第437章

第437章onreceivingthechiefcommandofthearmy,kutuzovrememberedprinceandreyandsenthimasummonstoheadquarters.

princeandreyreachedtsarevo-zaimishtcheontheverydayandattheveryhourwhenkutuzovwasmakinghisfirstinspectionofthetroops.princeandreystoppedinthevillageatthehouseofthepriest,wherethecommander-in-chief’scarriagewasstanding,andsatdownonabenchatthegatetoawaithishighness,aseveryonenowcalledkutuzov.fromtheplainbeyondthevillagecamethesoundsofregimentalmusic,andtheroarofavastmultitude,shouting“hurrah！”tothenewcommander-in-chief.atthegate,sometenpacesfromprinceandrey,stoodtwoorderlies,acourier,andabutler,takingadvantageoftheirmaster’sabsencetoenjoythefineweather.aswarthy,littlelieutenant-colonelofhussars,hisfacecoveredwithbushymoustachesandwhiskers,rodeuptothegate,andglancingatprinceandreyaskedwhetherhishighnesswereputtinguphereandwhetherhewouldsoonbeback.

princeandreytoldhimthathedidnotbelongtohishighness’sstaff,buthadonlyjustarrived.thelieutenant-colonelofhussarsturnedtothesmartorderly,andtheorderlytoldhimwiththepeculiarscornfulnesswithwhichacommander-in-chief’sorderliesdospeaktoofficers：

“hishighness？weexpecthimbackimmediately.whatisyourbusiness？”

theofficergrinnedinhismoustachesattheorderly’stone,dismounted,gavehishorsetoaservant,andwentuptobolkonskywithaslightbow.

bolkonskymaderoomforhimonthebench.thehussarsatdownbesidehim.

“you,too,waitingforthecommander-in-chief？”hebegan.“theysayheiswillingtoseeanyone,thankgod！itwasaverydifferentmatterwiththesausage-makers！yermolovmightwellasktobepromotedagerman.now,idaresay,russiansmaydaretospeakagain.anddevilknowswhattheyhavebeenabout.nothingbutretreatingandretreating.haveyoubeeninthefield？”heasked.

“ihavehadthepleasure,”saidprinceandrey,“notonlyoftakingpartintheretreat,butalsooflosingeverythingivaluedintheretreat—nottospeakofmypropertyandthehomeofmybirth…myfather,whodiedofgrief.iamasmolenskman.”

“ah！…areyouprincebolkonsky？verygladtomakeyouracquaintance.lieutenant-coloneldenisov,betterknownbythenameofvaska,”saiddenisov,pressingprinceandrey’shandandlookingintohisfacewithaparticularlykindlyexpression.“yes,ihadheardaboutit,”hesaidsympathetically,andafterabriefpauseheadded：“yes,thisisscythianwarfare.it’sallright,butnotforthosewhohavetopaythepiper.soyouareprinceandreybolkonsky？”heshookhishead.“iamveryglad,prince;verygladtomakeyouracquaintance,”headded,pressinghishandagainwithamelancholysmile.

princeandreyknewofdenisovfromnatasha’sstoriesofherfirstsuitor.therecollectionofthem—bothsweetandbitter—carriedhimbacktotheheart-sicknessofwhichhehadoflateneverthought,thoughitstilllayburiedwithinhim.oflatesomanydifferentandgravematters,suchastheabandonmentofsmolensk,hisvisittobleakhills,therecentnewsofhisfather’sdeath—somanyemotionshadfilledhisheartthatthosememorieshadlongbeenabsent,andwhentheyreturneddidnotaffecthimnearlysoviolently.andfordenisov,theassociationsawakenedbythenameofbolkonskybelongedtoafar-away,romanticpast,when,aftersupperandnatasha’ssinging,hardlyknowingwhathewasdoing,hehadmadeanoffertothegirloffifteen.hesmiledattherecollectionofthattimeandhislovefornatasha,andpassedatoncetowhathewasjustnowintenselyandexclusivelyinterestedin.thiswasaplanofcampaignhehadformedwhileondutyattheoutpostsduringtheretreat.hehadlaidtheplanbeforebarclaydetolly,andnowintendedtolayitbeforekutuzov.theplanwasbasedonthefactthatthelineofthefrenchoperationswastooextended,andontheestionthat,insteadoforalongwithafrontalattack,barringtheadvanceofthefrench,attacksshouldbemadeontheircommunications.hebeganexplaininghisplantoprinceandrey.

“theyarenotabletodefendallthatline;it’simpossible.i’llundertaketobreakthroughthem.givemefivehundredmenandiwouldcuttheircommunications,that’scertain！theonesystemtoadoptispartisanwarfare.”

denisovgotupandbeganwithgesticulationstoexplainhisplanstobolkonsky.inthemiddleofhisexpositiontheyheardtheshoutsofthearmy,minglingwithmusic,andsong,andapparentlycomingfromdetachedgroupsscatteredoveradistance.fromthevillagecamecheersandthetrampofhorses’hoofs.

“himselfiscoming,”shoutedthecossack,whostoodatthegate;“he’scoming！”

bolkonskyanddenisovmoveduptothegate,wheretherestoodaknotofsoldiers（aguardofhonour）,andtheysawkutuzovcomingdownthestreetmountedonalowbayhorse.animmensesuiteofgeneralsfollowedhim.barclayrodealmostbesidehim;acrowdofofficerswasrunningbehindandaroundthemshouting“hurrah！”

hisadjutantsgallopedintotheyardbeforehim.kutuzovimpatientlykickedhishorse,whichambledalongslowlyunderhisweight,andcontinuallynoddedhisheadandputhishanduptohiswhitehorse-guard’scap,witharedbandandnopeak.whenhereachedtheguardofhonour,asetofstalwartgrenadiers,mostlycavalrymen,salutinghim,helookedatthemforaminuteinsilence,withtheintent,unflinchinggazeofamanusedtocommand;thenheturnedtothegroupofgeneralsandofficersstandingroundhim.hisfacesuddenlyworeasubtleexpression;heedhisshoulderswithanairofperplexity.“andwithfellowslikethatretreatandretreat！”hesaid.“well,good-bye,general,”headded,andspurredhishorseintothegatewaybyprinceandreyanddenisov.

“hurrah！hurrah！hurrah！”rangoutshoutsbehindhim.