第413章

第413章atthegovernor’shouse,alpatitchfoundagreatnumberofpeople,andsawcossacks,andatravellingcarriagebelongingtothegovernorattheentrance.onthestepsyakovalpatitchmettwogentlemen,oneofwhomheknew.thisgentleman,aformerpolice-captain,wasspeakingwithgreatheat.

“well,thisisnojestingmatter,”hesaid.“goodluckforhimwhohasonlyhimselftothinkof.it’sbadenoughforonealone,butwhenonehasafamilyofthirteenandawholeproperty.…thingshavecometosuchapassthatweshallallberuined;what’sonetosayofthegovernmentafterthat？…ugh,i’dhangthebrigands.…”

“come,come,hush！”saidtheother.

“whatdoicare！lethimhear！why,we’renotdogs！”saidtheformerpolice-captain,andlookinground,hecaughtsightofalpatitch.

“ah,yakovalpatitch,howdoyoucomehere？”

“bycommandofhisexcellencytohishonourthegovernor,”answeredalpatitch,liftinghisheadproudlyandputtinghishandintohisbosom,ashealwaysdidwhenhementionedtheoldprince.…“hishonourwaspleasedtobidmeinquireintothepositionofaffairs,”hesaid.

“well,youmayaswellknowthen,”criedthegentleman;“theyhavebroughtmatterstosuchapassthattherearenocartstobegot,nothing！…that’sitagain,doyouhear？”hesaid,pointinginthedirectionfromwhichthesoundsoffiringcame.

“theyhavebroughtusalltoruin…thebrigands！”hedeclaredagain,andhewentdownthesteps.

alpatitchshookhisheadandwentup.thewaiting-roomwasfullofmerchants,women,andclerks,lookingdumblyatoneanother.thedoorofthegovernor’sroomopened,allofthemgotupandmadeaforwardmovement.aclerkranoutoftheroom,saidsomethingtoamerchant,calledastoutofficialwithacrossonhisnecktofollowhim,andvanishedagain,obviouslytryingtoavoidallthelooksandthequestionsaddressedtohim.alpatitchmovedforward,andthenexttimethesameclerkemerged,heputhishandintohisbuttonedcoat,andaddressedhim,handinghimthetwoletters.

“tohishonourthebaronashfromthegeneral-in-chiefprincebolkonsky,”heboomedoutwithsomuchpomposityandsignificancethattheclerkturnedtohimandtooktheletters.afewminutesafterwardsalpatitchwasshownintothepresenceofthegovernor,whosaidtohimhurriedly,“informtheprinceandtheprincessthatiknewnothingaboutit.iactedonthehighestinstructions—here.…”

hegavealpatitchadocument.

“still,astheprinceisnotwellmyadvicetohimistogotomoscow.i’msettingoffmyselfimmediately.tellthem…”butthegovernordidnotfinish;adustyandperspiringofficerranintotheroomandbegansayingsomethinginfrench.alookofhorrorcameintothegovernor’sface.

“youcango,”hesaid,noddingtoalpatitch,andheputsomequestionstotheofficer.eager,panic-stricken,helplessglanceswereturneduponalpatitchwhenhecameoutofthegovernor’sroom.alpatitchcouldnothelplisteningnowtofiring,whichseemedtocomecloserandtobegettinghotter,ashehurriedbacktotheinn.thedocumentthegovernorhadgiventoalpatitchranasfollows：

“iguaranteethatthetownofsmolenskisnotintheslightestdanger,anditisimprobablethatitshouldbethreatenedinanyway.imyselffromoneside,andprincebagrationfromtheother,willeffectajunctionbeforesmolenskonthe22ndinstant,andbotharmieswillproceedwiththeirjointforcestodefendtheircompatriotsoftheprovinceunderyourgovernment,tilltheireffortsbeatbacktheenemiesofourcountry,ortilltheirgallantranksarecutdowntothelastwarrior.youwillseefromthisthatyouhaveaperfectrighttoreassuretheinhabitantsofsmolensk,astheyaredefendedbytwosuchvaliantarmiesandcanbeconfidentoftheirvictory.

（“byorderofbarclaydetollytothecivilgovernorofsmolensk.baronash.1812.”）

crowdsofpeopleweremovinguneasilyaboutthestreets.ons,loadedupwithhouseholdcrockery,chairs,andcupboards,wereconstantlyemergingfromthegatesofhouses,andmovingalongthestreets.cartswerestandingattheentranceofthehousenexttoferapontov’s,andwomenwerewailingandexchanginggood-byes.theyarddogwasfriskingaboutthehorses,barking.

alpatitch’sstepwasmorehurriedthanusualasheenteredtheyard,andwentstraightundertheshedtohishorsesandcart.thecoachmanwasasleep;hewakedhimup,toldhimtoputthehorsesin,andwentintotheouterroomofthehouse.intheprivateroomofthefamily,heheardthewailingofchildren,theheartrendingsobsofawoman,andthefurious,huskyshoutingofferapontov.thecookcameflutteringintotheouterroomlikeafrightenedhen,justasalpatitchwalkedin.

“he’sbeatinghertodeath—beatingthemistress！…he’sbeatenherso,thrashedherso！…”

“whatfor？”askedalpatitch.

“shekeptingtogoaway.awoman’sway！takemeaway,saysshe;don’tbringmetoruinwithallmylittlechildren;folksareallgone,saysshe,whatareweabout？sohefelltobeatingher…beatingandthrashingher！”

alpatitchnoddedhishead,apparentlyinapprovalatthosewords;andnotcaringtohearmorehewenttowardsthedoorontheoppositesideleadingtotheroominwhichhispurchaseshadbeenleft.

“wretch,villain,”screamedathin,palewoman,burstingoutatthatmomentwithachildinherarmsandherkerchieftornoffherhead.sherandownthestepsintotheyard.ferapontovwasgoingafterher,butseeingalpatitch,hepulleddownhiswaistcoat,smoothedhishair,yawnedandfollowedalpatitchintotheroom.

“doyouwanttobegettingoffalready？”heasked.withoutansweringthequestionorlookingroundathim,alpatitchcollectedhispurchasesandaskedhowmuchheowedhim.

“we’llreckonup！beenatthegovernor’s,eh？”askedferapontov.“whatdidyouhear？”

alpatitchrepliedthatthegovernorhadtoldhimnothingdefinite.