Война и мир

Chapter 7

           

           “TheCossack,notknowinginwhatcompanyhewas,forNapoleon’splainappearancehadnothingaboutitthatwouldrevealtoanOrientalmindthepresenceofamonarch,talkedwithextremefamiliarityoftheincidentsofthewar,”saysThiers,narratingthisepisode.InrealityLavrúshka,havinggotdrunkthedaybeforeandlefthismasterdinnerless,hadbeenwhippedandsenttothevillageinquestofchickens,whereheengagedinlootingtilltheFrenchtookhimprisoner.Lavrúshkawasoneofthosecoarse,bare-facedlackeyswhohaveseenallsortsofthings,consideritnecessarytodoeverythinginameanandcunningway,arereadytorenderanysortofservicetotheirmaster,andarekeenatguessingtheirmaster’sbaserimpulses,especiallythosepromptedbyvanityandpettiness.

           FindinghimselfinthecompanyofNapoleon,whoseidentityhehadeasilyandsurelyrecognized,Lavrúshkawasnotintheleastabashedbutmerelydidhisutmosttogainhisnewmaster’sfavor.

           HeknewverywellthatthiswasNapoleon,butNapoleon’spresencecouldnomoreintimidatehimthanRostóv’s,orasergeantmajor’swiththerods,wouldhavedone,forhehadnothingthateitherthesergeantmajororNapoleoncoulddeprivehimof.

           Soherattledon,tellingallthegossiphehadheardamongtheorderlies.Muchofittrue.ButwhenNapoleonaskedhimwhethertheRussiansthoughttheywouldbeatBonaparteornot,Lavrúshkascreweduphiseyesandconsidered.

           Inthisquestionhesawsubtlecunning,asmenofhistypeseecunningineverything,sohefrownedanddidnotanswerimmediately.

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