ON RETURNING this time from his leave, Rostov for the first time felt and recognised how strong was the tie that bound him to Denisov and all his regiment1.
When Rostov reached the regiment, he experienced a sensation akin2 to what he had felt on reaching his home at Moscow. When he caught sight of the first hussar in the unbuttoned uniform of his regiment, when he recognised red-haired Dementyev, and saw the picket3 ropes of the chestnut4 horses, when Lavrushka gleefully shouted to his master, “The count has come!” and Denisov, who had been asleep on his bed, ran all dishevelled out of the mud-hut, and embraced him, and the officers gathered around to welcome the newcomer—Rostov felt the same sensation as when his mother had embraced him, and his father and sisters, and the tears of joy that rose in his throat prevented his speaking. The regiment was a home, too, and a home as unchangeably dear and precious as the parental5 home.
After reporting himself to his colonel, being assigned to his own squadron, and serving on orderly duty and going for forage6, after entering into all the little interests of the regiment, and feeling himself deprived of liberty and nailed down within one narrow, unchangeable framework, Rostov had the same feeling of peace and of moral support and the same sense of being at home here, and in his proper place, as he had once felt under his father's roof. Here was none of all that confusion of the free world, where he did not know his proper place, and made mistakes in exercising free choice. There was no Sonya, with whom one ought or ought not to have a clear understanding. There was no possibility of going to one place or to another. There were not twenty-four hours every day which could be used in so many different ways. There were not those innumerable masses of people of whom no one was nearer or further from one. There were none of those vague and undefined money relations with his father; no memories of his awful loss to Dolohov. Here in the regiment everything was clear and simple. The whole world was divided into two unequal parts: one, our Pavlograd regiment, and the other—all the remainder. And with all that great remainder one had no concern. In the regiment everything was well known: this man was a lieutenant7, that one a captain; this was a good fellow and that one was not; but most of all, every one was a comrade. The canteen keeper would give him credit, his pay would come every four months. There was no need of thought or of choice; one had only to do nothing that was considered low in the Pavlograd regiment, and when occasion came, to do what was clear and distinct, defined and commanded; and all would be well.
On becoming subject again to the definite regulations of regimental life, Rostov had a sense of pleasure and relief, such as a weary man feels in lying down to rest. The regimental life was the greater relief to Rostov on this campaign, because after his loss to Dolohov (for which, in spite of his family's efforts to console him, he could not forgive himself), he had resolved not to serve as before, but to atone8 for his fault by good conduct, and by being a thoroughly9 good soldier and officer, that is a good man, a task so difficult in the world, but so possible in the regiment.
Rostov had determined10 to repay his gambling11 debt to his parents in the course of five years. He had been sent ten thousand a year; now he had made up his mind to take only two thousand, and to leave the remainder to repay the debt to his parents.
After continual retreats, advances, and engagements at Pultusk and Preussisch-Eylau, our army was concentrated about Bartenstein. They were waiting for the arrival of the Tsar and the beginning of a new campaign.
The Pavlograd regiment, belonging to that part of the army which had been in the campaign of 1805, had stayed behind in Russia to make up its full complement12 of men, and did not arrive in time for the first actions of the campaign. It took no part in the battles of Pultusk and of Preussisch-Eylau, and joining the army in the field, in the second half of the campaign, was attached to Platov's detachment.
Platov's detachment was acting13 independently of the main army. Several times the Pavlograd hussars had taken part in skirmishes with the enemy, had captured prisoners, and on one occasion had even carried off the carriages of Marshal Oudinot. In April the Pavlograd hussars had for several weeks been encamped near an utterly14 ruined, empty German village, and had not stirred from that spot.
It was thawing15, muddy, and cold, the ice had broken upon the river, the roads had become impassable; for several days there had been neither provender16 for the horses nor provisions for the men. Seeing that the transport of provisions was impossible, the soldiers dispersed17 about the abandoned and desert villages to try and find potatoes, but very few were to be found even of these.
Everything had been eaten up, and all the inhabitants of the district had fled; those that remained were worse than beggars, and there was nothing to be taken from them; indeed, the soldiers, although little given to compassion18, often gave their last ration19 to them.
The Pavlograd regiment had only lost two men wounded in action, but had lost almost half its men from hunger and disease. In the hospitals they died so invariably, that soldiers sick with fever or the swelling20 that came from bad food, preferred to remain on duty, to drag their feeble limbs in the ranks, rather than to go to the hospitals. As spring came on, the soldiers found a plant growing out of the ground, like asparagus, which for some reason they called Mary's sweet-root, and they wandered about the fields and meadows seeking this Mary's sweet-root (which was very bitter). They dug it up with their swords and ate it, in spite of all prohibition22 of this noxious23 root being eaten. In the spring a new disease broke out among the soldiers, with swelling of the hands, legs, and face, which the doctors attributed to eating this root. But in spite of the prohibition, the soldiers of Denisov's squadron in particular ate a great deal of the Mary's sweet-root, because they had been for a fortnight eking21 out the last biscuits, giving out only half a pound a man, and the potatoes in the last lot of stores were sprouting24 and rotten.
The horses, too, had for the last fortnight been fed on the thatched roofs of the houses; they were hideously25 thin, and still covered with their shaggy, winter coats, which were coming off in tufts.
In spite of their destitute26 condition, the soldiers and officers went on living exactly as they always did. Just as always, though now with pale and swollen27 faces and torn uniforms, the hussars were drawn28 up for calling over, went out to collect forage, cleaned down their horses, and rubbed up their arms, dragged in straw from the thatched roofs in place of fodder29, and assembled for dinner round the cauldrons, from which they rose up hungry, making jokes over their vile30 food and their hunger. Just as ever, in their spare time off duty the soldiers lighted camp-fires, and warmed themselves naked before them, smoked, picked out and baked the sprouting, rotten potatoes, and told and heard either stories of Potyomkin's and Suvorov's campaigns or popular legends of cunning Alyoshka, and of the priests' workman, Mikolka.
The officers lived as usual in twos and threes in the roofless, broken-down houses. The senior officers were busily engaged in trying to get hold of straw and potatoes, and the means of sustenance31 for the soldiers generally, while the younger ones spent their time as they always did, some over cards (money was plentiful32, though there was nothing to eat), others over more innocent games, a sort of quoits and skittles. Of the general cause of the campaign little was said, partly because nothing certain was known, partly because there was a vague feeling that the war vas not going well.
Rostov lived as before with Denisov, and the bond of friendship between them had become still closer since their furlough. Denisov never spoke33 of any of Rostov's family, but from the tender affection the senior officer showed his junior, Rostov felt that the older hussar's luckless passion for Natasha had something to do with the strengthening of their friendship. There was no doubt that Denisov tried to take care of Rostov, and to expose him as rarely as possible to danger, and after action it was with unmistakable joy that he saw him return safe and sound. On one of his foraging34 expeditions in a deserted35 and ruined village to which he had come in search of provisions, Rostov found an old Pole and his daughter with a tiny baby. They were without clothes or food; they had not the strength to go away on foot, and had no means of getting driven away. Rostov brought them to his camp, installed them in his own quarters, and maintained them for several weeks till the old man was better. One of Rostov's comrades, talking of women, began to rally him on the subject, declaring that he was the slyest fellow of the lot, and that he ought to be ashamed not to have introduced his comrades, too, to the pretty Polish woman he had rescued. Rostov took the jest as an insult, and firing up, said such unpleasant things to the officer, that Denisov had much ado to prevent a duel36. When the officer had gone away, and Denisov, who knew nothing himself of Rostov's relations with the Polish woman, began to scold him for his hastiness, Rostov said to him: “Say what you like.… She was like a sister to me, and I can't tell you how sick it made me … because … well, just because …”
Denisov slapped him on the shoulder, and fell to walking rapidly up and down the room not looking at Rostov, which was what he always did at moments of emotional excitement. “What a jolly lot of fools all you Rostovs are,” he said, and Rostov saw tears in Denisov's eyes.
罗斯托夫这次休假回来以后，头一次感到和意识到他与杰尼索夫和整个兵团的关系是何等巩固。
当罗斯托夫驶近兵团驻地的时候，他体验到他驶近波瓦尔大街的住宅时所体验到的那种感情。当他头一眼看见穿着兵团制服连扣子也没扣的骠骑兵的时候，当他认出这是棕红头发的捷缅季耶夫，看见枣红色战马的系马桩的时候，当拉夫鲁什卡（拉夫尔的小名）欣喜地向着自己的老爷叫喊：“伯爵来了！”——睡在床上的、满头乱发的杰尼索夫就起床，从土窑里跑出来拥抱他，当军官们向刚刚抵达的人身边走去的时候，罗斯托夫体验到他的父母、姐妹拥抱他时所体验到的那种感情，欣喜的眼泪涌向喉头，妨碍他讲话。兵团也是他的家，也像双亲的家一样始终是可爱的、可贵的。
罗斯托夫晋谒了团长，接到去原先的骑兵连服务的任命，照常值勤，采办饲料，深入了解兵团的种种需求，觉得自己丧失了自由，被禁闭在一成不变的狭小的柜子里，他于是又体验到在双亲家里所体验到的那种令人安慰的有所依靠的并以此地为家的舒适之感。这里根本没有使人坐立不安的、使人作出错误选择的那种自由社会的混乱现象；没有不知要不要对方作一番解释的索尼娅；没有是否有可能到哪里去的问题；没有可借助各种方式来消磨昼夜二十四小时的问题；没有既不亲近，亦不疏远的无数多的人们；没有与家父的不明不白的金钱关系；没有在骇人的赌博中输给多洛霍夫一大笔钱的回忆！在这里，在兵团里，一切都是简而明的。全世界分成两个相差悬殊的部分：一部分是我们的保罗格勒兵团，而另一部分则是其余的一切。这另外的部分，与他毫不相干。在兵团中一切都是众所周知的：谁是中尉、谁是大尉、谁是好人，谁是坏人，主要是，什么人是同志。随军商贩在赊卖货物，每四个月领到一次薪水。没有什么可用心计的，没有什么可资选择的，只要不做保罗格勒兵团认为卑下的事情。如果派你执行任务，只要去做明确规定的、吩咐你做的事情，那就会百事顺遂。
罗斯托夫又进入兵团所固有的生活环境，他犹如困倦的人躺下来休息一样，感到愉快和慰藉。在这次战役中，兵团的生活使罗斯托夫感到更加愉快，因为他输给多洛霍夫许多钱以后（虽然他父母多么安慰他，他仍然没法宽恕这种行为），他痛下决心，不像从前那样服兵役，为了纠正自己的过失，就应出色地服役，做一个优秀的同志和军官，也就是做个完美的人。这件事在那个领域里是难以做到的，而在兵团里却是可以做到的。
罗斯托夫自从赌博输钱以来，便下定决心，在五年之内偿还父母这笔债务。他父母每年寄给他壹万卢布，他现在决定只取用两千卢布，其余的钱都用以偿还父母的债。
我军经过几次撤退和进攻，并在普图斯克、普鲁士——艾劳战役之后，在巴滕施泰因附近集结等候国王驾临，开始一场新的战役。
保罗格勒兵团是曾参与一八○五年出征的俄军中的一支部队，因为在俄国养精蓄锐，充实兵力，所以已经迟到，赶不上头几次战斗。兵团既未参与普图斯克战役，亦未参与普鲁士——艾劳战役。在这次战役的后半期加入作战部队，从属于普拉托夫部队。
普拉托夫部队不依赖俄军，单独作战。保罗格勒兵团的各部曾与敌军对射，捕获了许多俘虏，有一次甚至夺取了乌迪诺元帅的几辆轻便马车。四月份，保罗格勒兵团的官兵一连有几周原地不动，驻扎在一个已被彻底摧毁的荒无人烟的德国村庄。
正值冰消雪融的天气，泥泞路滑，寒风刺骨，河上的冰层破开了，道路不能通行。一连数日，人和马匹都得不到粮秣供应。因为运输受阻，人们分布于满目荒凉的、空空荡荡的村落，四出寻找马铃薯，可是能够寻觅到的马铃薯为数甚少。
什么都给吃光了，居民都四散而逃，留下来的人还不如乞丐，从他们身上没有什么可捞了，甚至连不太富有同情心的士兵也不仅不在他们身上赚钱，反而把自己剩下的食粮送给他们。
保罗格勒兵团在几次战斗中只有二人负伤，但是因为严寒和疾病，伤亡的人数几达一半。凡是被送进野战医院的人必死无疑，因此那些由于营养不良而患热病和浮肿病的大兵宁愿用尽最后一点力量勉强地伸着两腿在前线执勤，而不愿意走进医院里去。开春时，士兵已发现从土里钻出一种状如龙须菜的植物，他们不知怎的把它叫做玛莎甜根。上级虽已下令，不准食用有害的植物，但是士兵们仍旧在草地和田野里散布开来，寻找玛莎甜根（这种甜根是很差的），用马刀掘出来吃。春季里，士兵之中出现了一种疾病——手、足和脸浮肿，医生认为，食用这种甜根是发病的原因。虽有禁令在，保罗格勒兵团杰尼索夫骑兵连的士兵仍以这种甜根作为主食，因为最后一回只发给每人半俄磅面包干、大家慢慢啃着，熬了一个多礼拜，最近运来的马铃薯都冻坏了，发芽了。
战马也有一个多礼拜靠房顶上的干草充饥，瘦得很难看了，身上的毛自入冬以来就给磨成一团一团的。
士兵和军官们虽说是遭难，但是现在仍然照常过日子，虽说是两脸苍白、浮肿，衣衫褴褛，但是骠骑兵依然排队点名，收拾屋子，刷洗马匹和驮具，缺乏饲料时便拿房顶上的干草喂马，走到大锅前面用饭，吃完之后站起来，仍然觉得没有饱，他们嘲笑令人厌恶的伙食，嘲笑自己饥肠辘辘。一如平日，士兵们在瞬时生起篝火，烤火，抽烟、挑选和烘烤发了芽的、生霉的土豆，倾听和叙述有关波将金与苏沃洛夫出征的故事，或者有关奸滑的阿廖沙和神甫的雇工米科尔卡的故事。
军官们像平时一样，三人一群、两人一伙地住在大敞着门的、半破坏的房子里。年纪比较大的军官都在关心如何获得麦秸和土豆的事，总之是关心官兵的给养，年纪比较轻的军官还像平时一样，有的人打牌（虽然缺少食粮，但是钱却很多），有的人耍着无害的游戏——投钉戏和击木游戏。人们都很少谈论战事的进程，部分地因为不熟悉确实的情况，部分地因为人们模糊地意识到，整个战事进展得不利。
罗斯托夫仍旧和杰尼索夫住在一起，自从这二人休假以来，他们的友谊关系变得更加密切了。杰尼索夫从未言及罗斯托夫的家里人，可是从这名连长对他自己部下的军官如此和蔼可亲来看，罗斯托夫意识到，这个老骠骑兵对娜塔莎的不幸的爱情，在增强他们的友谊方面发挥了促进作用。杰尼索夫显然竭尽全力地使罗斯托夫少遇危险，爱护他，在战役结束之后，特别高兴地迎接他这个平安归来的人。一次出差时，罗斯托夫来到一个满目荒凉的、破坏无遗的村子寻觅食物，在这里发现了一家人——波兰籍的老头子和他那来抱婴儿的女儿。他们都赤身露体，饿得要死，无法走开，也没有行驶的工具。罗斯托夫把他们送到他的驻扎地，让他们住在自己的房子里，在老头子尚未复原时，一连有几周维持他们的生活费用。罗斯托夫的一个同事兴致勃勃地谈论女人，一面讥笑罗斯托夫，说他顶滑头，说他应该把那个被他搭救的长得漂亮的波兰女人介绍给同事们认识认识。罗斯托夫认为开这种玩笑，简直是侮辱，他怒不可遏，对那个军官说了一堆听来刺耳的话。杰尼索夫好不容易才制止他们二人的决斗。那名军官走开后，杰尼索夫指责他脾气急躁，而他自己却不知道罗斯托夫对那个波兰女人抱有什么态度。罗斯托夫对他说：
“你怎么竟想……她对于我就像个妹妹一样，我无法向你描写，他说的话使我多么委屈……因为……就是因为……”
杰尼索夫拍打他的肩膀，在房间里疾速地走来走去，没有看罗斯托夫一眼，他在心情激动时总会做出这副样子来。
“你们罗斯托夫家族都有这样的傻劲。”他说，罗斯托夫发觉杰尼索夫的眼睛里噙满着泪水。
收听单词发音 |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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picket
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| n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫 | |
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chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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parental
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| adj.父母的；父的；母的 | |
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forage
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| n.(牛马的)饲料，粮草；v.搜寻，翻寻 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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atone
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| v.赎罪，补偿 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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complement
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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thawing
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| n.熔化，融化v.（气候）解冻( thaw的现在分词 )；（态度、感情等）缓和；（冰、雪及冷冻食物）溶化；软化 | |
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provender
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| n.刍草；秣料 | |
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dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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compassion
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ration
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| n.定量(pl.)给养，口粮；vt.定量供应 | |
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swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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eking
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| v.（靠节省用量）使…的供应持久( eke的现在分词 )；节约使用；竭力维持生计；勉强度日 | |
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prohibition
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noxious
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| adj.有害的，有毒的；使道德败坏的，讨厌的 | |
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sprouting
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hideously
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destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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fodder
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| n.草料；炮灰 | |
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vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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sustenance
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| n.食物，粮食；生活资料；生计 | |
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plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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foraging
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| v.搜寻（食物），尤指动物觅（食）( forage的现在分词 )；（尤指用手）搜寻（东西） | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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