Emma Watson Pussy
Books:
Anna Karenina
War And Peace
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you? Are you going to have lunch too? They feed you quite
decently here," continued Telyanin. "Now then, let me have it."
He stretched out his hand to take hold of the purse. Rostov let go
of it. Telyanin took the purse and began carelessly slipping it into
the pocket of his riding breeches, with his eyebrows lifted and his
mouth slightly open, as if to say, "Yes, yes, I am putting my purse in
my pocket and thats quite simple and is no one elses business."
"Well, young man?" he said with a sigh, and from under his lifted
brows he glanced into Rostovs eyes.
Some flash as of an electric spark shot from Telyanins eyes to
Rostovs and back, and back again and again in an instant.
"Come here," said Rostov, catching hold of Telyanins arm and almost
dragging him to the window. "That money is Denisovs; you took
it..." he whispered just above Telyanins ear.
"What? What? How dare you? What?" said Telyanin.
But these words came like a piteous, despairing cry and an
entreaty for pardon. As soon as Rostov heard them, an enormous load of
doubt fell from him. He was glad, and at the same instant began to
pity the miserable man who stood before him, but the task he had begun
had to be completed.
"Heaven only knows what the people here may imagine," muttered
Telyanin, taking up his cap and moving toward a small empty room.
"We must have an explanation..."
"I know it and shall prove it," said Rostov.
"I..."
Every muscle of Telyanins pale, terrified face began to quiver, his
eyes still shifted from side to side but with a downward look not
rising to Rostovs face, and his sobs were audible.
"Count!... Dont ruin a young fellow... here is this wretched money,
take it..." He threw it on the table. "I have an old father and
mother!..."
Rostov took the money, avoiding Telyanins eyes, and went out of the
room without a word. But at the door he stopped and then retraced
his steps. "O God," he said with tears in his eyes, "how could you
do it?"
"Count..." said Telyanin drawing nearer to him.
"Dont touch me," said Rostov, drawing back. "If you need it, take
the money," and he threw the purse to him and ran out of the inn.
CHAPTER V
That same evening there was an animated discussion among the
squadrons officers in Denisovs quarters.
"And I tell you, Rostov, that you must apologize to the colonel!"
said a tall, grizzly-haired staff captain, with enormous mustaches and
many wrinkles on his large features, to Rostov who was crimson with
excitement.
The staff captain, Kirsten, had twice been reduced to the ranks
for affairs of honor and had twice regained his commission.
"I will allow no one to call me a liar!" cried Rostov. "He told me I
lied, and I told him he lied. And there it rests. He may keep me on
duty every day, or may place me under arrest, but no one can make me
apologize, because if he, as commander of this regiment, thinks it
beneath his dignity to give me satisfaction, then..."
"You just wait a moment, my dear fellow, and listen," interrupted
the staff captain in his deep bass, calmly stroking his long mustache.
"You tell the colonel in the presence of other officers that an
officer has stolen..."
"Im not to blame that the conversation began in the presence of
other officers. Perhaps I ought not to have spoken before them, but
I am not a diplomatist. Thats why I joined the hussars, thinking that
here one would not need finesse; and he tells me that I am lying--so
let him give me satisfaction..."
"Thats all right. No one thinks you a coward, but thats not the
point. Ask Denisov whether it is not out of the question for a cadet
to demand satisfaction of his regimental commander?"
Denisov sat gloomily biting his mustache and listening to the
conversation, evidently with no wish to take part in it. He answered
the staff captains question by a disapproving shake of his head.
"You speak to the colonel about this nasty business before other
officers," continued the staff captain, "and Bogdanich" (the colonel
was called Bogdanich) "shuts you up."
"He did not shut me up, he said I was telling an untruth."
"Well, have it so, and you talked a lot of nonsense to him and
must apologize."
"Not on any account!" exclaimed Rostov.
"I did not expect this of you," said the staff captain seriously and
severely. "You dont wish to apologize, but, man,
War And Peace page 74 War And Peace page 76
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