第133章

第133章“yes,that’scapital,”saidrostov,smiling;butboris,seeingthatrostovwasdisposedtomakefunofberg,skilfullyturnedtheconversation.heedrostovtotellthemhowandwherehehadbeenwounded.thatpleasedrostov,andhebegantellingthem,gettingmoreandmoreeagerashetalked.hedescribedtothemhisbattleatsch？ngrabenexactlyasmenwhohavetakenpartinbattlesalwaysdodescribethem,thatis,astheywouldhavelikedthemtobe,astheyhaveheardthemdescribedbyothers,andassoundswell,butnotintheleastasitreallyhadbeen.rostovwasatruthfulyoungman;hewouldnothaveintentionallytoldalie.hebeganwiththeintentionoftellingeverythingpreciselyasithadhappened,butimperceptibly,unconsciously,andinevitablyhepassedintofalsehood.ifhehadtoldthetruthtohislisteners,who,likehimself,hadheardnumerousdescriptionsofcavalrycharges,andhadformedadefiniteideaofwhatachargewaslikeandwereexpectingasimilardescription,eithertheywouldnothavebelievedhim,orworsestill,wouldhaveassumedthatrostovwashimselftoblamefornothavingperformedtheexploitsusuallyperformedbythosewhodescribecavalrycharges.hecouldnottellthemsimplythattheyhadallbeenchargingfullgallop,thathehadfallenoffhishorse,sprainedhisarm,andrunwithallhismightawayfromthefrenchintothecopse.andbesides,totelleverythingexactlyasithappened,hewouldhavehadtoexerciseconsiderableself-controlinordertotellnothingbeyondwhathappened.totellthetruthisaverydifficultthing;andyoungpeoplearerarelycapableofit.hislistenersexpectedtohearhowhebadbeenallonfirewithexcitement,hadforgottenhimself,hadflownlikeatempestontheenemy’ssquare,hadcuthiswayintoit,hewingmendownrightandleft,howasabrehadbeenthrustintohisflesh,howhehadfallenunconscious,andsoon.andhedescribedallthat.inthemiddleofhistale,justashewassaying：“youcan’tfancywhatastrangefrenzytakespossessionofoneatthemomentofthecharge,”therewalkedintotheroomprinceandreybolkonsky,whomboriswasexpecting.princeandreylikedtoencourageandassistyoungermen,hewasflatteredatbeingappliedtoforhisinfluence,andwelldisposedtoboris,whohadeededinmakingafavourableimpressiononhimthepreviousday;hewaseagertodofortheyoungmanwhathedesired.havingbeensentwithpapersfromkutuzovtothetsarevitch,hecalleduponboris,hopingtofindhimalone.whenhecameintotheroomandsawthehussarwithhissoldierlyerdescribinghiswarlikeexploits（princeandreycouldnotendurethekindofmenwhoarefondofdoingso）,hesmiledcordiallytoboris,butfrownedanddroppedhiseyelidsasheturnedtorostovwithaslightbow.wearilyandlanguidlyhesatdownonthesofa,regrettingthathehaddroppedintosuchundesirablesociety.rostov,perceivingit,grewhot,buthedidnotcare;thismanwasnothingtohim.glancingatboris,hesaw,however,thathetooseemedashamedofthevalianthussar.inspiteofprinceandrey’sunpleasant,ironicalmanner,inspiteofthedisdainwithwhichrostov,fromhispointofviewofafightingmanintheregulararmy,regardedthewholeraceofstaff-adjutantsingeneral—theclasstowhichthenew-comerunmistakablybelonged—heyetfeltabashed,reddened,andsubsidedintosilence.borisinquiredwhatnewstherewasonthestaffandwhetherhecouldnotwithoutindiscretiontellthemsomethingaboutourplans.

“mostlikelytheywilladvance,”answeredbolkonsky,obviouslyunwillingtosaymorebeforeoutsiders.bergseizedtheopportunitytoinquirewithpeculiardeferencewhetherthereportwastrue,ashehadheard,thattheallowanceofforagetocaptainsofcompanieswastobedoubled.tothisprinceandreyrepliedwithasmilethathecouldnotpresumetoofferanopiniononstatequestionsofsuchgravity,andberglaughedwithdelight.

“astoyourbusiness,”princeandreyturnedbacktoboris,“wewilltalkofitlater,”andheglancedatrostov.“youcometomeafterthereview,andwe’lldowhatwecan.”andlookingroundtheroomheaddressedrostov,whosechildish,uncontrollableembarrassment,passingnowintoanger,hedidnotthinkfittonotice：“youweretalking,ithink,aboutthesch？ngrabenaction？wereyouthere？”

“iwasthere,”rostovsaidinatoneofexasperation,whichheseemedtointendasaninsulttotheadjutant.bolkonskynoticedthehussar’sstateofmind,anditseemedtoamusehim.hesmiledratherdisdainfully.

“ah！thereareagreatmanystoriesnowaboutthatengagement.”

“yes,stories！”saidrostovloudly,lookingfromboristobolkonskywitheyesfullofsuddenfury,“agreatmanystories,idaresay,butourstoriesarethestoriesofmenwhohavebeenundertheenemy’sfire,ourstorieshavesomeweight,they’renotthetalesoflittlestaffupstarts,whodrawpayfordoingnothing.”

“theclasstowhichyouassumemetobelong,”saidprinceandrey,withacalmandparticularlyamiablesmile.

astrangefeelingofexasperationwasmingledinrostov’sheartwithrespectfortheself-possessionofthisperson.

“i’mnottalkingaboutyou,”hesaid;“idon’tknowyou,and,i’llown,idon’twantto.i’mspeakingofstaff-officersingeneral.”

“letmetellyouthis,”princeandreycuthimshortinatoneofquietauthority,“youaretryingtoinsultme,andi’mreadytoagreewithyouthatitisveryeasytodoso,ifyouhaven’tsufficientrespectforyourself.butyouwillagreethatthetimeandplaceisill-chosenforthissquabble.inadayortwowehavetotakepartinagreatandmoreseriousduel,andbesides,drubetskoy,whotellsmeheisanoldfriendofyours,isinnowaytoblamebecausemyphysiognomyissounfortunateastodispleaseyou.however,”hesaid,gettingup,“youknowmyname,andknowwheretofindme;butdon’tforget,”headded,“thatidon’tconsidereithermyselforyouinsulted,andmyadvice,asamanolderthanyou,istoletthematterdrop.soonfriday,afterthereview,ishallexpectyou,drubetskoy;good-byetillthen,”criedprinceandrey,andhewentout,bowingtoboth.

rostovonlybethoughthimofwhatheoughttohaveansweredwhenhehadgone.andhewasmorefuriousstillthathehadnotthoughtofsayingit.heorderedhishorsetobebroughtroundatonce,andtakingleaveofboriscoldly,herodeback.whethertorideto-morrowtohead-quartersandchallengethatconceitedadjutant,orwhetherreallytoletthematterdrop,wasthequestionthatworriedhimalltheway.atonemomenthethoughtvindictivelyhowhewouldenjoyseeingthefrightthatfeeble,little,conceitedfellowwouldbein,facinghispistol,atthenexthewasfeelingwithsurprisethat,ofallthemenheknew,therewasnoonehewouldbemoregladtohaveforhisfriendthanthatdetestedlittleadjutant.