Chapter 12 Chapter Twelve

Rostov received a letter from his parents before the war, in which he briefly informed him about Natasha's illness and the annulment of her engagement with Prince Andrew (they explained to him that Natasha had voluntarily declined the engagement. ), they asked him to leave the army and go home. After receiving the letter, Nicholas did not intend to ask for leave or retire from the army. Instead, he wrote to his parents that he was very sorry for Natasha's illness and divorce, and he would try his best to do everything well. to fulfill their wishes.He wrote a separate letter to Sonia.

"Dearest friend of my soul," he wrote, "nothing but honor can prevent me from returning to you. But now, on the eve of war, if I place my personal happiness before duty and love for my country Above, then, I am dishonored not only before all my colleagues, but also before myself. And yet—this is the last parting. Believe me, after the war, if I were still alive, you would still love me If you do, I will throw everything away and fly to your side immediately, hugging you in my fiery chest forever." It is true that Rostov stayed only because of the war, and delayed his return—he had promised—to marry Sonia, the autumn hunting at Otradnoe and Christmas with Sonia. The winter of Ya's love showed before him a picture of quiet country life, the kind of optimistic and peaceful life he did not know before, but now it attracted him so much. "A wise wife, a few children, a pack of good hounds, ten or twelve packs of ferocious raccoons, farm work, neighbors, elected to public service!" thought he.However, since we are fighting now, we should stay in the team. Since this is absolutely necessary, Nikolai Rostov is still satisfied with team life and can find joy in this kind of life, judging from his own personality.

Returning from vacation, his companions greeted him with joy, Nicholas was sent to buy supplementary horses, he brought back good horses from Little Russia (Ukraine), which made him very happy , replaced by science, and also won the appreciation of the chief.While he was away, he was promoted to captain of the cavalry, and when the team expanded its quota according to the wartime establishment, he returned to his original cavalry company. The war began, the regiment marched to Poland, double pay, new officers, new soldiers, and new horses; the main thing was the general excitement and joy that accompanied the beginning of the war; and Rostov , aware of his advantageous position in the regiment, fully absorbed in the joy and interest of army life, although he knew that sooner or later he would lose it.

For various complex national, political and strategic reasons, the army withdrew from Vilna.Every step of the retreat was accompanied by conflicts of interest, judgments and feelings in the headquarters, and for the hussars of the Paulograd Regiment, this was carried out in the best season of summer with sufficient provisions. This retreat is the simplest and most pleasant thing.Discouragement, restlessness, and intrigue are found only in the headquarters, but among the general officers and soldiers, people do not ask where they are going and why they are going, and if anyone regrets the retreat, it is only because they have to leave the barracks they have lived in for a long time. , Farewell to the beautiful Polish girl.If anyone thinks that things are not going well, he will try to be happy like a good soldier should, not thinking about the whole situation, but only about the immediate thing.How merry it had been, stationed near Vilna, in company with the Polish landowners, expecting and being inspected by the Emperor and other high commanding officers.Then came the order to retreat to Svenziane and destroy the provisions that could not be taken away.Svenziane is remembered by the hussars only because it was a "drunken camp", the nickname given to the camp of Svenziane by the whole army, and because of the many accusations against the army in Svenziane that they used The order to take provisions also took away the horses, vehicles and carpets of the Polish landowners.Rostov remembered Svenziane because he replaced the quartermaster on the first day he entered the town, and because he couldn't handle all the drunks in the cavalry company who stole five barrels of old beer without his knowledge.Continue to retreat from Svenziane until Drissa, and then retreat from Drissa, already approaching the Russian border.

On July 13 something serious happened to the Paulograd Corps for the first time. On the night of July 12, the eve of the accident, there was a storm with hail, and the summer of 1812 was generally a summer notorious for its storms. Two cavalry companies of the Paulograd Regiment were camped in a field of rye that was headed but completely trodden down by horses.It was pouring rain, and Rostov and Ilyin, a young officer under his escort, were sitting in a makeshift hut. An officer in their regiment with a long beard caught rain on his way back from the headquarters and went to the headquarters. Stop by to see Rostov.

"Count, I'm from the headquarters. Have you heard about the exploits of Raevsky?" The officer then repeated the details of the battle at Sartanov that he had received at the headquarters. Rostov, neck hunched from the rain running into his neckline, was smoking his pipe, listening attentively, and looking now and then at the young officer Ilyin, who was leaning against him.This officer was a sixteen-year-old boy who had only recently joined the regiment. His relationship with Nikolai was now the same as that of Nikolai with Denisov seven years ago. Try to imitate Rostov and love him like a woman.

The officer with two mustaches - Zdrzhinsky said happily. He said that the Saltanov Dam was Russia's Temobili.The actions of General Raevsky on this dam are comparable to those of the heroes of antiquity.Zdrzhinski narrated how Raevsky led his two sons to the dam in the face of terrible artillery fire, and the father and son fought side by side.Rostov not only did not speak at the story, echoing Zderzhinsky's joy, but on the contrary appeared ashamed to hear him tell it, although he had no intention of contradicting him.After Austerlitz and the battle of 1807, Rostov knew from his own experience that people always tell lies when they tell the story of the battle, and he himself lied; Experience, knowing that what happens on the battlefield is nothing like what we imagine and tell.Therefore he did not like the stories of Zdrzhinsky, nor did he like Zdrzhinsky himself, the bearded man who had the habit of bending over the faces of the listeners, in the narrow shed Rostov stood next to him, and Rostov watched him silently. "First, it must be very chaotic and crowded on the dam where people rushed. If Raevsky led his son to rush up, then, except for a dozen people around him, no one else would be affected." Rostow "It's impossible for the rest of the people to see how and with whom Raevsky went up the dam," thought the husband. And those who saw it would not be much moved, because in that fatal moment, who would Pay attention to the case of Laevsky? Besides, whether the Sartanov Dam can be captured has nothing to do with the fate of the motherland and cannot be compared with Temobili. If this is the case, why make such a sacrifice? Why should my son join the battle? In my case, not only would my younger brother Petya not be taken away, but Ilyn, a kind boy who is not my relative, would try to find a way to settle somewhere. A safe place." Rostov continued to think, listening to Zdrzhinsky.But he doesn't speak his mind. He has experience in this area.He knew that such stories would honor the Russian Army, so he had to look unsuspecting.That's what he does.

"I can't bear it," said Ilyin, seeing that Rostov didn't like Zdirzhinsky's talk. "Socks and shirt are soaked. I'm going to find a shelter from the rain. It seems to be raining lightly." It’s better.” Ilyin walked out, and Zdrzhinski followed suit. Five minutes later, Erin was running back to the shed, pattering through the mud. "Hurrah! Let's go, Rostov. We found it! There's a tavern two hundred paces away, and our people are already gathered there. At least we can dry our clothes." Maria Henrikhovna It's there too." Maria Henrihovna was the team doctor's wife, a young, beautiful German woman whom the doctor married in Poland. The doctor took her with the army either because he had no property or because he didn't want to leave his young wife at the beginning of their marriage. Running around, the doctor's jealousy became the usual subject of jokes among the hussar officers.

Rostov put on his cloak, told Lavrushka to follow him with his belongings, and left with Ilyin.They braved the light rain in the dark night, walked through the mud, and waded through the stagnant water. The distant thunder and lightning pierced the dark night sky from time to time. "Rostov, where are you?" "Here. Big lightning!" they talked to each other.