Book Fourteen: 1812 - Chapter VI

by Leo Tolstoy

　　After talking for some time with the esaul about next day'sattack, which now, seeing how near they were to the French, heseemed to have definitely decided on, Denisov turned his horse androde back.

　　"Now, my lad, we'll go and get dwy," he said to Petya.

　　As they approached the watchhouse Denisov stopped, peering intothe forest. Among the trees a man with long legs and long, swingingarms, wearing a short jacket, bast shoes, and a Kazan hat, wasapproaching with long, light steps. He had a musketoon over hisshoulder and an ax stuck in his girdle. When he espied Denisov hehastily threw something into the bushes, removed his sodden hat by itsfloppy brim, and approached his commander. It was Tikhon. His wrinkledand pockmarked face and narrow little eyes beamed withself-satisfied merriment. He lifted his head high and gazed at Denisovas if repressing a laugh.

　　"Well, where did you disappear to?" inquired Denisov.

　　"Where did I disappear to? I went to get Frenchmen," answered Tikhonboldly and hurriedly, in a husky but melodious bass voice.

　　"Why did you push yourself in there by daylight? You ass! Well,why haven't you taken one?"

　　"Oh, I took one all right," said Tikhon.

　　"Where is he?"

　　"You see, I took him first thing at dawn," Tikhon continued,spreading out his flat feet with outturned toes in their bast shoes."I took him into the forest. Then I see he's no good and think I'll goand fetch a likelier one."

　　"You see?... What a wogue- it's just as I thought," said Denisovto the esaul. "Why didn't you bwing that one?"

　　"What was the good of bringing him?" Tikhon interrupted hastilyand angrily- "that one wouldn't have done for you. As if I don'tknow what sort you want!"

　　"What a bwute you are!... Well?"

　　"I went for another one," Tikhon continued, "and I crept like thisthrough the wood and lay down." (He suddenly lay down on his stomachwith a supple movement to show how he had done it.) "One turned up andI grabbed him, like this." (He jumped up quickly and lightly.)"'Come along to the colonel,' I said. He starts yelling, andsuddenly there were four of them. They rushed at me with theirlittle swords. So I went for them with my ax, this way: 'What areyou up to?' says I. 'Christ be with you!'" shouted Tikhon, wavinghis arms with an angry scowl and throwing out his chest.

　　"Yes, we saw from the hill how you took to your heels through thepuddles!" said the esaul, screwing up his glittering eyes.

　　Petya badly wanted to laugh, but noticed that they all refrainedfrom laughing. He turned his eyes rapidly from Tikhon's face to theesaul's and Denisov's, unable to make out what it all meant.

　　"Don't play the fool!" said Denisov, coughing angrily. "Why didn'tyou bwing the first one?"

　　Tikhon scratched his back with one hand and his head with the other,then suddenly his whole face expanded into a beaming, foolish grin,disclosing a gap where he had lost a tooth (that was why he was calledShcherbaty- the gap-toothed). Denisov smiled, and Petya burst into apeal of merry laughter in which Tikhon himself joined.

　　"Oh, but he was a regular good-for-nothing," said Tikhon. "Theclothes on him- poor stuff! How could I bring him? And so rude, yourhonor! Why, he says: 'I'm a general's son myself, I won't go!' hesays."

　　"You are a bwute!" said Denisov. "I wanted to question..."

　　"But I questioned him," said Tikhon. "He said he didn't know much.'There are a lot of us,' he says, 'but all poor stuff- only soldiersin name,' he says. 'Shout loud at them,' he says, 'and you'll takethem all,'" Tikhon concluded, looking cheerfully and resolutely intoDenisov's eyes.

　　"I'll give you a hundwed sharp lashes- that'll teach you to play thefool!" said Denisov severely.

　　"But why are you angry?" remonstrated Tikhon, "just as if I'dnever seen your Frenchmen! Only wait till it gets dark and I'llfetch you any of them you want- three if you like."

　　"Well, let's go," said Denisov, and rode all the way to thewatchhouse in silence and frowning angrily.

　　Tikhon followed behind and Petya heard the Cossacks laughing withhim and at him, about some pair of boots he had thrown into thebushes.

　　When the fit of laughter that had seized him at Tikhon's words andsmile had passed and Petya realized for a moment that this Tikhonhad killed a man, he felt uneasy. He looked round at the captivedrummer boy and felt a pang in his heart. But this uneasiness lastedonly a moment. He felt it necessary to hold his head higher, tobrace himself, and to question the esaul with an air of importanceabout tomorrow's undertaking, that he might not be unworthy of thecompany in which he found himself.

　　The officer who had been sent to inquire met Denisov on the way withthe news that Dolokhov was soon coming and that all was well with him.

　　Denisov at once cheered up and, calling Petya to him, said: "Well,tell me about yourself."