第433章

第433章onthe17thofaugustrostovandilyin,accompaniedbylavrushka,whohadjustcomebackfrombeingtakenprisonerbythefrench,andanhussaronorderlyduty,rodeoutfromyankovo,fifteenverstsfrombogutcharovo.theymeanttotryanewhorsethatilyinhadbought,andtofindoutwhethertherewashaytobehadinthevillage.

bogutcharovohadbeenforthelastthreedaysbetweenthetwohostilearmies,sothattherussianrearguardcouldreachthevillageaseasilyasthefrenchvanguard;andthereforerostov,likeacarefulofficer,wasanxioustoanticipatethefrenchinsecuringanyprovisionsthatmightbeleftthere.

rostovandilyinwereintheliveliestspirits.onthewaytobogutcharovo,whichtheyknewtobeanestatebelongingtoaprince,withamanor-house,wheretheyhopedtofindalargehousehold,and,perhaps,prettyservant-girls,theyquestionedlavrushkaaboutnapoleon,andlaughedathisstories;thenracedtheirhorsestotestilyin’snewpurchase.rostovhadnonotionthatthevillagetowhichhewasgoingwasthepropertyoftheveryprincebolkonskywhohadbeenbetrothedtohissister.

rostovandilyinhadjustlettheirhorsesracetilltheywerewearyforthelasttimebeforebogutcharovo,androstov,outstrippingilyinwasthefirsttogallopintothevillagestreet.

“youstartedinfront,”saidilyin,flushed.

“yes,alwaysinfront,inthemeadowandheretoo,”answeredrostov,pattinghisfoamingdonhorse.

“andonmyfrenchy,yourexcellency,”saidlavrushkafrombehind,meaningthewretchedcart-horsehewasriding,“icouldhaveovertakenyou,onlyididn’twanttoputyoutoshame.”

theyrodeatawalkingpacetowardsthegranary,wheretherewasagreatcrowdofpeasantsstanding.severalofthepeasantstookofftheircaps,othersstaredatthemwithouttakingofftheircaps.twooldpeasants,withwrinkledfacesandscantybeards,cameoutofthetavern,reelingandsingingatunelesssong,andadvancedwithsmilestowardstheofficers.“they’refinefellows！”saidrostov,laughing.“well,haveyouanyhay？”

“andsoalike,somehow…”saidilyin.

“ma…a…akingmer…ryinmysum…sum…mer…”chantedthepeasant,withablissfulsmile.

apeasantcameoutofthecrowdandwentuptorostov.

“whichpartwillyoubefrom？”askedthepeasant.

“we’refrench,”answeredilyin,laughing.“andthisisnapoleonhimself,”hesaid,pointingtolavrushka.

“isupposeyouarerussiansthen？”thepeasantinquired.

“andhaveyoumanytroopshere？”askedanothershortpeasant,approaching.

“agreatmany,”answeredrostov.“butwhyareyouallassembledhere？”headded.“isitaholidayorwhat？”

“theoldmenaremetaboutthevillagebusiness,”answeredthepeasant,movingawayfromhim.

atthatmomenttherecameintosighttwowomenandamaninawhitehatrunningfromtheprince’shousetowardstheofficers.

“theoneinpink’smine;handsoff,beware！”saidilyin,noticingdunyasharunningresolutelytowardsthem.

“she’llbethegirlforus！”saidlavrushka,winkingtoilyin.

“whatisityouwant,mypretty？”saidilyin,smiling.

“theprincesssentmetoaskofwhatregimentareyou,andwhatisyourname？”

“thisiscountrostov,thecommanderofthesquadron,andiamyourhumbleservant.”

“mer…mer…mer…arbour！”chantedthedrunkenpeasant,smilingblissfully,andgazingatilyinashetalkedtothegirl.alpatitchfolloweddunyasha,takingoffhishattorostovasheapproached.

“imakeboldtotroubleyourhonour,”hesaid,puttingonehandinhisbosom,andspeakingwitharespectfulnessinwhichtherewasashadeofcontemptfortheofficer’syouth.“mymistress,thedaughterofgeneral-in-chiefprincenikolayandreitchbolkonsky,whodiedonthe15thofthismonth,beingindifficultiesowingtothecoarseignoranceofthosepeople”—hepointedtothepeasants—“begsyoutocome…wouldyounotbepleased,”saidalpatitch,withamelancholysmile,“tomovealittleaway,asitisnotsoconvenientbefore…”alpatitchindicatedtwopeasants,whowerehoveringabouthim,likegadfliesaboutahorse.

“ay！…alpatitch！…ay！yakovalpatitch！first-ratejob！eh？…forchrist’ssake,forgiveus.first-rate！ay？”criedthepeasants,smilinggleefullyathim.