第412章

第412章bleakhillstheestateofprincenikolayandreitchbolkonsky,wassixtyverstsfromsmolensk,alittletotherearofit,andthreeverstsfromthemainroadtomoscow.

thesameeveningonwhichtheoldprincegavealpatitchhisinstructions,dessalleaskedforafewwordswithprincessmarya,andtoldherthatsincetheprincewasnotquitewellandwastakingnostepstosecurehisownsafety,thoughfromprinceandrey’sletteritwasplainthattostayonatbleakhillswasnotfreefromdanger,herespectfullyadvisedhertowriteherself,andsendbyalpatitchalettertothegovernoratsmolensk,andtoaskhimtoletherknowthepositionofaffairsandthedegreeofdangertheywererunningatbleakhills.dessallewrotethelettertothegovernorforprincessmaryaandshesignedit,andtheletterwasgiventoalpatitchwithinstructionstogiveittothegovernor,andincasetherewasdanger,tocomebackasquicklyaspossible.

whenhehadreceivedallhisorders,alpatitchputonhiswhitebeaverhat—agiftfromtheprince—andcarryingastickinhishand,liketheprince,wentout,accompaniedbyallhishousehold,togetintotheleathergigharnessedtothreesleek,roanhorses.

thebellsweretiedupandstuffedwithpaper.theprinceallowednooneatbleakhillstodrivewithbells.butalpatitchlovedtohavebellsringingwhenhewentalongjourney.allalpatitch’ssatellites,thecounting-houseclerk,theservants’cookandtheheadcook,twooldwomen,afoot-boy,acoachman,andvariousotherservantssawhimoff.

hisdaughterputchintz-covered,downpillowsunderhimandbehindhisback.hisoldsister-in-lawslylypoppedinakerchieffullofthings.oneofthecoachmenhelpedhimtogetin.

“there,there,women’sfuss！womenfolk,womenfolk！”saidalpatitch,puffingandtalkingrapidly,justastheoldprinceusedtotalk.hesatdowninthegig,givingthecounting-houseclerkhislastdirectionsabouttheworktobedoneinthefields;andthendroppinghisimitationoftheprince,alpatitchtookhishatoffhisbaldheadandcrossedhimselfthreetimes.

“ifthere’sanything…youturnback,yakovalpatitch;forchrist’ssake,thinkofus,”hiswifecalledtohim,alludingtotherumoursofwarandoftheenemynear.

“ah,thesewomenandtheirfuss！”alpatitchmutteredtohimselfashedroveoff,lookingabouthimatthefields.hesawryeturningyellow,thickoatsstillgreen,andhereandtherepatchesstillblack,wheretheywereonlyjustbeginningthesecondploughing.alpatitchdroveon,admiringthecropofcorn,singularlyfinethatseason,staringattheryefields,insomeofwhichreapingwasalreadybeginning,meditatinglikeatruehusbandmanonthesowingandtheharvest,andwonderingwhetherhehadforgottenanyoftheprince’sinstructions.hestoppedtwicetofeedhishorsesontheway,andtowardstheeveningofthe4thofaugustreachedthetown.

allthewayalpatitchhadmetandovertakenonsandtroops,andashedroveintosmolenskheheardfiringinthedistance,buthescarcelyheededthesound.whatstruckhimmorethananythingwasthatclosetosmolenskhesawasplendidfieldofoatsbeingmowndownbysomesoldiersevidentlyforforage;therewasacamp,too,pitchedinthemiddleofit.thisdidmakeanimpressionuponalpatitch,buthesoonforgotitinthinkingoverhisownaffairs.

alltheinterestsofalpatitch’slifehadbeenforoverthirtyyearsboundedbythewilloftheprince,andheneversteppedoutsidethatlimit.anythingthathadnothingtodowithcarryingouttheprince’sordershadnointerest,hadinfactnoexistenceforalpatitch.

onreachingsmolenskontheeveningofthe4thofaugust,alpatitchputupwherehehadbeeninthehabitofputtingupforthelastthirtyyears,atatavernkeptbyaformerhouse-porter,ferapontov,beyondthednieperinthegatchenskyquarter.twelveyearsbefore,ferapontovhadprofitedbyalpatitch’sgoodofficestobuytimberfromtheoldprince,andhadbegungoingintotrade;andbynowhehadahouse,aninnandacorn-dealer’sshopinthetown.ferapontovwasastout,dark,ruddypeasantofforty,withthicklips,athick,knobbynose,similarknobbybumpsoverhisblack,knittedbrows,andaroundbelly.

hewasstandinginhisprintshirtandhiswaistcoatinfrontofhisshop,whichlookedintothestreet.hesawalpatitch,andwentuptohim.

“you’rekindlywelcome,yakovalpatitch.folkaregoingoutofthetown,whileyoucomeintoit,”saidhe.

“how’sthat？outoftown？”saidalpatitch.

“tobesure,ialwayssayfolksarefools.alwaysfrightenedofthefrench.”

“women’snonsense,women’snonsense！”repliedalpatitch.

“that’sjustwhatithink,yakovalpatitch.isaythere’sanoticeputupthattheywon’tletthemcomein,sotobesurethat’sright.butthepeasantsareaskingasmuchasthreeroublesforacartandhorse—they’venoconscience！”

yakovalpatitchheardwithoutheeding.heaskedforasamovar,andforhayforhishorses;andafterdrinkingtealaydowntosleep.

allnightlongthetroopsweremovingalongthestreetbythetavern.nextdayalpatitchputonatunic,whichhekeptforwearingintown,andwentouttoexecutehiscommissions.itwasasunnymorning,andbyeighto’clockitwashot.“apreciousdayfortheharvest,”asalpatitchthought.fromearlymorningfiringcouldbeheardfrombeyondthetown.

ateighto’clocktheboomofcannonmingledwiththerattleofmusketry.thestreetswerethrongedwithpeople,hurryingabout,andalsowithsoldiers,butdriverspliedforhire,theshopkeepersstoodattheirshops,andserviceswerebeingheldinthechurchesjustasusual.alpatitchwenttotheshops,tothegovernmentoffices,tothepostandtothegovernor’s.everywherethathewenteveryonewastalkingofthewar,andoftheenemywhowasattackingthetown.allwereaskingoneanotherwhatwastobedone,andtryingtocalmeachother’sfears.