedtheadjutantwithasmile.kutuzovlookedroundatthewords.heheardthegeneral’sreport,thesubjectofwhichwaschieflyacriticismofthepositionofthetroopsbeforetsarevo-zaimishtche,justashehadhearddenisov,andjustas,sevenyearsbefore,hehadheardthediscussionsofthemilitarycouncilbeforeausterlitz.hewasobviouslyhearingitsimplybecausehehadears,andalthoughoneofthemwasstuffedupwithcotton-wooltheycouldnothelphearing.butitwasobviousthatnothingthatgeneralcouldpossiblysaycouldsurpriseorinteresthim,thatheknewbeforehandallhewouldbetold,andlistenedonlybecausehehadtolistentoit,justasonehastolistentothelitanybeingsung.alldenisovhadsaidwaspracticalandsensible.whatthegeneralwassayingwasevenmorepracticalandsensible,butapparentlykutuzovdespisedbothknowledgeandintellect,andknewofsomethingelsethatwouldsettlethings—somethingdifferent,quiteapartfromintellectandknowledge.princeandreywatchedthecommander-in-chief’sfaceattentively,andtheonlyexpressionhecoulddetectinitwasanexpressionofboredom,ofcuriositytoknowthemeaningofthefemininewhisperingatthedoor,andofadesiretoobservetheproprieties.itwasobviousthatkutuzovdespisedintellectandlearning,andeventhepatrioticfeelingdenisovhadshown;buthedidnotdespisethemthroughintellect,northroughsentiment,northroughlearning（forhemadenoefforttodisplayanythingofthekind）,hedespisedthemthroughsomethingelse—throughhisoldage,throughhisexperienceoflife.theonlyinstructionofhisownthatkutuzovinsertedinthereportrelatedtoactsofmaraudingbyrussiantroops.thegeneral,attheendofthereport,presentedhishighnessadocumentforsignaturerelatingtoapetitionfordamagesfromalandownerforthecuttingofhisoatsbycertainofficers.

kutuzovsmackedhislipstogetherandshookhishead,ashelistenedtothematter.

“intothestove…intothefirewithit！anditellyouonceforall,mydearfellow,”hesaid,“allsuchthingsputintothefire.letthemcutthecornandburnthewoodtotheirheart’scontent.it’snotbymyordersandit’snotwithmypermission,butican’tpursuethematter.itcan’tbehelped.youcan’thewdowntreeswithoutthechipsflying.”heglancedoncemoreatthepaper.“oh,thisgermanpreciseness,”hecommented,shakinghishead.