第387章

第387章rostov,withhiskeensportsman’seye,wasoneofthefirsttodescrythesebluedragoonspursuingouruhlans.nearerandnearerflewthedisorderedcrowdsoftheuhlansandthefrenchdragoonsinpursuitofthem.hecouldseenowseparatefigures,lookingsmallatthebottomofthehill,fighting,overtakingoneanother,andwavingtheirarmsandtheirswords.

rostovgazedatwhatwaspassingbeforehimasatahunt.hefeltinstinctivelythatifheweretochargewithhishussarsonthefrenchdragoonsnow,theycouldnotstandtheirground;butifheweretochargeitmustbethatveryminuteoritwouldbetoolate.helookedround.thecaptainstandingbesidehimhadhiseyestoofixedonthecavalrybelow.

“andreysevastianitch,”saidrostov,“wecouldclosethemin,surely…”

“andasmartjob,too,”saidthecaptain,“andindeed…”

rostov,withoutwaitingforhisanswer,setspurstohishorseandgallopedoffinfrontofhissquadron.beforehehadtimetogivethecommand,thewholesquadron,sharinghisfeeling,flewafterhim.rostovhimselfcouldnothavesaidhoworwhyhedidit.hediditall,ashedideverythinginawolfhunt,withoutthinkingorconsidering.hesawthatthedragoonswerenear,thattheyweregallopinginnoorder,heknewtheycouldnotstandtheirground;heknewtherewasonlyoneminutetoactin,whichwouldnotreturnifheletitslip.thecannonballswerehissingandwhistlingsoinspiritinglyabouthim,hishorsepulledsoeagerlyforwardthathecouldnotresistit.hespurredhishorse,shoutedthecommand,andthesameinstantflewfulltrotdown-hilltowardsthedragoons,hearingthetrampofhissquadronbehindhim.astheydasheddownhill,thetrotinsensiblypassedintoagallopthatbecameswifterandswifter,astheydrewnearertheiruhlansandthefrenchdragoonspursuingthem.thedragoonswereclosenow.theforemost,seeingthehussars,beganturningback;thehindmosthalted.withthesamefeelingwithwhichhehaddashedofftocutoffthewolf’sescape,rostov,lettinghisdonhorsegoathisutmostspeed,gallopedtocutoffthebrokenranksofthedragoons.oneuhlanhalted;another,onfoot,flunghimselftothegroundtoavoidbeingknockeddown;ariderlesshorsewascarriedalongwiththehussars.almostallthedragoonsweregallopingback.rostovpickedoutoneofthemonagreyhorseandflewafterhim.onthewayherodestraightatabush;hisgallanthorseclearedit;andnikolaywashardlystraightinthesaddleagainwhenhesawinafewsecondshewouldovertaketheenemyhehadpitcheduponashisaim.thefrenchman,probablyanofficerfromhisuniform,satcroucheduponhisgreyhorse,andurgingitonwithhissword.inanotherinstantrostov’shorsedashedupagainstthegreyhorse’shindquarters,almostknockingitover,andatthesamesecondrostov,notknowingwhyhedidso,raisedhissword,andaimedablowatthefrenchman.