第131章

第131章withoutanswering,rostov,insoldierlyfashion,shookthecrossofst.georgethathungonthecordingofhisuniform,andpointingtohisarminasling,heglancedatberg.

“asyousee,”hesaid.

“tobesure,yes,yes,”saidboris,smiling,“andwehavehadacapitalmarchheretoo.youknowhishighnesskeptallthewhilewithourregiment,sothatwehadeveryconvenienceandadvantage.inpoland,thereceptions,thedinners,theballs！—ican’ttellyou.andthetsarevitchwasverygracioustoallourofficers.”andboththefriendsbegandescribing;one,thegayrevelsofthehussarsandlifeatthefront;theother,theamenitiesandadvantagesofserviceunderthecommandofroyalty.

“oh,youguards,”saidrostov.“but,isay,sendforsomewine.”

borisfrowned.

“ifyoureallywantsome,”hesaid.andhewenttothebedstead,tookapursefromunderthecleanpillows,andorderedsomewine.“oh,andihavealetterandmoneytogiveyou,”headded.

rostovtooktheletter,andflingingthemoneyonthesofa,putbothhiselbowsonthetableandbeganreadingit.hereadafewlines,andlookedwrathfullyatberg.meetinghiseyes,rostovhidhisfacewiththeletter.

“theysentyouadecentlotofmoney,though,”saidberg,lookingattheheavybag,thatsankintothesofa.“butwemanagetoscrapealongonourpay,count,icantellyouinmyowncase.…”

“isay,berg,mydearfellow,”saidrostov;“whenyougetaletterfromhomeandmeetoneofyourownpeople,whomyouwanttotalkeverythingoverwith,andi’monthescene,i’llclearoutatonce,soasnottobeinyourway.doyouhear,beoff,please,anywhere,anywhere…tothedevil！”hecried,andimmediatelyseizinghimbytheshoulder,andlookingaffectionatelyintohisface,evidentlytosoftentherudenessofhiswords,headded：“youknow,you’renotangry,mydearfellow,ispeakstraightfromthehearttoanoldfriendlikeyou.”

“why,ofcourse,count,iquiteunderstand,”saidberg,gettingupandspeakinginhisdeepvoice.

“youmightgoandseethepeopleofthehouse;theydidinviteyou,”addedboris.

bergputonaspotlesscleancoat,brushedhislovelocksupwardsbeforethelooking-glass,inthefashionwornbythetsaralexanderpavlovitch,andhavingassuredhimselffromrostov’sexpressionthathiscoathadbeenobserved,hewentoutoftheroomwithablandsmile.

“ah,whatabeastiam,though,”saidrostov,ashereadtheletter.

“oh,why？”

“ah,whatapigi’vebeen,neveroncetohavewrittenandtohavegiventhemsuchafright.ah,whatapigiam！”herepeated,flushingallatonce.“well,didyousendgavrilaforsomewine？that’sright,let’shavesome！”saidhe.

withthelettersfromhisfamilytherehadbeeninsertedaletterofrecommendationtoprincebagration,byannamihalovna’sadvice,whichcountessrostovhadobtainedthroughacquaintances,andhadsenttoherson,inghimtotakeittoitsaddress,andtomakeuseofit.

“whatnonsense！muchusetome,”saidrostov,throwingtheletterunderthetable.

“whatdidyouthrowthatawayfor？”askedboris.

“it’saletterofrecommendationofsomesort;whatthedevildoiwantwithaletterlikethat！”

“whatthedevildoyouwantwithit？”saidboris,pickingitupandreadingtheaddress;“thatletterwouldbeofgreatusetoyou.”

“i’mnotinwantofanything,andi’mnotgoingtobeanadjutanttoanybody.”

“whynot？”askedboris.

“alackey’sduty.”

“youarejustasmuchofanidealistasever,isee,”saidboris,shakinghishead.

“andyou’rejustasmuchofadiplomat.butthat’snotthepoint.…come,howareyou？”askedrostov.

“why,asyousee.sofareverything’sgonewell;buti’llownishouldbeverygladtogetapostasadjutant,andnottostayintheline.”

“whatfor？”

“why,becauseifonceonegoesinforamilitarycareer,oneoughttotrytomakeitasessfulacareerasonecan.”

“oh,that’sit,”saidrostov,unmistakablythinkingofsomethingelse.helookedintentlyandinquiringlyintohisfriend’seyes,apparentlyseekingearnestlythesolutionofsomequestion.

oldgavrilabroughtinthewine.

“shouldn’twesendforalphonsekarlitchnow？”saidboris.“he’lldrinkwithyou,butican’t.”

“sendforhim,sendforhim.well,howdoyougetonwiththeteuton？”saidrostov,withacontemptuoussmile.

“he’savery,verynice,honest,andpleasantfellow,”saidboris.