Collage 252

I wish that I read Russian better. Or better said, I wish I read Russian. I can read enough to figure out where we are in the story but that's about it. One of Nikolai Rostov's army friends is Dmitrich Denisov who Otto (Team Tolstoy member) calls an honorary man. In this passage (Volume II, Part Two, Chapter XVIII), Rostov has gone to visit Denisov in the military hospital. He also unexpectantly runs into Tishin who has lost his arm. Denisov has a speech impediment of some sort and in the English translation it reads like this:

Denisov calls Rostov "Ghrostov". He says "ghreetings" rather than "greetings". Denisov writes a letter to the sovereign and asks Rostov to deliver it. He says, "It seems you can't bghreak an axhead with a stghraw". Since I read Russian so poorly, I am not sure how Tolstoy spells his speech. I will be more observant next time I meet up with Dolokhov. -- Lola

Lola Baltzell
from page 511-512 of original text
collage, ink, wax, acrylic paint
made 10/8/10
page 405-407 of Pevear/Volokhonsky translation