第523章

第523章therussiantroopswerecrossingmoscowfromtwoo’clockatnighttotwoo’clockintheday,andtookwiththemthelastdepartinginhabitantsandwoundedsoldiers.

thegreatestcrushtookplaceonthekamennybridge,themoskvoryetskybridge,andyauzskybridge.whilethetroops,partingintwoaboutthekremlin,werecrowdingontothemoskvoryetskyandkamennybridges,animmensenumberofsoldiersavailedthemselvesofthestoppageandtheblocktoturnback,andslippingstealthilyandquietlybyvassilytheblessed,andundertheborovitskygates,theymadetheirwayuphilltotheredsquare,wheresomeinstincttoldthemtheycouldeasilycarryoffotherpeople’sproperty.everypassageandalleyofthegostinnybazaarwasfilledwithacrowd,suchasthrongsthereatsales.buttherewerenoingratiating,alluringvoicesofshopmen,nohawkers,nomotley,femalemobofpurchasers—everywhereweretheuniformsandovercoatsofsoldierswithoutguns,goingoutinsilencewithloadsofbooty,andcominginempty-handed.theshopkeepersandshopmen（theywerefew）werewalkingaboutamongthesoldiers,likemendistraught,openingandshuttingtheirshops,andhelpingtheirassistantstocarryawaytheirwares.thereweredrummersinthesquarebeforethebazaarbeatingthemuster-call.buttherollofthedrummadethepillagingsoldiersnotrunupatthecallasofold,but,onthecontrary,runawayfromthedrum.amongthesoldiersintheshopsandpassagescouldbeseenmeninthegreycoats,andwiththeshavenheadsofconvicts.twoofficers,onewithascarfoverhisuniform,onathin,darkgreyhorse,theotheronfoot,wearingamilitaryovercoat,stoodatthecornerofilyinka,talking.athirdofficergallopeduptothem.

“thegeneralhassentordersthattheypositivelymustallbedrivenout.why,thisisoutrageous！halfthemenhaverunoff.”

“why,areyouofftoo？…whereareyoufellowsoffto？”…heshoutedtothreeinfantrysoldiers,whoranbyhimintothebazaarwithoutguns,holdinguptheskirtsoftheirovercoats.“stop,rascals！”

“yes,yousee,howareyougoingtogetholdofthem？”answeredanotherofficer.“there’snogettingthemtogether;wemustpushonsothatthelastmaynotbegone,that’stheonlythingtodo！”

“how’sonetopushon？theretheyhavebeenstanding,withablockonthebridge,andtheyarenotmoving.shouldn’taguardbesettopreventtherestrunningoff？”

“why,comealong！drivethemout,”shoutedtheseniorofficer.

theofficerinthescarfdismounted,calledupadrummer,andwentwithhimintothearcade.severalsoldiersinagrouptogethermadearushaway.ashopkeeper,withredbruisesonhischeeksabouthisnose,withanexpressiononhissleekfaceofquietpersistenceinthepursuitofgain,camehurriedlyandbrisklyuptotheofficergesticulating.

“yourhonour,”saidhe,“graciouslyprotectus.wearenotclose-fisted—anytriflenow…weshallbedelighted！pray,yourhonour,walkin,i’llbringoutclothinamoment—acoupleofpiecesevenforagentleman—weshallbedelighted！forwefeelhowitis,butthisissimplerobbery！pray,yourhonour！aguardorsomethingshouldbeset,toletusatleastshutup…”

severalshopkeeperscrowdedroundtheofficer.

“eh！it’snouseclacking,”saidoneofthem,athinman,withasternface;“whenone’shead’soff,onedoesn’tweepoverone’shair.letalltakewhattheyplease！”andwithavigoroussweepofhisarmheturnedawayfromtheofficer.

“it’sallverywellforyoutotalk,ivansidoritch,”thefirstshopkeeperbeganangrily.“ifyouplease,yourhonour.”

“what’stheuseoftalking！”shoutedthethinman;“inmythreeshopshereihaveonehundredthousandworthofgoods.how’sonetoguardthemwhenthearmyisgone？ah,fellows,god’swillisnotinmen’shands！”

“ifyouplease,yourhonour,”saidthefirstshopkeeper,bowing.

theofficerstoodinuncertainty,andhisfacebetrayedindecision.“why,whatbusinessisitofmine！”hecriedsuddenly,andhestrodeonrapidlyalongthearcade.inoneopenshopheheardblowsandhighwords,andjustastheofficerwasgoingintoit,amaninagreycoat,withashavenhead,wasthrustviolentlyoutofthedoor.

thismandoubledhimselfupandboundedpasttheshopkeepersandtheofficer.theofficerpouncedonthesoldierswhowereintheshop.butmeanwhilefearfulscreams,comingfromanimmensecrowd,wereheardnearthemoskvoryetskybridge,andtheofficerranoutintothesquare.

“whatisit？whatisit？”heasked,buthiscomradehadalreadygallopedoffinthedirectionofthescreams.theofficermountedhishorseandfollowedhim.ashedrewnearthebridge,hesawtwocannonsthathadbeentakenofftheircarriages,theinfantrymarchingoverthebridge,afewbroken-downcarts,andsomesoldierswithfrightened,andsomewithlaughingfaces.nearthecannonsstoodaonwithapairofhorsesharnessedtoit.behindthewheelshuddledfourgreyhoundsincollars.amountainofgoodswaspiledupintheon,andontheverytop,besideachild’schairturnedlegsuppermost,satawoman,whowasutteringshrillanddespairingshrieks.theofficerwastoldbyhiscomradesthatthescreamsofthecrowdandthewoman’sshriekswereduetothefactthatgeneralyermolovhadcomeridingdownonthecrowd,andlearningthatthesoldierswerestrayingawayintheshops,andcrowdsofthetownspeoplewereblockingthebridge,hadcommandedthemtotakethecannonsoutoftheircarriages,andtomakeasthoughtheywouldfirethematthebridge.thecrowdhadmadearush;upsettingons,tramplingoneanother,andscreamingdesperately,thebridgehadbeencleared,andthetroopshadmovedon.