第417章

第417章thenheturnedawayinangerathisownweakness,andbegangivinghimanaccountofthepositionofaffairs.everythingpreciousandvaluablehadbeenmovedtobogutcharovo.corntotheamountofahundredmeasureshadbeencarriedaway,butthehay,andthewheat—anextraordinarycropthatseason,soalpatitchsaid—hadbeencutgreenandcarriedoffbythetroops.thepeasantswereruined：someofthem,too,hadgonetobogutcharovo;asmallnumberremained.princeandrey,notheedinghiswords,asked,“whendidmyfatherandsistergo？”meaningwhenhadtheysetoffformoscow.alpatitch,assuminghewasaskingabouttheremovaltobogutcharovo,answeredthattheyhadsetoffonthe7th,andbegangoingoffagainintodetailsaboutthecrops,askingforinstructions.

“isityourhonour’sordersthatilettheoatsgoongettingareceiptfromtheofficers？”askedalpatitch.“wehavestillsixhundredmeasuresleft.”

“whatamitosaytohim？”princeandreywondered,lookingattheoldman’sbaldheadshininginthesun,andreadinginhisfacetheconsciousnessthatheknewhimselftheuntimelinessofthosequestions,andaskedthemonlytostiflehisowngrief.

“yes,letitgo,”hesaid.

“ifyourexcellencynoticedanydisorderinthegarden,”saidalpatitch,“itcouldnotbeprevented;threeregimentshavebeenhereandspentthenight.thedragoonsweretheworst;inoteddownthenameandrankofthecommandingofficertolodgeacomplaint.”

“well,andwhatareyougoingtodo？shallyoustay,iftheenemyoccupiestheplace？”princeandreyaskedhim.

alpatitchturnedhisfacetowardsprinceandreyandlookedathim;thenallatonce,withasolemngesture,heliftedhishandupwards：“heismyprotector,andhiswillbedone！”hesaid.agroupofpeasantsandhouse-serfswerecomingacrossthemeadow,uncoveringtheirheadsastheydrewnearprinceandrey.

“well,good-bye！”saidprinceandrey,bendingovertoalpatitch.“goawayyourself;takewhatyoucan;andtellthepeasantstosetofffortheryazanestateorthepropertynearmoscow.”

alpatitchedhislegandbrokeintosobs.princeandreygentlymovedhimaway,andspurringhishorsegallopeddownthegardenwalk.

ontheterracetheoldmanwasstillsittingasbefore,asuninterestedasaflyonsomebeloveddeadface,knockingonthesoleofthebastshoe.andtwolittlegirlscamerunningfromtheplum-treesintheconservatorieswiththeirskirtsfullofplums.theyranalmostagainstprinceandrey,andseeingtheiryoungmaster,theelderoneclutchedheryoungercompanionbythehand,withapanic-strickenface,andhidwithherbehindabirch-treenotstoppingtopickupthegreenplumstheyhaddropped.

princeandreyturnedawayfromtheminnervoushaste,afraidoflettingthemnoticethathehadseenthem.hewassorrytohavefrightenedtheprettychild.hewasafraidtoglanceather,butyethefeltanirresistibleinclinationtodoso.anewsoothingandconsolatoryfeelingcameuponhim,asgazingatthelittlegirls,hebecameawareoftheexistenceofotherhumaninterests,utterlyremotefromhim,andaslegitimateashisown.thoselittlegirlswereevidentlypossessedbyonepassionatedesiretocarryoffanddevourthosegreenplumswithoutbeingcaught,andprinceandreywishedthemessintheirenterprise.hecouldnotresistglancingatthemoncemore.fancyingthemselvesalreadysecure,theyhaddartedoutoftheirhiding-place,andpipingsomethingintheirshrill,littlevoices,andholdinguptheirskirts,theyrangailyandswiftlythroughthegrasswiththeirbare,sunburntlittlefeet.

princeandreywassomewhatrefreshedbyhisrideoutsidetheregionofthedustofthehigh-roadalongwhichthetroopsweremarching.butherodebackintotheroadnotfarfrombleakhills,andovertookhisregimentatthehalting-placenearthedikeofasmallpond.itwasabouttwoo’clockintheafternoon.thesun,aredballthroughthedust,bakedandscorchedhisbackintolerablyinhisblackcoat.theduststoodasimmovableaseveroverthebuzzing,haltingtroops.therewasnotabreathofwind.asherodetowardsthedike,princeandreysmelledthefresh,muddysmellofthepond.helongedtobeinthewater,howevermuddyitmightbe.helookedroundatthepond,fromwhichheheardshrieksandlaughter.thesmallpond,thicklycoveredwithgreenslime,wasvisiblyhalfayardhigherandoverflowingthedam,becauseitwasfullofwhite,nakedhumanbodies,withbrick-redhandsandheadsandnecks,allplungingaboutinit.allthatbarewhitehumanfleshwassplashingaboutwithshrieksandlaughter,inthemuddypool,likecarpflounderinginanet.therewasaringofmerrimentinthatsplashing,andthatwaswhatmadeitpeculiarlysad.