第382章

第382章thearmyhadbeencompelledtoretreatfromvilnaowingtovariouscomplexconsiderationsofstate，ofpolicy，andtactics.everystepofthatretreathadbeenaccompaniedbyacomplicatedplayofinterests，arguments，andpassionsatheadquarters.forthehussarsofthepavlogradregiment，however，thiswholemarchinthefinestpartofthesummer，withamplesuppliesofprovisions，wasamostsimpleandagreeablebusiness.depression，uneasiness，andintriguewerepossibleonlyatheadquarters；therankandfileofthearmyneverevenwonderedwhereandwhytheyweregoing.iftheretreatwasasubjectofregret，itwassimplyowingtothenecessityofleavingquartersonehadgrownusedtooraprettypolishhostess.iftheideadidoccurtoanyonethatthingswereamiss，hetried，asagoodsoldiershould，toputacheerfulfaceonit；andtokeephisthoughtsfixedonthedutythatlaynearest，andnotonthegeneralprogressofthewar.atfirsttheyhadbeenverypleasantlystationednearvilna，wheretheymadeacquaintancewiththepolishgentryoftheneighbourhood，preparedforreviews，andwerereviewedbythetsarandvariouscommandersofhighauthority.thencamethecommandtoretreattosventsyany，andtodestroyallthestoresthatcouldnotbecarriedaway.sventsyanywasmemorabletothehussarssimplyasthedrunkencamp，thenamegiventotheencampmenttherebythewholearmy，andasthesceneofmanycomplaintsagainstthetroops，whohadtakenadvantageoforderstocollectstores，andundertheheadofstoreshadcarriedoffhorsesandcarriagesandcarpetsfromthepolishlandowners.rostovrememberedsventsyany，becauseontheverydayofhisarrivaltherehehaddismissedhisquartermasteranddidnotknowhowtomanagethemenofhissquadron，whohad，withouthisknowledge，carriedofffivebarrelsofstrongoldaleandwerealldrunk.fromsventsyanytheyhadfallenfurtherback，andthenfurtheragain，tilltheyreacheddrissa；andfromdrissatheyretreatedagain，tilltheyweregettingnearthefrontiersofrussiaproper.

onthe13thofjulythepavlogradhussarstookpartintheirfirstseriousaction.

onthepreviouseveningtherehadbeenaviolentstormofrainandhail.thesummerof1812wasremarkablystormythroughout.

thetwopavlogradsquadronswerebivouackinginthemiddleofafieldofrye，whichwasalreadyinear，buthadbeencompletelytroddendownbythecattleandhorses.therainwasfallingintorrents，androstovwassittingwithayoungofficer，ilyin，aprotégéofhis，underashanty，thathadbeenhastilyedupforthem.anofficeroftheirregiment，adornedwithlongmoustaches，thathungdownfromhischeeks，wascaughtintherainonhiswaybackfromvisitingthestaff，andhewentintorostov’sshantyforshelter.

“i’monmywayfromthestaff，count.haveyouheardofraevsky’sexploit？”andtheofficerproceededtorelatetothemdetailsofthesaltanovbattlethathadbeentoldhimatthestaff.

rostovsmokedhispipe，andledhisneck，downwhichthewaterwastrickling.helistenedwithlittleinterest，lookingfromtimetotimeattheyoungofficerilyin，whowassquattingbesidehim.ilyin，aladofsixteen，whohadlatelyjoinedtheregiment，tooknowwithnikolaytheplacenikolayhadtakensevenyearsbeforewithdenisov.ilyintriedtoimitaterostovineverythingandadoredhim，asagirlmighthavedone.

theofficerwiththedoublemoustaches，zdrzhinsky，inaveryhigh-flownmanner，describedthedikeatsaltanovastherussianthermopylae，andtheheroicdeedofgeneralraevskyonthatdikeasworthyofantiquity.zdrzhinskytoldthenhowraevskyhadthrusthistwosonsforwardonthedikeunderaterrificfire，andhadchargedattheirside.rostovlistenedtothetale，andsaidnothingbetokeningsympathywithzdrzhinsky’senthusiasm.helooked，indeed，asthoughashamedofwhathewastold，butnotintendingtogainsayit.afterausterlitzandthecampaignof1807，rostovknewfromhisownexperiencethatmenalwaysliewhentheydescribedeedsofbattle，ashedidhimselfindeed.hehadhadtoosufficientexperiencetoknowthateverythinginbattlehappensutterlydifferentlyfromourimaginationanddescriptionofit.andsohedidnotlikezdrzhinsky’sstory，anddidnot，indeed，likezdrzhinskyhimself，whohad，besideshisunprepossessingmoustaches，ahabitofbendingrightoverintothefaceofthepersonhewasspeakingto.hewasintheirwayinthecrampedlittleshanty.rostovlookedathimwithoutspeaking.“inthefirstplace，onthediketheywerechargingtheremusthavebeensuchacrowdandconfusionthat，ifraevskyreallythrusthissonsforward，itwouldhavehadnoeffectexceptonthedozenmenclosesttohim，”thoughtrostov；“therestcouldnothaveevenseenwhowerewithraevskyonthedike.andthosewhodidseeitwerenotlikelytobegreatlyaffectedbyit，forwhatthoughthadtheytospareforraevsky’stender，parentalfeelings，whentheyhadtheirownskinstothinkofsaving？andbesidesthefateofthecountrydidnotdependonwhetherthatdikewastakenornot，aswearetoldthefateofgreecediddependonthermopylae.andthenwhatwastheobjectofsuchasacrifice？whydoyourownchildrenamischiefinwar？iwouldn’tputpetya，mybrother，inaplaceofdanger；no，evenilyinhere，who’snothingtomebutagood-naturedlad，iwoulddomybesttokeepsafeandsheltered，”rostovmused，ashelistenedtozdrzhinsky.buthedidnotgiveutterancetohisthoughts，hehadexperienceofthattoo.heknewthatthistaleredoundedtothegloryofourarms，andthereforeonemustappearnottodoubtitstruth：andheactedaccordingly.

“ican’tstandthis，though，”saidilyin，noticingthatrostovdidnotcareforzdrzhinsky’sstory；“stockingsandshirt，andall—i’mwetthrough.i’mgoingtolookforshelter.ifancytherain’snotsoheavy.”ilyinranoutandzdrzhinskyrodeaway.

fiveminuteslaterilyincamesplashingthroughthemudtotheshanty.

“hurrah！rostov，makehasteandcomealong.ihavefoundaninn，twohundredpacesorsofromhere；alotofourfellowsaretherealready.wecangetdryanyway，andmaryahendrihovna’sthere.”

maryahendrihovnawasthewifeoftheregimentaldoctor；aprettyyounggermanwoman，whomhehadmarriedinpoland.eitherfromlackofmeansordisinclinationtopartfromhisyoungwifeintheearlydaysoftheirmarriage，thedoctorhadbroughtherwithhimintheregiment，andhisjealousywasafavouritesubjectforthejibesofthehussars.

rostovflungonacape，shoutedtolavrushkatofollowthemwiththeirthings，andwentoffwithilyin，slippinginthemud，andsplashingthroughthepoolsinthedrizzlingrainandthedarkness，whichwasrentatintervalsbydistantlightning.

“rostov，whereareyou？”

“here.whataflash！”theycalledtooneanotherastheywent.