IT was a warm, rainy, autumn day. The sky and the horizon were all of the uniform tint of muddy water. —
天气温暖，秋雨纷纷。天空和地平线都呈现出一片浑浊水色。 —

Sometimes a mist seemed to be falling, and sometimes there was a sudden downpour of heavy, slanting rain.
时而蒙雾腾起，时而突然倾盆而下的大雨。

Denisov, in a long cape and a high fur cap, both streaming with water, was riding a thin, pinched-looking, thoroughbred horse. —
德尼索夫身穿一件长披风，戴着一顶高高的皮帽，身上都沾满了雨水，骑着一匹瘦削的纯种马。 —

With his head aslant, and his ears pricked up, like his horse, he was frowning at the driving rain, and anxiously looking before him. —
他的头歪斜着，耳朵竖立着，就像他的马一样，他皱着眉头望着狂风骤雨，焦急地前望。 —

His face, which had grown thin, and was covered with a thick, short, black heard, looked wrathful.
他的脸变得瘦削，被一撮浓密的黑胡子遮盖着，神情愤怒。

Beside Denisov, wearing also a long cape and a high cap, and mounted on a sleek, sturdy Don horse, rode the esaul, or hetman of the Cossacks—Denisov’s partner in his enterprises.
在德尼索夫旁边，也穿着一件长披风和高帽子，骑着一匹透亮有力的顿马，是科萨克人的基辅骑兵团长，也是德尼索夫在事业上的合作伙伴。

The esaul, Lovaisky the Third, also in a cape, and a high cap, was a long creature, flat as a board, with a pale face, flaxen hair, narrow, light eyes, and an expression of calm self-confidence both in his face and his attitude. —
这个顿骑兵团长卢瓦伊斯基三世，同样穿着披风和高帽子，他身材修长，平淡如一块木板，脸色苍白，金色头发，狭长的亮眼，脸上和姿态上都流露出一种冷静自信的表情。 —

Though it was impossible to say what constituted the peculiarity of horse and rider, at the first glance at the esaul and at Denisov, it was evident that Denisov was both wet and uncomfortable; —
尽管很难说出马和骑手的特殊之处，但一眼就能看出，德尼索夫又湿又不舒服； —

that Denisov was a man sitting on a horse; —
德尼索夫是个骑马的人； —

while the esaul seemed as comfortable and calm as always, and seemed not a man sitting on a horse, but a man forming one whole with a horse—a single being enlarged by the strength of two.
而对于酋长而言，他看起来一如既往地舒适和镇定，他不仅仅是一个骑在马上的人，而是一个与马融为一体的整体——两种力量交织而成的一个整体；

A little ahead of them walked a peasant-guide, soaked through and through in his grey full coat and white cap.
在他们前方走着一位农民导游，他全身湿透，穿着灰色满蓬蓬的外套和白色帽子；

A little behind, on a thin, delicate Kirghiz pony with a flowing tail and mane, and a mouth flecked with blood, rode a young officer in a blue French military coat. —
稍微靠后，骑着一匹蹄尾和鬃毛飘逸的细长柯尔克孜马，嘴角还有血迹的一名年轻军官骑在上面，穿着一件蓝色的法国军大衣； —

Beside him rode an hussar, with a boy in a tattered French uniform and blue cap, perched upon his horse behind him. —
旁边骑着一名胡桃木马骑兵，背后跨着一个穿着破烂不堪的法国军装和蓝色帽子的男孩； —

The boy held on to the hussar with hands red with cold, and kept moving his bare feet, trying to warm them, and lifting his eyebrows, gazed about him wonderingly. —
男孩双手因为冷而发红，紧紧抓住骑兵，不断地蹬动裸露的双脚，试图暖和起来，抬起眉毛，惊奇地四处张望； —

This was the French drummer, who had been taken in the morning.
他是今早被俘虏的法国鼓手；

Along the narrow, muddy, cut-up forest-track there came hussars in knots of three and four at a time, and then Cossacks; —
在狭窄、泥泞、踩得乱七八糟的森林小径上，一队一队的胡桃木马骑兵出现了，有的三两个一起，有的四两个一起，然后是哥萨克人； —

some in capes, some in French cloaks; others with horse-cloths pulled over their heads. —
有的穿披风，有的穿法国斗蓬，还有些人将马褂盖在头上； —

The horses, chestnut and bay, all looked black from the soaking rain. —
所有的马，栗色和棕色，都因为被雨水浇湿而显得黑； —

Their necks looked strangely thin with their drenched manes, and steam rose in clouds from them. —
它们的脖子因为湿透的鬃毛而显得奇怪地细，而且从它们身上冒出了一团团蒸汽； —

Clothes, saddles, and bridles, all were sticky and swollen with the wet, like the earth and the fallen leaves with which the track was strewn. —
衣服、马鞍和马具，全部都因为潮湿而黏糊糊的，像小径上铺满的土地和落叶一样； —

The men sat huddled up, trying not to move, so as to keep warm the water that had already reached their skins, and not to let any fresh stream of cold rain trickle in anywhere under their seat, or at their knees or necks. —
人们都蜷缩在一起，尽量不动，以保持已经渗透到皮肤里的水保持温暖，不要让任何新的寒冷雨水从座位下面、膝盖或脖子处滴入。 —

In the midst of the file of Cossacks two waggons, drawn by French horses, and Cossack saddle-horses hitched on in front, rumbled over stumps and branches, and splashed through the ruts full of water.
两辆由法国马拖拉的马车和前方拴着的哥萨克骑马，在残破的树桩和树枝中，溅着满是水坑的凹坑，轰隆隆地搅动着。

Denisov’s horse, in avoiding a puddle in the track, knocked his rider’s knee against a tree.
丹尼索夫的马在避开一处道路上的水坑时，把他的膝盖撞到了一棵树上。

“Ah, devil!” Denisov cried angrily; and showing his teeth, he struck his horse three times with his whip, splashing himself and his comrades with mud. —
“啊，该死！”丹尼索夫生气地喊道，露出牙齿，用鞭子猛抽了马三下，溅得自己和战友们满身泥浆。 —

Denisov was out of humour, both from the rain and hunger (no one had eaten anything since morning); —
丹尼索夫心情糟透了，既因为下雨又因为饥饿（自从早上没人吃东西以来）； —

and, most of all, from having no news of Dolohov, and from no French prisoner having been caught to give him information.
最重要的是，他没有得到多洛霍夫的消息，也没有捉到任何法国俘虏给他提供情报。

“We shall never have such another chance to fall on the transport as to-day. —
“我们再也没有机会像今天这样袭击运输队了。 —

To attack them alone would be risky, and to put it off to another day—some one of the bigger leaders will carry the booty off from under our noses,” thought Denisov, continually looking ahead, and fancying he saw the messenger from Dolohov he expected.
独自攻击他们很冒险，而且拖延到另一天——大佬们会在我们眼皮底下把战利品带走，”丹尼索夫想着，不停地向前看，幻想着他期待的多洛霍夫的信使出现。

Coming out into a clearing from which he could get a view to some distance on the right, Denisov stopped.
从一个能够远处看清景色的空地上走出来，丹尼索夫停了下来。

“There’s some one coming,” he said.
“有人来了，”他说。

The esaul looked in the direction Denisov was pointing to.
主管向丹尼索夫指的方向望去。

“There are two men coming—an officer and a Cossack. —
“有两个人来了——一个军官和一个哥萨克。 —

Only I wouldn’t be prepositive that is the colonel himself,” said the esaul, who loved to use words that were unfamiliar to the Cossacks. —
只是我不能肯定那是否是上校本人，”喜欢用对哥萨克人来说陌生的词汇的主管说道。 —

The two figures, riding downhill, disappeared from sight, and came into view again a few minutes later. —
两个人影顺着山坡骑马下来，消失在视线中，几分钟后又出现在视线中。 —

The foremost was an officer, dishevelled looking, and soaked through, with his trousers tucked up above his knees; —
最前面的是一个凌乱的军官，浑身湿透，将裤子撩到了膝盖上； —

he was lashing his horse into a weary gallop. —
他鞭打着疲惫奔跑的马匹。 —

Behind him a Cossack trotted along, standing up in his stirrups. —
一个哥萨克骑在他身后，站在马镫上。 —

This officer, a quite young boy, with a broad, rosy face and keen, merry eyes, galloped up to Denisov, and handed him a sopping packet.
这位军官，一个相当年轻的男孩，脸色红润而开朗，眼神灵动欢快，骑马冲向德尼索夫，并递给他一个湿淋淋的包裹。

“From the general,” he said. “I must apologise for its not being quite dry.…”
“是将军给您的，”他说道，”对于包裹没有干燥我必须道个歉……”

Denisov, frowning, took the packet and broke it open.
德尼索夫皱眉，接过包裹并打开了它。

“Why, they kept telling us it was so dangerous,” said the officer, turning to the esaul while Denisov was reading the letter. —
“他们一直告诉我们这很危险，”军官转向青年领袖，当德尼索夫在阅读信件时说道。 —

“But Komarov”— and he indicated the Cossack—“and I were prepared. —
“但科马罗夫” - 他指着哥萨克人说道，”和我都有准备… —

We have both two pisto … But what’s this?” he asked, seeing the French drummer-boy. —
我们都有两把手枪… 但这是什么？”他问道，看到了法国的鼓手男孩。 —

“A prisoner? You have had a battle already? —
“俘虏？你们已经打了一仗？ —

May I talk to him?”
我可以和他交谈吗？”

“Rostov! Petya!” Denisov cried at that moment, running through the packet that had been given him. —
“罗斯托夫！彼得！”德尼索夫在那一刻喊道，忙着翻看刚刚给他的包裹。 —

“Why, how was it you didn’t say who you were? —
“你怎么不说出你是谁？ —

” and Denisov, turning with a smile, held out his hand to the officer. —
“德尼索夫微笑着转身向那位军官伸出了手。 —

This officer was Petya Rostov.
这位军官就是彼得·罗斯托夫。

Petya had been all the way preparing himself to behave with Denisov as a grown-up person and an officer should do, making no reference to their previous acquaintance. —
彼得一直准备好了以像成年人和军官应该做的方式来对待德尼索夫，不提及他们之前的相识。 —

But as soon as Denisov smiled at him, Petya beamed at once, blushed with delight, and forgetting all the formal demeanour he had been intending to preserve, he began telling him how he had ridden by the French, and how glad he was he had been given this commission, and how he had already been in a battle at Vyazma, and how a certain hussar had distinguished himself in it.
但是当德尼索夫向他微笑时，彼得立刻笑容满面，高兴地脸红了，完全忘记了他原本打算保持的正式态度，他开始告诉德尼索夫他是如何从法军身边骑过去的，他是多么高兴有了这个任务，以及他已经在维亚兹马参加了一场战斗，以及有一位马匹在那场战斗中表现出色。

“Well, I am glad to see you,” Denisov interrupted him, and his face looked anxious again.
“好，我很高兴见到你，”丹尼索夫打断他，他的脸又显得焦虑了起来。

“Mihail Feoklititch,” he said to the esaul, “this is from the German again, you know. —
“米哈伊尔-福克利奇，”他对骑官说道，“这是德国人的来信，你知道的。 —

He” (Petya) “is in his suite.” And Denisov told the esaul that the letter, which had just been brought, repeated the German general’s request that they would join him in attacking the transport. —
他”（彼特亚）“在他的小组里。”德尼索夫告诉骑官，刚刚送来的信中重复了德国将军的请求，希望他们加入并一道攻击运输队。 —

“If we don’t catch them by to-morrow, he’ll snatch them from under our noses,” he concluded.
“如果我们明天还没能抓到他们，他会在我们的眼皮下把他们抢走的，”他总结道。

While Denisov was talking to the esaul, Petya, disconcerted by Denisov’s cold tone, and imagining that that tone might be due to the condition of his trousers, furtively pulled them down under his cloak, trying to do so unobserved, and to maintain as martial an air as possible.
在德尼索夫与骑官交谈时，彼特亚因德尼索夫冷淡的语调感到不安，想象这种语调可能是因为他的裤子的状况，他偷偷地把裤子拉到披风下面，试图不被察觉，尽量保持军人的形象。

“Will your honour have any instructions to give me? —
“阁下有任何指示要给我的吗？ —

” he said to Denisov, putting his hand to the peak of his cap, and going back to the comedy of adjutant and general, which he had prepared himself to perform, “or should I remain with your honour?”
”他对德尼索夫说道，手放在帽檐上，回到做好准备要扮演的副官和将军的喜剧中，“还是我应该留在阁下这里？”

“Instructions? …” said Denisov absently. “Well, can you stay till tomorrow?”
“指示？…”德尼索夫恍神地说道。“那么，你能留到明天吗？”

“Oh, please … May I stay with you?” cried Petya.
“哦，请……我可以和你们待在一起吗？”彼得亚哭喊道。

“Well, what were your instructions from your general—to go back at once?” asked Denisov.
“那么，你的指示是从你的将军那里要立即返回吗？”德尼索夫问道。

Petya blushed.
彼得亚红着脸。

“Oh, he gave me no instructions. I think I may?” he said interrogatively.
“哦，他没有给我任何指示。我猜我可以吗？”他疑惑地说道。

“All right, then,” said Denisov. And turning to his followers, he directed a party of them to go to the hut in the wood, which they had fixed on as a resting-place, and the officer on the Kirghiz horse (this officer performed the duties of an adjutant) to go and look for Dolohov, to find out where he was, and whether he were coming in the evening.
“好吧，那就这样吧，”德尼索夫说道。他转向他的追随者们，让其中一部分去他们选定的作为休息地的树林中的小屋去，让那个骑着柯尔克孜马的军官（这个军官执行副官的职责）去寻找多洛霍夫，看看他在哪里，是否会在晚上回来。

Denisov himself, with the esaul and Petya, intended to ride to the edge of the wood near Shamshevo to have a look at the position of the French, where their attack next day was to take place.
德尼索夫本人和埃索尔还有彼得亚打算骑马到靠近尚舍沃的树林边缘去，查看法军的阵地，因为第二天他们要发动攻击的地方就是那里。

“Come, my man,” he said to their peasant guide, “take us to Shamshevo.”
“来吧，伙计，”他对他们的农民向导说道，“带我们去尚舍沃。”

Denisov, Petya, and the esaul, accompanied by a few Cossacks and the hussar with the prisoner, turned to the left and crossed a ravine towards the edge of the wood.
德尼索夫，彼得亚和埃索尔带着几个哥萨克和携带着俘虏的轻骑兵，转向左边穿过一道沟壑，向着树林的边缘走去。