第104章

第104章thedeafeningsoundofhisowngunsonallsides,thehissandthudoftheenemy’sshells,thesightoftheperspiring,flushedgunnershurryingaboutthecannons,thesightofthebloodofmenandhorses,andofthepuffsofsmokefromtheenemyontheoppositeside（alwaysfollowedbyacannon-ballthatflewacrossandhittheearth,aman,ahorse,oracannon）—alltheseimagesmadeupforhimafantasticworldofhisown,inwhichhefoundenjoymentatthemoment.theenemy’scannonsinhisfancywerenotcannons,butpipesfromwhichaninvisiblesmokerblewpuffsofsmokeatintervals.

“therehe’spuffingawayagain,”tushinmurmuredtohimselfasacloudofsmokerolleddownhill,andwasborneoffbythewindinawreathtotheleft.“now,yourball—throwitback.”

“whatisit,yourhonour？”askedagunnerwhostoodnearhim,andheardhimmutteringsomething.

“nothing,agrenade…”heanswered.“nowforit,ourmatvyevna,”hesaidtohimself.matvyevnawasthenamehisfancygavetothebigcannon,castinanold-fashionedmould,thatstoodattheend.thefrenchseemedtobeantsswarmingabouttheircannons.thehandsome,drunkensoldier,numberonegunnerofthesecondcannon,wasinhisdreamworld“uncle”;tushinlookedathimmoreoftenthanatanyoftherest,andtookdelightineverygestureoftheman.thesound—dyingaway,thenquickeningagain—ofthemusketryfirebelowthehillseemedtohimliketheheavingofsomecreature’sbreathing.helistenedtotheebbandflowofthesesounds.

“ah,she’stakinganotherbreathagain,”hewassayingtohimself.hehimselffiguredinhisimaginationasamightymanofimmensestature,whowasflingingcannonballsatthefrenchwithbothhands.

“come,matvyevna,oldlady,stickbyus！”hewassaying,movingbackfromthecannon,whenastrange,unfamiliarvoicecalledoverhishead.“captaintushin！captain！”

tushinlookedroundindismay.itwasthesamestaff-officerwhohadturnedhimoutoftheboothatgrunte.hewasshoutingtohiminabreathlessvoice：

“isay,areyoumad？you’vebeencommandedtwicetoretreat,andyou…”

“now,whataretheypitchingintomefor？”…tushinwondered,lookinginalarmatthesuperiorofficer.

“i…don’t…”hebegan,puttingtwofingerstothepeakofhiscap.“i…”

butthestaff-officerdidnotsayallhehadmeantto.acannonballflyingnearhimmadehimduckdownonhishorse.hepaused,andwasjustgoingtosaysomethingmore,whenanotherballstoppedhim.heturnedhishorse’sheadandgallopedaway.

“retreat！alltoretreat！”heshoutedfromadistance.

thesoldierslaughed.aminutelateranadjutantarrivedwiththesamemessage.thiswasprinceandrey.thefirstthinghesaw,onreachingtheplacewheretushin’scannonswerestationed,wasanunharnessedhorsewithabrokenleg,whichwasneighingbesidetheharnessedhorses.thebloodwasflowinginaperfectstreamfromitsleg.amongtheplatformslayseveraldeadmen.onecannonballafteranotherflewoverhimasherodeup,andhefeltanervousshudderrunningdownhisspine.buttheveryideathathewasafraidwasenoughtorousehimagain.“ican’tbefrightened,”hethought,andhedeliberatelydismountedfromhishorsebetweenthecannons.hegavehismessage,buthedidnotleavethebattery.hedecidedtostayandassistinremovingthecannonsfromthepositionandgettingthemaway.steppingoverthecorpses,underthefearfulfirefromthefrench,hehelpedtushiningettingthecannonsready.

“theofficerthatcamejustnowranoffquickerthanhecame,”saidagunnertoprinceandrey,“notlikeyourhonour.”

princeandreyhadnoconversationwithtushin.theywerebothsobusythattheyhardlyseemedtoseeeachother.whentheyhadgotthetwooutofthefourcannonsthatwereuninjuredontotheplatformsandweremovingdownhill（onecannonthathadbeensmashedandahowitzerwereleftbehind）,princeandreywentuptotushin.

“well,good-byetillwemeetagain,”saidprinceandrey,holdingouthishandtotushin.

“good-bye,mydearfellow,”saidtushin,“dearsoul！good-bye,mydearfellow,”hesaidwithtears,whichforsomeunknownreasonstartedsuddenlyintohiseyes.