第228章

第228章rostovandtheassistantwentintothecorridor.thehospitalstenchwassostronginthatdarkcorridorthatrostovheldhisnose,andwasobligedtopausetorecoverhisenergytogoon.adoorwasopenedontheright,andtherelimpedoutoncrutchesathinyellowmanwithbarefeet,andnothingonbuthisunderlinen.leaningagainstthedoorpost,hegazedwithglittering,anxiouseyesatthepersonsapproaching.rostovglancedinatthedoorandsawthatthesickandwoundedwerelyingthereonthefloor,onstrawandonovercoats.

“canonegoinandlook？”askedrostov.

“whatistheretolookat？”saidtheassistant.butjustbecausetheassistantwasobviouslydisinclinedtolethimgoin,rostovwentintothesoldiers’ward.thestench,towhichhehadgrownusedalittleinthecorridor,wasstrongerhere.herethestenchwasdifferent;itwasmoreintense;andonecouldsmellthatitwasfromherethatitcame.inthelongroom,brightlylightedbythesuninthebigwindow,laythesickandwoundedintworowswiththeirheadstothewall,leavingapassagedownthemiddle.thegreaternumberofthemwereunconscious,andtooknonoticeoftheentranceofoutsiders.thosewhowereconsciousgotuporraisedtheirthin,yellowfaces,andallgazedintentlyatrostov,withthesameexpressionofhopeofhelp,ofreproach,andenvyofanotherman’shealth.rostovwentintothemiddleoftheroom,glancedinattheopendoorsofadjoiningrooms,andonbothsidessawthesamething.hestoodstill,lookingroundhimspeechless.hehadneverexpectedtoseeanythinglikethis.justbeforehimlayrightacrosstheemptyspacedownthemiddle,onthebarefloor,asickman,probablyacossack,forhishairwascutroundinbasinshape.thiscossacklayonhisback,hishugearmsandlegsoutstretched.hisfacewasofapurplered,hiseyeswerequitesunkinhisheadsothatonlythewhitescouldbeseen,andonhislegsandonhishands,whichwerestillred,theveinsstoodoutlikecords.hewasknockinghisheadagainstthefloor,andheutteredsomewordandkeptrepeatingit.rostovlistenedtowhathewassaying,anddistinguishedthewordhekeptrepeating.thatwordwas“drink—drink—drink！”rostovlookedaboutforsomeonewhocouldlaythesickmaninhisplaceandgivehimwater.

“wholooksafterthepatientshere？”heaskedtheassistant.atthatmomentacommissariatsoldier,ahospitalorderly,cameinfromtheadjoiningroom,and,marchingindrillstep,drewhimselfupbeforehim.

“goodday,yourhonour！”bawledthissoldier,rollinghiseyesatrostov,andobviouslymistakinghimforoneinauthority.

“takehimaway,givehimwater,”saidrostov,indicatingthecossack.

“certainly,yourhonour,”thesoldierrepliedcomplacently,rollinghiseyesmorestrenuouslythanever.anddrawinghimselfup,butnotbudgingtodoso.

“no,there’snodoinganythinghere,”thoughtrostov,droppinghiseyes;andhewantedtogetaway,buthewasawareofasignificantlookbentuponhimfromtherightside,andhelookedroundatit.almostinthecornertherewas,sittingonamilitaryovercoat,anoldsoldierwithasternyellowface,thinasaskeleton’s,andanunshavedgreybeard.hewaslookingpersistentlyatrostov.themannexttheoldsoldierwaswhisperingsomethingtohim,pointingtorostov.rostovsawtheoldmanwantedtoaskhimsomething.hewentcloserandsawthattheoldmanhadonlyonelegbentunderhim,theotherhadbeencutoffabovetheknee.ontheothersideoftheoldman,atsomedistancefromhim,therelaywithheadthrownbackthemotionlessfigureofayoungsoldierwithawaxenpalloronhissnub-nosedandstillfreckledface,andeyessunkenunderthelids.rostovlookedatthesnub-nosedsoldierandashiverrandownhisback.

“why,thatoneseemstobe…”hesaidtotheassistant.

“we’veedanded,yourhonour,”saidtheoldsoldierwithaquiverinhislowerjaw.“hediedearlyinthemorning.we’remen,too,notdogs.…”

“i’llseetoitdirectly;theyshalltakehim,theyshalltakehimaway,”saidtheassistanthurriedly.“come,yourhonour.”

“letusgo,letusgo,”saidrostovhastily;anddroppinghiseyesandshrinkingtogether,tryingtopassunnoticedthroughthelinesofthosereproachfulandenviouseyesfasteneduponhim,hewentoutoftheroom.