第291章

第291章nikolayrostovwasstandingmeanwhileathispostwaitingforthewolf.hewasawareofwhatmustbetakingplacewithinthecopsefromtherushofthepackcomingcloserandgoingfurtheraway,fromthecriesofthedogs,whosenoteswerefamiliartohim,fromthenearness,andthengreaterremoteness,andsuddenraisingofthevoicesofthehuntsmen.heknewthattherewerebothyoungandalsooldwolvesintheenclosure.heknewthehoundshaddividedintotwopacks,thatinoneplacetheywerecloseonthewolf,andthatsomethinghadgonewrong.everysecondheexpectedthewolfonhisside.hemadeathousanddifferentsuppositionsofhowandatwhatspotthewolfwouldrunout,andhowhewouldsetuponit.hopewaseededbydespair.severaltimesheprayedtogodthatthewolfwouldrushoutuponhim.heprayedwiththatfeelingofpassionandcompunctionwithwhichmenprayinmomentsofintenseemotionduetotrivialcauses.“why,whatisittothee,”hesaidtogod,“todothisforme？iknowthouartgreatandthatit’sasintopraytotheeaboutthis,butforgod’ssakedomaketheoldwolfcomeoutuponme,andmakekarayfixhisteethinhisthroatandfinishhimbeforetheeyesof‘uncle,’whoislookingthisway.”athousandtimesoverinthathalf-hour,withintent,strained,anduneasyeyesrostovscannedthethicketsattheedgeofthecopsewithtwoyoaksstandingupabovetheundergrowthofaspen,andtheravinewithitsoverhangingbank,and“uncle’s”cappeeringoutfrombehindabushontheright.“no,thathappinessisnottobe,”thoughtrostov,“yetwhatwoulditcosthim！it’snottobe！i’malwaysunlucky,atcards,inwar,andeverything.”austerlitzanddolohovflashedindistinctbutrapidessionthroughhisimagination.“onlyonceinmylifetokillanoldwolf;iaskfornothingbeyond！”hethought,strainingeyesandears,lookingfromlefttoright,andbackagain,andlisteningtotheslightestfluctuationsinthesoundsofthedogs.helookedagaintotherightandsawsomethingrunningacrosstheopengroundtowardshim.“no,itcan’tbe！”thoughtrostov,takingadeepbreath,asamandoesatthecomingofwhathehaslongbeenhopingfor.thegreatestpieceofluckhadcometohim,andsosimply,withoutnoise,orflourish,ordisplaytosignaliseit.rostovcouldnotbelievehiseyes,andthisuncertaintylastedmorethanasecond.thewolfwasrunningforward;heleapedclumsilyoverarutthatlayacrosshispath.

itwasanoldwolfwithagreybackandfull,reddishbelly.hewasrunningwithouthaste,plainlyfeelingsecureofbeingunseen.rostovheldhisbreathandlookedroundatthedogs.theywerelyingandstandingabout,notseeingthewolfandquiteunawareofhim.oldkarayhadhisheadturnedround,andwasangrilysearchingforaflea,snappinghisyellowteethonhishaunches.“loo！loo！loo！”rostovwhispered,poutingouthislips.thedogsleapedup,jinglingtheironringsoftheleashes,andprickeduptheirears.karayscratchedhishind-legandgotup,prickinguphisearsandinghistail,onwhichtherewerehangingmattedlocksofhiscoat.

“loosethem？ornotloosethem？”nikolaysaidtohimselfasthewolfmovedawayfromthecopsetowardshim.allatoncethewholephysiognomyofthewolfwastransformed.hestarted,seeing—probablyforthefirsttime—humaneyesfixeduponhim;and,turninghisheadalittletowardsrostov,stoodstill,indoubtwhethertogobackorforward.“ay！nevermind,forward！…”thewolfseemedtobesayingtohimself,andhepushedonahead,withoutlookinground,softlyandnotrapidly,withaneasybutresolutemovement.“loo！loo！…”nikolaycriedinavoicenothisown,andofitsownaccordhisgallanthorsegallopedatbreak-neckpacedownhill,andleapedoverthewatercoursetocutoffthewolf’sretreat;thehoundsdashedonevenmoreswiftly,overtakingit.

nikolaydidnothearhisowncry;hehadnoconsciousnessofgalloping;hesawneitherthedogsnorthegroundoverwhichhegalloped.hesawnothingbutthewolf,which,quickeningitspace,wasboundinginthesamedirectionacrosstheglade.foremostofthehoundswastheblackandtan,broad-backedbitch,milka,andshewasgettingcloseuponhim.butthewolfturnedasidelongglanceuponher,andinsteadofflyingathim,asshealwayshaddone,milkasuddenlystoppedshort,herfore-legsheldstifflybeforeherandhertailintheair.

“loo！loo！loo！”shoutednikolay.

theredhound,lyubima,dartedforwardfrombehindmilka,dashedheadlongatthewolf,andgotholdofhimbythehind-leg,butinthesamesecondboundedawayontheothersideinterror.thewolfcrouched,gnasheditsteeth,roseagain,andboundedforward,followedatacoupleofyards’distancebyallthedogs：theydidnottrytogetcloser.

“he’llgetaway！no,it’simpossible！”thoughtnikolay,stillshoutinginahuskyvoice.

“karay！loo！loo！…”hekeptshouting,lookingfortheoldhound,whowashisonehopenow.