第416章

第416章fromsmolenskthetroopscontinuedtoretreat.theenemyfollowedthem.onthe10thofaugusttheregimentofwhichprinceandreywasincommandwasmarchingalongthehigh-roadpasttheavenuethatledtobleakhills.theheatanddroughthadlastedmorethanthreeweeks.everydaycurlycloudspassedoverthesky,rarelycoveringthesun;buttowardseveningtheskyclearedagainandthesunsetinaglowing,redmist.butaheavydewrefreshedtheearthatnight.thewheatleftinthefieldswasburntupanddroppingoutoftheear.themarshesweredry.thecattlelowedfromhunger,findingnothingtograzeoninthesunbakedmeadows.onlyatnightinthewoods,aslongasthedewlasted,itwascool.butontheroad,onthehigh-roadalongwhichthetroopsmarched,therewasnocoolnessevenatnight,notevenwheretheroadpassedthroughthewoods.thedewwasimperceptibleonthesandydustoftheroad,morethanafootdeep.assoonasitwasdaylight,thesoldiersbegantomove.thetransportsandartillerymovednoiselessly,burieduptotheiraxles,andtheinfantrysanktotheiranklesinthesoft,stifling,burningdust,thatnevergotcoolevenatnight.thesandydustclungtotheirlegsandtothewheels,roseinacloudovertheirheads,andgotintotheeyesandhairandnostrilsandlungsofthemenandbeaststhatmovedalongtheroad.thehigherthesunrose,thehigherrosethecloudofdust,andthroughthefine,burningdustthesuninthecloudlessskylookedlikeapurpleball,atwhichonecouldgazewithundazzledeyes.therewasnowind,andthemengaspedforbreathinthestagnantatmosphere.theymarchedwithhandkerchiefstiedovertheirmouthsandnoses.whentheyreachedthevillages,therewasarushforthewells.theyfoughtoverthewateranddrankitdowntothemud.

princeandreywasincommandofaregiment;andthemanagementoftheregiment,thewelfareofhismen,thenecessityofreceivingandgivingordersoccupiedhismind.theburningandabandonmentofsmolenskmadeanepochinprinceandrey’slife.anewfeelingofintensehatredoftheenemymadehimforgethisownsorrow.hewasdevotedheartandsoultotheinterestsofhisregiment;hewascarefulofthewelfareofhismenandhisofficers,andcordialinhismannerwiththem.theycalledhimintheregiment“ourprince,”wereproudofhim,andlovedhim.buthewaskindandgentleonlywithhisownmen,withtimohin,andotherslikehim,peoplequitenewtohim,belongingtoadifferentworld,peoplewhocouldhavenonotionofhispast.assoonashewasbroughtintocontactwithanyofhisoldacquaintances,anyofthestaffofficers,hebristledupagainatonce,andwasvindictive,ironical,andcontemptuous.everythingassociatedbymemorieswiththepastwasrepulsivetohim,andso,inhisrelationswiththatoldworld,heconfinedhimselftotryingtodohisduty,andnottobeunfair.

princeandrey,infact,saweverythinginthedarkest,gloomiestlight,especiallyaftersmolensk,whichheconsideredcouldandshouldhavebeendefended,hadbeenabandoned,onthe6thofaugust,andhisinvalidfatherhadbeenforced,ashesupposed,tofleetomoscow,leavingbleakhills,thehousethathehadsoloved,thathehaddesignedandsettledwithhispeasants,tobeplundered.butinspiteofthat,thankstohisposition,princeandreyhadanothersubjecttothinkof,quiteapartfromallgeneralquestions,hisregiment.onthe10thofaugust,thecolumnofwhichhisregimentformedpartreachedtheturningleadingofftobleakhills.twodaysbeforeprinceandreyhadreceivedthenewsthathisfather,hisson,andhissisterhadgoneawaytomoscow.thoughtherewasnothingforprinceandreytodoatbleakhills,hedecided,withcharacteristicdesiretoaggravatehisownsufferings,thathemustrideoverthere.

heorderedhishorsetobesaddled,andturnedofffromthemainlineofmarchtowardshisfather’shouse,wherehehadbeenbornandhadspenthischildhood.asherodebythepond,wheretherealwaysusedtobedozensofpeasantwomengossiping,rinsingtheirlinen,orbeatingitwithwashingbats,princeandreynoticedthattherewasnoonebythepond,andthattheplatformwheretheyusedtostandhadbeentornaway,andwasfloatingsidewaysinthemiddleofthepond,halfunderwater.princeandreyrodeuptothekeeper’slodge.therewasnoonetobeseenatthestonegatesandthedoorwasopen.thepathsofthegardenwerealreadyovergrownwithweeds,andcattleandhorseswerestrayingabouttheenglishpark.princeandreyrodeuptotheconservatory：thepanesweresmashed,andsomeofthetreesintubswerebroken,othersquitedriedup.hecalledtaras,thegardener.nooneanswered.goingroundtheconservatoryontheterrace,hesawthatthepaling-fencewasallbrokendown,andbranchesoftheplum-treeshadbeenpulledoffwiththefruit.anoldpeasant,whomprinceandreyusedtoseeinhischildhoodatthegate,wassittingonthegreengardenseatplaitingbastshoes.

hewasdeaf,anddidnothearprinceandrey’sapproach.hewassittingontheseatonwhichtheoldprincelikedtosit,andnearhimthebastwashangingonthebranchesofabrokenanddried-upmagnolia.

princeandreyrodeuptothehouse.severallime-treesintheoldgardenhadbeencutdown;apiebaldmareandacoltwereamongtherose-treesjustbeforethehouse.theshutterswereallupinthehouse,exceptononeopenwindowdownstairs.aservantladcaughtsightofprinceandreyandranintothehouse.

alpatitchhadsenthisfamilyaway,andwasstayingonaloneatbleakhills.hewassittingindoors,readingthelivesofthesaints.onhearingthatprinceandreyhadcome,heranout,spectaclesonnose,buttoninghimselfup,hurrieduptotheprince,andwithoututteringaword,burstintotears,kissinghisknee.