第223章

第223章onreturningthistimefromhisleave,rostovforthefirsttimefeltandrecognisedhowstrongwasthetiethatboundhimtodenisovandallhisregiment.

whenrostovreachedtheregiment,heexperiencedasensationakintowhathehadfeltonreachinghishomeatmoscow.whenhecaughtsightofthefirsthussarintheunbuttoneduniformofhisregiment,whenherecognisedred-haireddementyev,andsawthepicketropesofthechestnuthorses,whenlavrushkagleefullyshoutedtohismaster,“thecounthascome！”anddenisov,whohadbeenasleeponhisbed,ranalldishevelledoutofthemud-hut,andembracedhim,andtheofficersgatheredaroundtowelcomethenewcomer—rostovfeltthesamesensationaswhenhismotherhadembracedhim,andhisfatherandsisters,andthetearsofjoythatroseinhisthroatpreventedhisspeaking.theregimentwasahome,too,andahomeasunchangeablydearandpreciousastheparentalhome.

afterreportinghimselftohiscolonel,beingassignedtohisownsquadron,andservingonorderlydutyandgoingforforage,afterenteringintoallthelittleinterestsoftheregiment,andfeelinghimselfdeprivedoflibertyandnaileddownwithinonenarrow,unchangeableframework,rostovhadthesamefeelingofpeaceandofmoralsupportandthesamesenseofbeingathomehere,andinhisproperplace,ashehadoncefeltunderhisfather’sroof.herewasnoneofallthatconfusionofthefreeworld,wherehedidnotknowhisproperplace,andmademistakesinexercisingfreechoice.therewasnosonya,withwhomoneoughtoroughtnottohaveaclearunderstanding.therewasnopossibilityofgoingtooneplaceortoanother.therewerenottwenty-fourhourseverydaywhichcouldbeusedinsomanydifferentways.therewerenotthoseinnumerablemassesofpeopleofwhomnoonewasnearerorfurtherfromone.therewerenoneofthosevagueandundefinedmoneyrelationswithhisfather;nomemoriesofhisawfullosstodolohov.hereintheregimenteverythingwasclearandsimple.thewholeworldwasdividedintotwounequalparts：one,ourpavlogradregiment,andtheother—alltheremainder.andwithallthatgreatremainderonehadnoconcern.intheregimenteverythingwaswellknown：thismanwasalieutenant,thatoneacaptain;thiswasagoodfellowandthatonewasnot;butmostofall,everyonewasacomrade.thecanteenkeeperwouldgivehimcredit,hispaywouldcomeeveryfourmonths.therewasnoneedofthoughtorofchoice;onehadonlytodonothingthatwasconsideredlowinthepavlogradregiment,andwhenoccasioncame,todowhatwasclearanddistinct,definedandcommanded;andallwouldbewell.

onbecomingsubjectagaintothedefiniteregulationsofregimentallife,rostovhadasenseofpleasureandrelief,suchasawearymanfeelsinlyingdowntorest.theregimentallifewasthegreaterrelieftorostovonthiscampaign,becauseafterhislosstodolohov（forwhich,inspiteofhisfamily’seffortstoconsolehim,hecouldnotforgivehimself）,hehadresolvednottoserveasbefore,buttoatoneforhisfaultbygoodconduct,andbybeingathoroughlygoodsoldierandofficer,thatisagoodman,atasksodifficultintheworld,butsopossibleintheregiment.

rostovhaddeterminedtorepayhisgamblingdebttohisparentsinthecourseoffiveyears.hehadbeensenttenthousandayear;nowhehadmadeuphismindtotakeonlytwothousand,andtoleavetheremaindertorepaythedebttohisparents.

aftercontinualretreats,advances,andengagementsatpultuskandpreussisch-eylau,ourarmywasconcentratedaboutbartenstein.theywerewaitingforthearrivalofthetsarandthebeginningofanewcampaign.

thepavlogradregiment,belongingtothatpartofthearmywhichhadbeeninthecampaignof1805,hadstayedbehindinrussiatomakeupitsfullcomplementofmen,anddidnotarriveintimeforthefirstactionsofthecampaign.ittooknopartinthebattlesofpultuskandofpreussisch-eylau,andjoiningthearmyinthefield,inthesecondhalfofthecampaign,wasattachedtoplatov’sdetachment.

platov’sdetachmentwasactingindependentlyofthemainarmy.severaltimesthepavlogradhussarshadtakenpartinskirmisheswiththeenemy,hadcapturedprisoners,andononeoccasionhadevencarriedoffthecarriagesofmarshaloudinot.inaprilthepavlogradhussarshadforseveralweeksbeenencampednearanutterlyruined,emptygermanvillage,andhadnotstirredfromthatspot.

itwasthawing,muddy,andcold,theicehadbrokenupontheriver,theroadshadbecomeimpassable;forseveraldaystherehadbeenneitherprovenderforthehorsesnorprovisionsforthemen.seeingthatthetransportofprovisionswasimpossible,thesoldiersdispersedabouttheabandonedanddesertvillagestotryandfindpotatoes,butveryfewweretobefoundevenofthese.