第533章

第533章atfouro’clockintheafternoon，murat’stroopsenteredmoscow.infrontrodeadetachmentofwurtemberghussars，behind，withanimmensesuite，rodethekingofnapleshimself.

nearthemiddleofarbaty，closetonikolayavlenny，murathaltedtoawaitinformationfromthedetachmentinadvanceastotheconditioninwhichthecitadelofthecity，“lekremlin，”hadbeenfound.

asmallgroupofinhabitantsofmoscowhadgatheredaboutmurat.allstaredwithtimidastonishmentatthestrangefigureofthelong-hairedcommander，deckedingoldandfeathers.

“why，isthistheirtsarhimself？noughtamisswithhim，”voiceswereheardsayingsoftly.

aninterpreterapproachedthegroupofgazers.

“caps…capsoff，”theymuttered，turningtoeachotherinthelittlecrowd.theinterpreteraccostedoneoldporter，andaskedhimifitwerefartothekremlin.theporter，listeningwithsurprisetotheunfamiliarpolishaccent，andnotrecognisingtheinterpreter’swordsforrussian，hadnonotionwhatwasbeingsaidtohim，andtookrefugebehindtheothers.

muratapproachedtheinterpreter，andtoldhimtoaskwhereweretherussiantroops.oneoftherussiansunderstoodthisquestion，andseveralvoicesbeganansweringtheinterpretersimultaneously.afrenchofficerfromthedetachmentinadvancerodeuptomuratandreportedthatthegatesintothecitadelwereblockedup，andthatprobablytherewasanambushthere.

“good，”saidmurat，andturningtooneofthegentlemenofhissuite，hecommandedfourlightcannonstobemovedforward，andthegatestobeshelledupon.

theartillerycametrottingoutfromthecolumnfollowingmurat，andadvancedalongarbaty.whentheyreachedtheendofvosdvizhenkatheartilleryhaltedanddrewupinthesquare.severalfrenchofficerssuperintendedtheplacingofthecannonsomedistanceapart，andlookedatthekremlinthroughafield-glass.abellwasringinginthekremlinforeveningservice，andthatsoundtroubledthefrench.theysupposedthatitwasthecalltoarms.severalinfantrysoldiersrantothekutafyevgateway.abarricadeofbeamsandplankslayacrossthegateway.twomusketshotsrangoutfromthegates，justasanofficerwithsomemenwererunninguptothem.thegeneralstandingbythecannonsshoutedsomewordsofcommandtotheofficer，andtheofficerandthesoldiersranback.

threemoreshotswereheardfromthegate.oneshotgrazedthelegofafrenchsoldier，andastrangeshoutofseveralvoicesrosefrombehindthebarricade.instantaneously，asthoughatthewordofcommand，theexpressionofgoodhumourandserenityonthefacesofthefrenchgeneral，officers，andmenwasreplacedbyastubborn，concentratedexpressionofreadinessforconflictandsuffering.toallofthem，fromthemarshaltothelowestsoldier，thisplacewasnotvosdvizhenka，mohova，kutaf，andthetroitskygates；itwasanewbattlefield，likelytobethesceneofabloodyconflict.andallwerereadyforthatconflict.theshoutsfromthegatesdiedaway.thecannonsweremovedforward.theartillerymenquenchedtheburninglinstocks.anofficershouted“fire！”andtwowhistlingsoundsofclinkingtinrangoutoneafteranother.thegrapeshotfellrattlingonthestoneofthegateway，onthebeamsandscreensofplanks，andtwocloudsofsmokerolledoverthesquare.

someinstantsaftertheechoesoftheshotshaddiedawayoverthestonekremlin，astrangesoundwasheardovertheheadsofthefrench.animmenseflockofjackdawsroseabovethewallsandsweptroundintheairwithloudcaws，andthewhirofthousandsofwings.togetherwiththissound，thereroseasolitaryhumancryatthegate，andthefigureofamanbareheaded，inalongpeasant’scoat，cameintosightthroughthesmoke.holdingagunup，hetookaimatthefrench.“fire！”repeatedtheartilleryofficer，andatthesameinstantonerifleshotandtwocannonshotswereheard.thegatewasagainhiddeninsmoke.

nothingmorestirredbehindthebarricade，andthefrenchinfantrysoldierswiththeirofficerspassedinatthegate.inthegatewaylaythreemenwoundedandfourdead.twomeninlongpeasant-coatshadrunawayalongthewallstowardznamenka.

“clearthisaway，”saidtheofficer，pointingtothebeamsandthecorpses；andthefrenchsoldiersfinishedoffthewounded，andflungthecorpsesoverthefencebelow.whothesemenwerenobodyknew.“clearthisaway！”wasallthatwassaidofthem，andtheywereflungawaythattheymightnotstink.thiershasindeeddevotedsomeeloquentlinestotheirmemories.“thesewretcheshadinvadedthesacredcitadel，hadtakenpossessionofthegunsofthearsenal，andfired（thewretches）onthefrench.someofthemweresabred，andthekremlinwaspurgedoftheirpresence.”

muratwasinformedthatthewayhadbeencleared.thefrenchenteredthegates，andbeganpitchingtheircamponsenate-housesquare.thesoldiersflungthechairsoutofthewindowsofthesenate-houseintothesquare，andbeganmakingfires.

otherdetachmentsmarchedacrossthekremlinandencampedinmoroseyka，lubyanka，andpokrovka.otherspitchedtheircampsinvosdvizhenka，znamenka，nikolskaya，andtverskaya.notfindingcitizenstoentertainthem，thefrencheverywherebivouackedasinacamppitchedinatown，insteadofquarteringthemselvesonthehouses.