第386章

第386章informerdaysrostovhadfeltfearwhenhewasgoingintoanengagement;nowhehadnottheslightestfeelingoffear.hehadnotlosthisfearsfromgrowingusedtobeingunderfire（onecannevergetaccustomedtodanger）butfromgainingcontrolofhisfeelingsinfaceofdanger.hehadschooledhimselfwhengoingintoactiontothinkofanythingexceptwhatonewouldhavesupposedtobemoreinterestingthananythingelse—thedangerinstoreforhim.earnestlyashestrovetodothis,andbitterlyashereproachedhimselfforcowardice,hecouldnotatfirsteedinthis.butwithyearsithadcomeofitself.herodenowbesideilyin,betweenthebirch-trees,strippingleavesoffthetwigsthatmethishand,sometimestouchinghishorse’ssidewithhisfoot,handingthepipehehadfinishedtoanhussarbehind,withoutturninghishead,allwithascalmandcarelessanairasthoughhewereoutforaride.hefeltsorrytoseetheexcitedfaceofilyin,whotalkedagreatdealnervously.heknewbyexperiencetheagonisingstateofanticipationofterrorandofdeath,inwhichthecornetwasplunged,andheknewthatnothingbuttimecouldhelphimoutofit.

assoonasthesunappearedintheclearstripofskyunderthestorm-clouds,thewindsank,asthoughnotdaringtospoilthebeautyofthesummermorningafterthestorm;thetreesstilldripped,butthedropsfellverticallynow—andallwashushed.thesunrosecompletelyabovethehorizon,andvanishedinalong,narrowcloudthathungoverit.afewminuteslaterthesunshowedevenmorebrightlyontheuppersideofthecloud,tearingitsedge.everythinggrewbrightandshining.andwiththebrightlight,asthoughinresponsetoit,rangoutshotsinfrontofthem.

rostovhadnottimetocollecthisthoughtsanddecidehowfarofftheseshotswere,whenanadjutantofcountosterman-tolstoygallopedupfromvitebsk,bringingtheordertoadvanceatfullspeedalongtheroad.

thesquadronovertookandpassedtheinfantryandthebattery,whowerealsoquickeningtheirpace.thenthehussarsraceddownhill,passedthroughanemptyanddesertedvillage,andtrotteduphillagain.thehorseswerebeginningtogetinalatherandthemenlookedflushed.

“halt！inline！”saidtheofficerincommandofthedivision.“leftaboutface,walkingpace！”soundedthecommandinadvance.

andthehussarspassedalongthelinesoftheothertroopstotheleftflankoftheposition,andhaltedbehindouruhlans,whoformedthefrontline.ontherightwasadensecolumnofourinfantry—theyformedthereserves;onthehillabovethem,inthepure,clearair,inthebrilliant,slanting,morningsunshine,couldbeseenourcannonsontheveryhorizonline.infront,beyondahollowdale,couldbeseentheenemy’scolumnsandcannons.inthedalecouldbeheardouradvancepickets,alreadykeepingupalivelyinterchangeofshotswiththeenemy.

rostovfelthisspiritsriseatthosesounds,solongunheard,asthoughtheyhadbeentheliveliestmusic.trap-ta-ta-tap！rangoutseveralshots,firsttogether,theninrapidession.allsankintosilenceagain,andagaintherewasasoundasofpoppingsquibs.

thehussarsremainedforaboutanhourinthesamespot.thecannonsbeganfiring.countosterman,withhissuitebehindthesquadron,rodeup;hestoppedtosayawordtothecoloneloftheregiment,androdeofftothecannonsonthehill.

afterostermanhadriddenaway,thecommandrangoutamongtheuhlans,“formincolumn;makereadytocharge！”theinfantryinfrontpartedintwotoletthecavalrypassthrough.theuhlansgallopedoff,thestreamersontheirlanceswaving,andtrotteddownhilltowardsthefrenchcavalry,whocameintosightbelowontheleft.

assoonastheuhlanshadstarteddownhill,thehussarsreceivedtheordertorideoffuphilltocoverthebattery.justasthehussarsweremovingintotheplaceoftheuhlans,therecameflyingfromtheout-postssomecannon-balls,hissingandwhistlingoutofthedistance,andhittingnothing.

thissound,whichhehadnotheardforsolong,hadanevenmoreinspiritingandcheeringeffectonrostovthanthereportofthemuskets.drawinghimselfup,hesurveyedthefieldofbattle,asitopenedoutbeforehimridinguphill,andhiswholeheartwentwiththemovementsoftheuhlans.theywereswoopingdowncloseuponthefrenchdragoons;therewassomeconfusionyonderinthesmoke,andfiveminuteslatertheuhlansweredashingback,nottowardsthespotwheretheyhadbeenposted,butmoretotheleft.betweentheranksofuhlansonthechestnuthorses,andinagreatmassbehindthem,couldbeseenbluefrenchdragoonsongreyhorses.