第632章

第632章rapidlyinthetwilightthemenpickedouttheirhorses,tightenedsaddlegirths,andformedintoparties.denisovstoodbythehut,givingthelastorders.theinfantryofthedetachmentmovedonalongtheroad,hundredsoffeetsplashingthroughthemud.theyquicklyvanishedamongthetreesinthemistbeforethedawn.theesaulgavesomeordertothecossacks.petyaheldhishorsebythebridle,eagerlyawaitingthewordofcommandtomount.hisfaceglowedfromadipincoldwater,andhiseyesgleamed.hefeltachillrunningdownhisback,andakindofrapid,rhythmicthrobbingallover.

“well,haveyoueverythingready？”saiddenisov.“giveusourhorses.”

theybroughtthehorsesup.denisovwasvexedwiththecossackbecausethesaddlegirthswereslack,andsworeathimashemountedhishorse.petyaputhisfootinthestirrup.thehorse,asitshabitwas,madeasthoughtonipathisleg;butpetyaleapedintothesaddle,unconsciousofhisownweight,andlookingroundatthehussarsmovingupfrombehindinthedarkness,herodeuptodenisov.

“vassilyfyodorovitch,youwilltrustmewithsomecommission？please…forgod’ssake…”hesaid.denisovseemedtohaveforgottenpetya’sexistence.helookedroundathim.

“onethingibegofyou,”hesaidsternly,“toobeymeandnottoputyourselfforward.”

allthewaydenisovdidnotsayanotherwordtopetya;herodeoninsilence.bythetimethattheyreachedtheedgeofthewood,itwasperceptiblygettinglightintheopencountry.denisovwhisperedsomethingtotheesaul,andthecossacksbeganridingbypetyaanddenisov.whentheyhadallpassedondenisovputhisspurstohishorse,androdedownhill.slippingandsinkingbackontheirhaunches,thehorsessliddownintothehollowwiththeirriders.petyakeptbesidedenisov.thetremoralloverhimwasgrowingmoreintense.itwasgettinglighterandlighter,butthemisthidobjectsatadistance.whenhehadreachedthebottom,denisovlookedbackandnoddedtothecossackbesidehim.

“thesignal,”hesaid.thecossackraisedhisarm,andashotrangout.atthesamemomenttheyheardthetrampofhorsesgallopinginfront,shoutsfromdifferentdirections,andmoreshots.

theinstantthatheheardthefirsttrampofhoofsandshouts,petyagavethereintohishorse,andlashinghimon,gallopedforward,heedlessofdenisov,whoshoutedtohim.itseemedtopetyathatitsuddenlybecamebroaddaylight,asthoughitweremidday,atthemomentwhenheheardtheshot.hegallopedtothebridge.thecossacksweregallopingalongtheroadinfront.atthebridgehejostledagainstacossackwhohadedbehind,andhegallopedon.infrontpetyasawmenofsomesort—thefrenchhesupposed—runningacrosstheroadfromrighttoleft.oneslippedinthemudunderhishorse’slegs.

cossackswerecrowdingaboutahut,doingsomething.afearfulscreamroseoutofthemiddleofthecrowd.petyagallopedtothiscrowd,andthefirstthinghesawwasthewhitefaceandtremblinglower-jawofafrenchman,whohadclutchedholdofalanceaimedathisbreast.