按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
omething into the bushes； and taking off his sopped hat； the brim of which drooped limply； he walked up to his commanding officer。
This was Tihon。 His pock…marked and wrinkled face； with little slits of eyes； beamed with self…satisfaction and merriment。 He held his head high； and looked straight at Denisov as though he were suppressing a laugh。
“Well； where have you been？” said Denisov。
“Where have I been？ I have been after the French；” Tihon answered boldly and hastily； in a husky； but mellow bass。
“Why did you creep in in the daytime？ Ass！ Well； why didn’t you catch one？”
“Catch one I did；” said Tihon。
“Where is he； then？”
“I caught one at the very first at daybreak；” Tihon went on； setting his feet down wider apart； in their flat； turned…up bast shoes； “and I took him into the wood too。 I see he’s no good。 So； thinks I； better go and get another； rather more the proper article。”
“Ay； the rogue； so that’s how it is；” said Denisov to the esaul。 “Why didn’t you bring that one？”
“Why； what was the use of bringing him in？” Tihon broke in； hurriedly and angrily。 “A worthless fellow！ Don’t I know what sort you want？”
“Ah； you brute！ … Well？”
“I went to get another；” Tihon went on。 “I crept up in this way in the wood； and I lay down。” With a sudden； supple movement； Tihon lay down on his stomach； to show how he had done this。 “One turned up；” he went on； “I seized him like this；” Tihon jumped up swiftly and lightly。 “ ‘Come along to the colonel；’ says I。 He set up such a shouting； and then I saw four of them。 And they rushed at me with their sabres。 I went at them like this with my axe。 ‘What are you about？’ says I。 ‘Christ be with you；’ ” cried Tihon； waving his arms and squaring his chest with a menacing scowl。
“Oh yes； we saw from the hill how you gave them the slip； through the pools；” said the esaul； screwing up his sparkling eyes。
Petya had a great longing to laugh； but he saw that all the others refrained from laughing。 He kept looking rapidly from Tihon’s face to the face of the esaul and Denisov； not knowing what to make of it all。
“Don’t play the fool；” said Denisov； coughing angrily。 “Why didn’t you bring the first man？”
Tihon began scratching his back with one hand and his head with the other； and all at once his countenance expanded into a beaming； foolish grin； showing the loss of a tooth that had given him his name； Shtcherbatov （i。e。 lacking a tooth）。 Denisov smiled； and Petya went off into a merry peal of laughter； in which Tihon himself joined。
“Why； he was no good at all；” said Tihon。 “He was so badly dressed； how could I bring him？ And a coarse fellow； your honour。 Why； says he； ‘I’m a general’s son；’ says he； ‘I’m not going。’ ”
“Ugh； you brute！” said Denisov。 “I wanted to question him …”
“Oh； I did question him；” said Tihon。 “He said he didn’t know much。 “There are a lot of our men；’ says he； ‘but they are all poor creatures； that’s all you can say for them。 Give a good shout；’ says he； ‘and you can take them all；’ ” Tihon concluded； with a merry and determined look at Denisov。
“Mind； I’ll give you a good hundred lashes that will teach you to play the fool；” said Denisov sternly。
“Why be angry；” said Tihon； “because I haven’t seen your sort of Frenchmen？ As soon as it gets dark； I’ll catch whatever kind you like； three of them I’ll bring。”
“Well； come along；” said Denisov； and all the way to the forester’s hut he was silent； frowning angrily。
Tihon was walking behind； and Petya heard the Cossacks laughing with him and at him about a pair of boots that he had thrown into the bushes。
When the laughter roused by Tihon’s words and smile had passed； and Petya understood for a moment that Tihon had killed the man； he had an uneasy feeling。 He looked round at the boy prisoner； and there was a sudden pang in his heart。 But that uneasiness only lasted a moment。 He felt it incumbent on him to hold his head high； and with a bold and important air to question the esaul about the next day’s expedition； that he might not be unworthy of the company in which he found himself。
The officer Denisov had sent to Dolohov met him on the way with the news that everything was going well with Dolohov； and that he was coming himself immediately。
Denisov at once became more cheerful； and beckoned Petya to him。
“Come； tell me about yourself；” he said。
Chapter 7
ON LEAVING MOSCOW； Petya had parted from his parents to join his regiment； and shortly afterwards had been appointed an orderly in attendance on a general who was in command of a large detachment。 From the time of securing his commission； and even more since joining a regiment in active service； and taking part in the battle of Vyazma； Petya had been in a continual state of happy excitement at being grown…up； and of intense anxiety not to miss any opportunity of real heroism。 He was highly delighted with all he had seen and experienced in the army； but； at the same time； he was always fancying that wherever he was not； there the most real and heroic exploits were at that very moment being performed。 And he was in constant haste to be where he was not。
On the 21st of October； when his general expressed a desire to send some one to Denisov’s company； Petya had so piteously besought him to send him； that the general could not refuse。 But； as he was sending him off； the general recollected Petya’s foolhardy behaviour at the battle of Vyazma； when； instead of riding by way of the road to take a message； Petya had galloped across the lines under the fire of the French； and had there fired a couple of pistol…shots。 Recalling that prank； the general explicitly forbade Petya’s taking part in any enterprise whatever that Denisov might be planning。 This was why Petya had blushed and been disconcerted when Denisov asked him if he might stay。 From the moment he set off till he reached the edge of the wood； Petya had fully intended to do his duty steadily； and to return at once。 But when he saw the French； and saw Tihon； and learned that the attack would certainly take place that night； with the rapid transition from one view to another； characteristic of young people； he made up his mind that his general； for whom he had till that moment had the greatest respect； was a poor stick； and only a German； that Denisov was a hero； and the esaul a hero； and Tihon a hero； and that it would be shameful to leave them at a moment of difficulty。
It was getting dark when Denisov； with Petya and the esaul； reached the forester’s hut。 In the half…dark they could see saddled horses； Cossacks and hussars； rigging up shanties in the clearing； and building up a glowing fire in a hollow near； where the smoke would not be seen by the French。 In the porch of the little hut there was a Cossack with his sleeves tucked up； cutting up a sheep。 In the hut； three officers of Denisov’s band were setting up a table made up of doors。 Petya took off his wet clothes； gave them to be dried； and at once set to work to help the officers in fixing up a dining…table。
In ten minutes the table was ready and covered with a napkin。 On the table was set vodka； a flask of rum； white bread； and roast mutton