Book 4 Part 3 Chapter 7 (Chapter 302 overall)

Chapter Summaries: Dole: Petya's career. Scene at the forest izba. Petya's generosity. "I like something sweet." Vincent Bosse: Vesennui.
Briggs: Petya feels sympathy for a captured French drummer-boy.
Pevear and Volokhonsky: Night in Denisov's camp. Petya's wish to take part in the raid. Sympathy with the captured French drummer boy.

Translation:

VII.

Petya in departure from Moscow, leaving his relatives, joined to his regiment and soon after this was taken as an orderly to a general, the commander of the big detachment. With the time of his production in the officers and in particular with his reception in the acting army, where he participated in the Vyazemsky battle, Petya was found in a constantly happily excited condition of joys in that he was big, and in a constantly enthusiastic haste did not let pass some case of current heroism. He was very happy that what he saw and experienced in the army, but together with that to him it all seemed that there, where he was not, there now was committed the most present and heroic. And he hurried to keep up there, where he now was not.

When on the 21st of October his general expressed a wish to send someone to the detachment of Denisov, Petya so pitifully requested so that to send him, that the general could not refuse. Yet sending him, the general, remembering the crazy act of Petya in the Vyazemsky battle, where Petya, instead of going on the road there, where he was sent, galloped in the chain under the fire of the French and shot there two times from his pistol, in sending him, the general banned Petya to participate in what kind of actions Denisov would be in. From this Petya was red and mixed up when Denisov asked whether he could stay. Before the departure to the edge of the forest Petya counted that it was needed to strictly carry out his duty, now again to return. Yet when he saw the French, saw Tihon, found out that on this night was an indispensable attack, he with the speed of the transitions of young people from one sight to another, decided with himself that his general, whom he still very much respected, — was rubbish and German, and that Denisov was a hero, the esaul was a hero, and Tihon was a hero, and that he would be ashamed to leave from them in a difficult moment.

Now it was getting dark, when Denisov with Petya and the esaul pulled up to the guardhouse. At the half-mountain were seen horses in saddles, Cossacks, hussars, adjusting huts at the meadow and (so that the French did not see the smoke) bred red fire in the forest ravine. In the canopy of the little huts, a Cossack with rolled up sleeves, chopped mutton. At the hut were three officers from the parties of Denisov, suiting a table from a door. Petya stripped off and gave to dry his wet dress and immediately again began to promote the officers in the device of the dining desk.

In nine minutes the table was ready, covered with a napkin. On the table was vodka, rum in a flask, white bread and fried mutton with salt.

Sitting together with the officers behind the table and breaking with their hands, by which flowed the fat, greasy, fragrant mutton, Petya was found in the enthusiastic child condition of tender love to all people and owing to this confidence in such the same love to himself other people.

— So what again do you think, Vasiliy Fedorovich, — he turned to Denisov, — it is nothing that I will stay with you for a day? — and not waiting for an answer, he responded himself: — Because I was ordered to know, well here I recognize... Only you will not let me go in the very… in the main... I do not need awards... but I want... — Petya squeezed his teeth and turned back, twitching up his raised head and swinging hand.

— In the very main... — repeated Denisov smiling.

— Only really please, really give me command, for I commanded, — continued Petya, — well what will it cost you? Ah, your knife? — he turned to an officer, who wanted to cut off mutton. And he gave him a foldable knife.

The officer praised the knife.

— Please take it for yourself. I have many of these... — blushingly said Petya. — Father! I forgot really, — he suddenly cried out. — I have wonderful raisins, you know, such without bones. We have a new market and such beautiful things. I bought nine pounds. I am used to something sweet. Do you want?.. — and Petya ran in the canopy to his Cossack, and brought the bag in which were five pounds of raisins. — Eat, gentleman, eat.

— Ah whether you do not need a coffee pot? — he turned to the esaul. — I in our market bought a wonderful one! In it are beautiful things. And it is very honest. This is the main thing. I will send you indispensably. But there may be more, to you comes out an abundance of flints, — because there is. I take them with myself, I have them here... — he showed in the bag— one hundred flints. I very cheaply bought them. Take, please, how much you need, but that and all... — and suddenly frightened whether or not he lied, Petya stopped and was red.

He began to remember whether or not he did more some kind of stupid thing. And sorting out the memories of the day, he stopped at the recollections about the French drummer. —"We are fine, but what is he? Where is he divided? Whether he is fed? Whether he is not hurt?" — he thought. But noticing that he lied about the flints, he now was afraid.

"Could I ask?" he thought, "yes say: he is a boy and a boy is to be pitied. I will show them tomorrow, what boy I am! Will it be a shame to ask?" thought Petya. "Well, yes all I care!" — and immediately again, blushing and scared looking at the officers, whether or not on their face was ridicule, he said:

— But can we call this boy that was taken in captivity? Give him some to have a bite... May we...

— Yes, the miserable boy, — said Denisov, apparently not finding anything shameful at this reminder. — Call him here. Vincent Boss969 he is called. Call him.

— I will call him, — said Petya.

— Call, call him. The miserable boy, — repeated Denisov.

Petya stood at the door when Denisov said this is. Petya climbed between the officers and closely came up to Denisov.

— Let me kiss you, darling, — he said. — Ah, how fine! How okay! — and, kissing Denisov, he ran to the yard.

— Bosse! Vincent! — screamed Petya, stopping at the door.

— Whom do you need sir? — said a voice of the dark. Petya responded that the boy Frenchman who was taken now.

— Ah! Spring? — said the Cossack.

His name Vincent was now remade by the Cossacks to Spring, but to the men and soldiers Visenyu. In both remakings this reminder about spring came down from the presentation about the young boy.

— He is there at the bonfire warmed up. Hey, Visenyu! Visenyu! Spring! — was heard in the dark spreading voices and laughter.

— Ah the boy is nimble, — said the hussar, standing beside Petya. — We fed him just now. A passionate hunger he had!

In the dark was heard steps and, slapping barefoot feet by the mud, the drummer came up to the door.

—Ah, this is you! — said Petya. — Want to go in there? Do not be afraid, I will do nothing.— he added timidly and affectionately touching to his hand. — Enter, enter.970

— Thank you, sir,971 — was the response of the drummer trembling almost from a childhood voice and began to wipe about the threshold his dirty legs. Petya wanted to say much to the drummer, but he did not dare. He, shifting, stood beside him at the canopy. Then in the dark he took him behind the hand and shook it.

— Entrez, entrez (enter, enter), — he repeated in a only gentle whisper.

"Ah, what would I do for him!" spoke with himself Petya and, opening the door, missed the boy himself.

When the drummer entered in the hut, Petya sat down a little farther from him, considering it for himself humiliating to draw to him attention. He only groped in his pocket for money and was in doubts whether it was not a shame to give them to the drummer.

969 Vincent Bosse 

970 Ah c’est vous! Voulez vous manger? N’ayez pas peur, on ne vous fera pas de mal, Entrez, entrez. (Ah it's you! Do you want to eat? Do not be afraid, we will not hurt you, Come in, come in.)

971 Merci, monsieur, (Thank you, sir,)

Time: see previous chapter, ten minutes
Mentioned: October 21st

Locations:
Mentioned: Moscow, Vyazma, French, German

Pevear and Volokhonsky Notes: We get an update on Petya and how he got to this moment. Just like Pierre during Borodino, he assumes that where he is is not the most important place and keeps wanting to change where he is. When the general sent Petya to Denisov, he was specific about not wanting Petya to become a part of Denisov's group because of Petya's displayed recklessness. Petya begs to be part of the main action and buys Denisov and the Captain meat, sweets, and a cup. He continues to feel bad, as he had in the previous chapter, for the young French prisoner. He asks if he can bring food to him and then tries to talk to him.

Characters (characters who do not appear, but are mentioned are placed in italics. First appearances are in Bold. First mentions are underlined. Final appearance denoted by *):

Petya (also called "monsieur")

Vasili Feodorovitch Denisof (See chapter 1 for some variations on Vasili. See chapter 196 for some variations on "Feodorovitch". However, he is called "Vasili Dmitrich" in Maude, Mandelker, and Dunnigan, bucking most translations by going back to the original name. Whether this is a mistake on Tolstoy or Petya's part is unknown.)

Tikhon

Esaul Lovaiski (just "Esaul" again.)

Komarof ("his Cossack". Arguable whether he is in a chapter or just mentioned.)

Vincent Bosse (The little French drummer. The Cossacks also call him "Vesennui". In Dunnigan, the Cossacks call him Vesseny and the peasants Visenya. It is "Vesenny and "Vesenya" in Mandelker, Maude, and Edmonds (Garnett and Briggs use the first name but uses the Dunnigan version of the second name).)

(Petya's parents, count and countess Rostof, are mentioned as a whole. Also the general that Petya is attached to, the German general mentioned in the last few chapters. Also Cossacks and hussars, and three officers of Denisof's band making a table. One of these is most likely the officer Petya gives a knife to. Also a hussar.)

Abridged Versions: End of chapter 11 in Bell.

Gibian: line break instead of chapter break.

Fuller: See chapter 310

Komroff: We pick up with Denisov, Peter, and the Cossack chief meeting at dark. This removes the Peter catch-up and contextualization of his attitude. The drummer boy episode is slightly shortened. Followed by a line break.

Kropotkin: Chapter cuts off and end of chapter 4 when Petya becomes afraid that he is talking too much. This removes his episode with the little drummer boy.

Simmons: Chapter is preserved. Line break instead of chapter break.

Additional Notes: