第162章

第162章“areyouthecommanderoftheregimentofemperoralexander’shorse-guards？”askednapoleon.

“iwasincommandofasquadron,”repliedrepnin.

“yourregimentdiditsdutyhonourably,”saidnapoleon.

“thepraiseofagreatgeneralisasoldier’sbestreward,”saidrepnin.

“ibestowituponyouwithpleasure,”saidnapoleon.“whoisthisyoungmanbesideyou？”princerepningavehisname,lieutenantsuhtelen.

lookingathim,napoleonsaidwithasmile：“hehascomeveryyoungtomeddlewithus.”

“youthisnohindrancetovalour,”saidsuhteleninabreakingvoice.

“afineanswer,”saidnapoleon;“youngman,youwillgofar.”

princeandrey,whohadbeenthrustforwardundertheemperor’seyestocompletetheshowofprisoners,couldnotfailtoattracthisnotice.napoleonapparentlyrememberedseeinghimonthefield,andaddressinghimheusedthesameepithet,“youngman,”withwhichhisfirstsightofbolkonskywasassociatedinhismemory.

“andyou,youngman,”hesaidtohim,“howareyoufeeling,monbrave？”

althoughfiveminutespreviouslyprinceandreyhadbeenabletosayafewwordstothesoldierswhowerecarryinghim,hewassilentnow,withhiseyesfasteneddirectlyuponnapoleon.sotrivialseemedtohimatthatmomentalltheintereststhatwereengrossingnapoleon,sopettyseemedtohimhishero,withhispaltryvanityandgleeofvictory,incomparisonwiththatlofty,righteous,andkindlyskywhichhehadseenandcomprehended,thathecouldnotanswerhim.andallindeedseemedtohimsotriflingandunprofitablebesidethesternandsolemntrainofthoughtarousedinhimbyweaknessfromlossofblood,bysufferingandthenearnessofdeath.gazingintonapoleon’seyes,princeandreymusedonthenothingnessofgreatness,onthenothingnessoflife,ofwhichnoonecouldcomprehendthesignificance,andonthenothingness—stillmore—ofdeath,themeaningofwhichcouldbeunderstoodandexplainedbynoneoftheliving.

theemperor,aftervainlypausingforareply,turnedawayandsaidtooneoftheofficersincommand—

“seethattheylookafterthesegentlemenandtakethemtomybivouac;letmydoctorlarreyattendtotheirwounds.aurevoir,princerepnin,”andhegallopedaway.

hisfacewasradiantwithhappinessandself-satisfaction.

thesoldiers,whohadbeencarryingprinceandrey,hadcomeacrossthegoldenrelicprincessmaryahadhunguponherbrother’sneck,andtakenitoffhim,butseeingthegraciousnesstheemperorhadshowntotheprisoners,theymadehastetorestoretheholyimage.

princeandreydidnotseewhoputitonhimagain,norhowitwasreplaced,butallatoncehefoundthelocketonitsdelicategoldchainonhischestoutsidehisuniform.

“howgooditwouldbe,”thoughtprinceandrey,asheglancedattheimagewhichhissisterhadhungroundhisneckwithsuchemotionandreverence,“howgooditwouldbeifallwereasclearandsimpleasitseemstomarie.howgoodtoknowwheretoseekaidinthislifeandwhattoexpectafterit,there,beyondthegrave！”

“howhappyandatpeaceishouldbe,ificouldsaynow,‘lord,havemercyonme！…’buttowhomamitosaythat？eitherapowerinfinite,inconceivable,towhichicannotappeal,whichicannotevenputintowords,thegreatwhole,ornothing,”hesaidtohimself,“orthatgod,whohasbeensewnuphereinthislocketbymarie？thereisnothing,nothingcertainbutthenothingnessofallthatiscomprehensibletous,andthegrandeurofsomethingincomprehensible,butmoreimportant！”

thestretchersbegantobemoved.ateveryjolthefeltintolerablepainagain.thefeverbecamehigher,andhefellintodelirium.visionsofhisfather,hiswife,hissister,andhisfutureson,andthetendernesshehadfeltforthemonthenightbeforethebattle,thefigureofthatlittle,pettynapoleon,andoverallthesetheloftysky,formedthechiefsubstanceofhisdeliriousdreams.thequiethomelifeandpeacefulhappinessofbleakhillspassedbeforehisimagination.hewasenjoyingthathappinesswhensuddenlythereappearedthatlittlenapoleonwithhiscallous,narrowlookofhappinessinthemiseryofothers,andtherecamedoubtsandtorments,andonlytheskypromisedpeace.towardsmorningallhisdreamsmingledandmeltedawayinthechaosanddarknessofunconsciousnessandoblivion,farmorelikely,intheopinionofnapoleon’sdoctor,larrey,tobeendedbydeaththanbyrecovery.

“heisanervous,bilioussubject,”saidlarrey;“hewon’trecover.”

princeandrey,withtherestofthehopelesscases,washandedovertothecareoftheinhabitantsofthedistrict.