When Petya left Moscow, leaving his family, he joined his regiment and soon after was taken by an ordinary man to the general who commanded a large detachment. From the time of his production as an officer, and especially from his entry into the active army, where he participated in the Battle of Vyazemsky, Petya was in a constantly happy and excited state of joy at the fact that he was a great, and in a constantly enthusiastic rush not to miss any case of real heroism. He was very happy with what he had seen and experienced in the army, but at the same time it seemed to him that where he was not there, it was now the real, heroic thing that was happening. And he was in a hurry to catch up where he wasn't.
When on October 21st his general expressed his desire to send someone to Denisov's detachment, Petya so pitifully requested to send him that the general could not refuse. But, sending him away, the general, remembering Petya's crazy act in the Battle of Vyazemsky, where Petya, instead of going on his way to the place where he was sent, jumped into a chain under the fire of the French and shot him twice with his gun, - sending him away, the general exactly forbade Petya to participate in any actions of Denisov. This made Petya blush and blush when Denisov asked if he could stay. Before going to the edge of the forest, Petya believed that he needed to return now, strictly fulfilling his duty. But when he saw the French, saw Tikhon, learned that they were attacking him on the night, he decided with himself, with the speed of transitions of young people from one look to another, that the general of him, whom he still respected very much, was a cunt, a German, that Denisov was a hero, and ssaul a hero, and that Tikhon was a hero, and that he would be ashamed to leave them in a difficult moment.
It was already dusk when Denisov and Petya and Esaul drove up to the guardhouse. Horses in the saddle could be seen in the darkness, Cossacks, hussars, who put up huts on the glade and (so that the French couldn't see the smoke) made a red fire in the forest ravine. In the huts of a small hut, a Cossack rolled up his sleeves and chopped lamb. There were three officers from Denisov's party in the hut who arranged a table from the door. Petya took off his wet dress and immediately began to assist the officers in setting up the dining table.
Ten minutes later, the table was ready, covered with a napkin. There was vodka, rum in a flask, white bread and fried lamb with salt on the table.
Sitting at the table with the officers and tearing up the fatty, fragrant lamb with his hands, Petya was in a rapturous state of children's love for all people and because of the confidence in the same love for others.
- So what do you think, Vasily Fedorovich," he said to Denisov, "that I will stay with you for a day? - And, without waiting for an answer, he answered himself: "I'm told to find out, so I'll find out... Only you will let me in the most... in the main ... I do not need awards... And I want to... - Petya gritted his teeth and looked back, pulling upside down and waving his hand.
- The most important thing... - He repeated Denisov, smiling.
- Only, please, give me a team at all so that I can command, - Petya continued, - what should you do? Oh, you have a knife? - He turned to an officer who wanted to cut off lambs. And he gave me his folding knife.
The officer praised the knife.
- Please take it for yourself. I have a lot of such... - Blushed, Petya said. - Father! I forgot all about it," he shouted. - My raisins are wonderful, you know, without bones. We have a new marquitant and such beautiful things. I bought ten pounds. I got used to something sweet. Would you like to...? - And Petya ran in the hay to his Cossack, brought torbas with five pounds of raisins in them. - Eat, gentlemen, eat.
- Don't you need a coffee pot? - he turned to the esaul. - I bought a wonderful coffee pot from our marker! He has beautiful things. And he is very honest. This is the main thing. I will send you a message. Or maybe you have run out of flints, because it happens. I took it with me, I have it right here.... - He pointed at torbas, - a hundred flints. I bought very cheaply. Please take as much as you need, if not all... - And suddenly, being afraid that he didn't lie, Petya stopped and blushed.
He started remembering if he'd done anything else stupid. And, going through the memories of this day, the memory of the French drummer appeared to him. "We're fine, but what's it like for him? Where did he go? Have you fed him? Did they hurt him? - he thought. But having noticed that he had lied about flint, he was now afraid.
One could ask," he thought, "yes, they will say, "that the dignity of a boy and a boy has been pitied. I will show them tomorrow what a boy I am! Would it be a shame if I asked? - Petya thought. - Well, it doesn't matter! - And immediately, blushing and scared to see if their faces would be ridiculous, he said:
- Can I call this boy that he was taken prisoner? Give him something to eat... Maybe...
- Yes, a pathetic boy," Denisov said, apparently finding nothing to be ashamed of in this reminder. - To call him here. Vincent Bosse is his name. Call him.
- I will," Petya said.
- Call, call. A pathetic boy," said Denisov again.
Petya was standing at the door when Denisov said that. Petya climbed between officers and came close to Denisov.
- Let me kiss you, little dove," he said. - Oh, how great! How good! - And, having kissed Denisov, he ran to the yard.
- Bosse! Vincent! - Petya shouted, stopping at the door.
- Who do you want, sir? - said a voice from the darkness. Petya answered that the French boy who was taken today.
- Ah! Spring? - The Cossack said.
His name Vincent has already been changed: Cossacks - to Spring, and men and soldiers - to Visenya. In both alterations, this reminder of spring coincided with the idea of a young boy.
- He was warming up there by the fire. Hey, Vicenya! Vicenya! Spring! - The voices and laughter were heard in the dark.
- And the boy was quick," said the hussar who stood beside Petya. - We fed him a girlfriend. The passion was hungry!
In the dark, footsteps were heard, and the drummer came to the door, spanking his bare feet in the dirt.
- Ah c'est vous! - Petya said. - Voulez-vous manger? N'ayez pas peur, on ne vous fera pas de mal," he added, timidly and gently touching his hand. - Entrez, entrez 1.
- Merci, monsieur 2 - the drummer answered with a trembling, almost childish voice and began to wipe his dirty feet against the threshold. Pete wanted to say a lot to the drummer, but he didn't dare. He was standing beside him in the halls, reminiscing. Then, in the dark, he took his hand and shook it.
- Entrez, entrez," he repeated in a gentle whisper.
- "Ah, what would I do to him! - Petya spoke to himself and opened the door and let the boy pass by.
When the drummer entered the hut, Petya sat down away from him, considering it humiliating to pay attention to him. He only felt the money in his pocket and was in doubt if he would be ashamed to give it to the drummer.
1 Oh, it's you! Are you hungry? Don't be afraid, they won't do anything to you. Come in, come in.
2 Thank you, sir.