Book Nine: 1812 - Chapter XIII

by Leo Tolstoy

　　In the tavern, before which stood the doctor's covered cart, therewere already some five officers. Mary Hendrikhovna, a plump littleblonde German, in a dressing jacket and nightcap, was sitting on abroad bench in the front corner. Her husband, the doctor, lay asleepbehind her. Rostov and Ilyin, on entering the room, were welcomed withmerry shouts and laughter.

　　"Dear me, how jolly we are!" said Rostov laughing.

　　"And why do you stand there gaping?"

　　"What swells they are! Why, the water streams from them! Don'tmake our drawing room so wet."

　　"Don't mess Mary Hendrikhovna's dress!" cried other voices.

　　Rostov and Ilyin hastened to find a corner where they could changeinto dry clothes without offending Mary Hendrikhovna's modesty. Theywere going into a tiny recess behind a partition to change, butfound it completely filled by three officers who sat playing cardsby the light of a solitary candle on an empty box, and theseofficers would on no account yield their position. Mary Hendrikhovnaobliged them with the loan of a petticoat to be used as a curtain, andbehind that screen Rostov and Ilyin, helped by Lavrushka who hadbrought their kits, changed their wet things for dry ones.

　　A fire was made up in the dilapidated brick stove. A board wasfound, fixed on two saddles and covered with a horsecloth, a smallsamovar was produced and a cellaret and half a bottle of rum, andhaving asked Mary Hendrikhovna to preside, they all crowded round her.One offered her a clean handkerchief to wipe her charming hands,another spread a jacket under her little feet to keep them from thedamp, another hung his coat over the window to keep out the draft, andyet another waved the flies off her husband's face, lest he shouldwake up.

　　"Leave him alone," said Mary Hendrikhovna, smiling timidly andhappily. "He is sleeping well as it is, after a sleepless night."

　　"Oh, no, Mary Hendrikhovna," replied the officer, "one must lookafter the doctor. Perhaps he'll take pity on me someday, when it comesto cutting off a leg or an arm for me."

　　There were only three tumblers, the water was so muddy that onecould not make out whether the tea was strong or weak, and the samovarheld only six tumblers of water, but this made it all the pleasanterto take turns in order of seniority to receive one's tumbler from MaryHendrikhovna's plump little hands with their short and not overcleannails. All the officers appeared to be, and really were, in lovewith her that evening. Even those playing cards behind the partitionsoon left their game and came over to the samovar, yielding to thegeneral mood of courting Mary Hendrikhovna. She, seeing herselfsurrounded by such brilliant and polite young men, beamed withsatisfaction, try as she might to hide it, and perturbed as sheevidently was each time her husband moved in his sleep behind her.

　　There was only one spoon, sugar was more plentiful than anythingelse, but it took too long to dissolve, so it was decided that MaryHendrikhovna should stir the sugar for everyone in turn. Rostovreceived his tumbler, and adding some rum to it asked MaryHendrikhovna to stir it.

　　"But you take it without sugar?" she said, smiling all the time,as if everything she said and everything the others said was veryamusing and had a double meaning.

　　"It is not the sugar I want, but only that your little hand shouldstir my tea."

　　Mary Hendrikhovna assented and began looking for the spoon whichsomeone meanwhile had pounced on.

　　"Use your finger, Mary Hendrikhovna, it will be still nicer," saidRostov.

　　"Too hot!" she replied, blushing with pleasure.

　　Ilyin put a few drops of rum into the bucket of water and brought itto Mary Hendrikhovna, asking her to stir it with her finger.

　　"This is my cup," said he. "Only dip your finger in it and I'lldrink it all up."

　　When they had emptied the samovar, Rostov took a pack of cards andproposed that they should play "Kings" with Mary Hendrikhovna. Theydrew lots to settle who should make up her set. At Rostov's suggestionit was agreed that whoever became "King" should have the right to kissMary Hendrikhovna's hand, and that the "Booby" should go to refill andreheat the samovar for the doctor when the latter awoke.

　　"Well, but supposing Mary Hendrikhovna is 'King'?" asked Ilyin.

　　"As it is, she is Queen, and her word is law!"

　　They had hardly begun to play before the doctor's disheveled headsuddenly appeared from behind Mary Hendrikhovna. He had been awake forsome time, listening to what was being said, and evidently foundnothing entertaining or amusing in what was going on. His face was sadand depressed. Without greeting the officers, he scratched himself andasked to be allowed to pass as they were blocking the way. As soonas he had left the room all the officers burst into loud laughterand Mary Hendrikhovna blushed till her eyes filled with tears andthereby became still more attractive to them. Returning from the yard,the doctor told his wife (who had ceased to smile so happily, andlooked at him in alarm, awaiting her sentence) that the rain hadceased and they must go to sleep in their covered cart, oreverything in it would be stolen.

　　"But I'll send an orderly.... Two of them!" said Rostov. "What anidea, doctor!"

　　"I'll stand guard on it myself!" said Ilyin.

　　"No, gentlemen, you have had your sleep, but I have not slept fortwo nights," replied the doctor, and he sat down morosely beside hiswife, waiting for the game to end.

　　Seeing his gloomy face as he frowned at his wife, the officersgrew still merrier, and some of them could not refrain fromlaughter, for which they hurriedly sought plausible pretexts. Whenhe had gone, taking his wife with him, and had settled down with herin their covered cart, the officers lay down in the tavern, coveringthemselves with their wet cloaks, but they did not sleep for a longtime; now they exchanged remarks, recalling the doctor's uneasinessand his wife's delight, now they ran out into the porch and reportedwhat was taking place in the covered trap. Several times Rostov,covering his head, tried to go to sleep, but some remark wouldarouse him and conversation would be resumed, to the accompanimentof unreasoning, merry, childlike laughter.