Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Book 4 Part 3 Chapter 8 (Chapter 303 overall)

Chapter Summaries: Dole: Dolokhof's arrival. Petya volunteers to enter the French lines. Dolokhof's treatment of prisoners.
Briggs: Dolokhov and Denisov plan their attack. Petya insists on going with them.
Pevear and Volokhonsky: Dolokhov arrives. His stern simplicity and Petya's admiration.

Translation:

VIII.
From the drummer, to which by the order of Denisov was given vodka and mutton, and whom Denisov told to dress in a Russian caftan so that, not sending with the captives, to leave him in the parties, the attention of Petya was distracted by the arrival of Dolohov. Petya in the army heard many stories about the extraordinary bravery and cruelty of Dolohov with the French and because of this, as Dolohov entered in the hut, Petya, not lowering his eyes, watched him and all the more cheered up, twitching to raise his head so that to not be unworthy of even such a society as Dolohov.

The appearance of Dolohov weirdly struck Petya in its simplicity.

Denisov dressed in a Cossack kaftan, carried his beard and on his breast the form of Nikolay the Wonderworker and in a manner of speaking, in all receptions showed the feature of his situation. Dolohov the same as before in Moscow, carried a Persian suit, now, the opposite had the view of a prim guards officer himself. His face was purely shaved, he was dressed was in a guard’s cotton frock coat with a George in the buttonhole, and in all worn, searched cap. He stripped off in the corner his wet burka and, coming up to Denisov, did not greet with anyone, immediately again beginning to question about the cases. Denisov talked to him about the plans which he had to their transport of large detachments, about the sending of Petya, and about how he responded to both generals. Then Denisov told about all that he knew about the position of the French detachment.

— This is so, but we need to know what and how many troops, — said Dolohov — we will need to go. Not knowing rightly how much they are, to set off to business cannot be. I love to do business accurately. Here, whether someone of the gentlemen wants to go with me in their camp. I have a uniform with myself.

— I, I... I will ride with you! — cried out Petya.

— Really you do not need to ride, — said Denisov, turning to Dolohov, — but really I do not release him.

— Here is perfect! — cried out Petya, — From what again do I not go?..

— Because that is not what you are for.

— Well really you are sorry for me because of how... because of how... I ride, here and all. Will you take me? — he turned to Dolohov.

— From what?.. — was the absent-minded response of Dolohov, peering at the face of the French drummer.

— For a long time you have had this young fellow? — he asked Denisov.

— Now taken, and knows nothing. I left him with myself.

— Well, but the rest you are doing what? — said Dolohov.

— How what? I sent under the listings! — suddenly blushing, cried out Denisov. — And I boldly say that on my conscience is not one human. It isn’t difficult for you to send off 30 or 300 people under escort to the city, if not to dirty the honor of a soldier is all I say.

— Here the young count at sixteen years-old speaks these decent courtesies, — with a cold grin said Dolohov, — but you already left this time.

— What, I speak nothing, I only speak that I indispensably ride with you, — timidly said Petya.

— But for us it is time, brother, to throw these courtesies, — continued Dolohov, as if he found special pleasure in speaking about this subject, annoying Denisov. — Well for what do you take to yourself? — he said, shaking his head. — Then, what for do you pity him? Because we know these are your listings. You send them one hundred people, but comes 30. They will die from hunger or beatings. So do all care whether they are taken or not?

The esaul, squinting his bright eyes, approvingly nodded his heads.

— This is all I care, here to reason there is nothing. I do not want to take their soul. You say they will die. Well, okay. Only they would not die from me.

Dolohov burst out laughing.

— Who again told them twenty times not to be caught? But because they get caught, — you and I with your chivalry, all care, to the aspen. — He was silent. — However we need to do business. Send a prepared Cossack with a pack! I have two French uniforms. What, will you go with me? — he asked Petya.

— I? Yes, yes, it is indispensable, — blushing almost to tears, cried out Petya, looking at Denisov.

Again in that time, as Dolohov argued with Denisov about what was needed to do with the captives, Petya felt awkwardness and hurrying; but again he did not have time to understand very well what they said. "Should so think the large and famous, it is needed to be so, this is okay," — he thought. —"But the main thing needed is so that Denisov does not dare think that I will listen to him, that he may command me. It is indispensable to ride with Dolohov in the French camp. He may, and I can!"

To all the beliefs of Denisov not to ride, Petya responded that he was also used to doing all accurately, but not at a random Lazarus, and that he never thought about dangers to himself.

— Because of how — they agree themselves — if they do not know rightly how much there is, from this depends the lives of maybe a hundred, and here we are alone. And then I very much want this and it is indispensable, indispensable to ride, you really will not hold me, — he spoke, — only worse will be...

Time: see previous chapter

Locations: see previous chapter
Mentioned: Russian, French, Moscow, Persian

Pevear and Volokhonsky Notes: Dolokhov arrives and draws Petya's full attention. While Denisov is simple and singular, while Dolokhov dresses more prim and proper. Petya wants to go with Dolokhov, who rejects the niceties of Denisov, who sends the prisoners back and gets receipts for them. Dolokhov argues that many of them don't make it there anyway, so it doesn't matter what happens. Denisov doesn't want their deaths on his conscience as Dolokhov eyes the drummer boy.

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 *):

Vincent Bosse ("drummer")

Denisof

Petya

Dolokhof

The esaul 

(also the French. St. Nicholas the Miracle-worker or Nikola Chudotvorets is referenced. Also the two generals mentioned throughout the last few chapters. Also Dolokhof's Cossack.)

Abridged Versions: Start of Chapter 12 in Bell. No break at the end.

Gibian: Line break instead of chapter break.

Fuller: See chapter 310

Komroff: We cut the chapter off after Peter convinces Dolohov to go. Followed by a line break.

Kropotkin: Chapter 5: Petya's last two paragraphs of reflection and motivation, after he has talked his way into going with Dolokhof, is removed. No break.

Simmons: Almost the entirety of the argument over whether they should take prisoners is removed. Line break instead of chapter break.

Additional Notes:

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