第86章

第86章thesamenight，aftertakingleaveoftheministerofwar，bolkonskysetofftojointhearmy，notknowingwhereheshouldfindit，attheriskofbeingcaughtbythefrenchonthewaytokrems.

atbr？nnallthecourtandeveryoneconnectedwithitwaspackingup，andtheheavyagewasalreadybeingdespatchedtoolm？tz.nearesselsdorf，princeandreycameoutontheroadalongwhichtherussianarmywasmovingintheutmosthasteandinthegreatestdisorder.theroadwassoobstructedwithage-onsthatitwasimpossibletogetbyinacarriage.princeandreyprocuredahorseandacossackfromtheofficerincommandofthecossacks，andhungryandwearyhethreadedhiswayinandoutbetweentheonsandrodeinsearchofthecommander-in-chiefandhisownage.themostsinisterrumoursastothepositionofthearmyreachedhimontheroad，andtheappearanceofthearmyfleeingindisorderconfirmedtheserumours.

“asforthatrussianarmywhichenglishgoldhasbroughtfromtheendsoftheuniverse，wearegoingtoinflictuponitthesamefate（thefateofthearmyofulm）”；herememberedthewordsofbonaparte’saddresstohisarmyatthebeginningofthecampaign，andthesewordsarousedinhimsimultaneouslyadmirationforthegeniusofhishero，afeelingofmortifiedpride，andthehopeofglory.“andifthere’snothingleftbuttodie？”hethought.“well，ifitmustbe！iwilldoitnoworsethanothers.”

princeandreylookeddisdainfullyattheendless，confusedmassofcompanies，ofage-ons，parksofartillery，andagainstore-ons，carts，andonsofeverypossibleform，pursuingoneanotherandobstructingthemuddyroadthreeandfourabreast.oneveryside，behindandbefore，asfarastheearcouldreachineverydirectiontherewastherumbleofwheels，therattleofcarts，ofons，andofgun-carriages，thetrampofhorses，thecrackofwhips，theshoutsofdrivers，theswearingofsoldiers，oforderlies，andofficers.atthesidesoftheroadshesawfallenhorses，andsometimestheirskinnedcarcases，broken-downons，withsolitarysoldierssittingonthem，waitingforsomething，detachedgroupsofsoldiersstrayedfromtheircompanies，startingofftoneighbouringvillages，oringbackfromthemfowls，sheep，hay，orsacksofstoresofsomesort.wheretheroadwentuphillordownhillthecrushbecamegreater，andtherewasanuninterruptedroarofshouts.thesoldiersflounderingknee-deepinthemudclutchedthegunsandclungtotheonsinthemidstofcrackingwhips，slippinghoofs，breakingtracesandthroat-splittingyells.theofficerssuperintendingtheirmovementsrodetoandfroinfrontandbehindtheconvoys.theirvoiceswerefaintlyaudibleinthemidstofthegeneraluproar，theirfacesbetrayedthattheydespairedofthepossibilityofcheckingthedisorder.

“voilàlecherholyarmament，”thoughtbolkonsky，recallingbilibin’swords.

herodeuptoaconvoy，intendingtoaskofsomeoneofthesemenwherehecouldfindthecommander-in-chief.directlyoppositetohimcameastrangevehicle，withonehorse，obviouslyedupbysoldierswiththeresourcesattheirdisposal，andlookinglikesomethingbetweenacart，acabriolet，andacoach.asoldierwasdrivingit，andundertheleatherntiltbehindacoversatawoman，muffledupinshawls.princeandreyrodeupandwasjustaddressingaquestiontothesoldier，whenhisattentionwastakenoffbythedespairingshrieksofthewomaninthisconveyance.theofficer，directingthetraffic，aimedablowatthesoldierwhosatinthecoachman’sseat，fortryingtopushinaheadofothers，andthelashfellonthecoveroftheequipage.thewomanshriekedshrilly.oncatchingsightofprinceandrey，shelookedoutfromunderthecoverandputtingherthinarmsoutfromtheshawlsandwavingthem，shescreamed：

“adjutant！sir！…forgod’ssake！…protectme.…whatwillhappentous？…iamthewifeofthedoctoroftheseventhchasseurs…theywon’tletuspass，wehavedroppedbehind，lostourownpeople.…”

“i’llthrashyouintomincemeat！turnback！”shoutedtheexasperatedofficertothesoldier：“turnbackwithyourhussy！”

“sir，protectus.whatdoesitmean？”screamedthedoctor’swife.

“kindlyletthiscartgetthrough.don’tyouseethatitisawoman？”saidprinceandrey，ridinguptotheofficer.

theofficerglancedathim，andwithoutmakinganyreplyturnedagaintothesoldier.“i’llteachyouhowtopushin.…back！…”

“letitpass，itellyou，”repeatedprinceandrey，settinghislipstightly.

“andwhoareyou？”criedtheofficer，turninguponhimsuddenlywithdrunkenfury.“whoareyou？areyou”（heputapeculiarlyoffensiveintonationintotheword）“incommand，pray？i’mcommandingofficerhere，notyou.backyougo，”herepeated，“ori’lllashyouintomincemeat.”theexpressionevidentlypleasedtheofficer.

“anicesnubhegavethelittleadjutant，”saidavoiceinthebackground.

princeandreysawthattheofficerwasinthatstageofdrunkenunreasoningfury，whenmendonotrememberwhattheysay.hesawthathischampionshipofthedoctor’swifeinthequeerconveyancewasexposinghimtowhathedreadedmorethananythingelseintheworld，whatiscalledinfrenchridicule，buthisinstinctsaidsomethingelse.theofficerhadhardlyutteredthelastwordswhenprinceandreyrodeuptohimwithafacedistortedbyfrenziedanger，andraisedhisriding-whip：“let—them—pass！”

theofficerflourishedhisarmandhurriedlyrodeaway.

“it’salltheirdoing，thesestaff-officers，allthedisorder，”hegrumbled.“doasyoulike.”

princeandrey，withoutliftinghiseyes，madehastetoescapefromthedoctor’swife，whocalledhimherdeliverer.anddwellingontheminutestdetailofthishumiliatingscenewithloathing，hegallopedontowardsthevillage，wherehewastoldthatthecommander-in-chiefwas.