第153章

第153章“i’mwaitingtosee,yourmajesty,”repeatedkutuzov（princeandreynoticedthatkutuzov’supperlipquiveredunnaturallyasheutteredthat：“i’mwaiting”）.“notallthecolumnsaremassedyet,yourmajesty.”

thetsarheardhim,buttheanswerapparentlydidnotpleasehim;heedhisslopingshoulders,andglancedatnovosiltsov,whostoodnear,withalookthatseemedtocomplainofkutuzov.

“wearenotonthetsaritsinfield,youknow,mihaillarionovitch,wheretheparadeisnotbeguntillalltheregimentsareready,”saidthetsar,glancingagainattheemperorfrancisasthoughinvitinghim,ifnottotakepart,atleasttolistentowhathewassaying.buttheemperorfrancisstillgazedawayanddidnotlisten.

“that’sjustwhyi’mnotbeginning,sire,”saidkutuzovinaresoundingvoice,asthoughforeseeingapossibilityhiswordsmightbeignored,andoncemoretherewasaquiverinhisface.“that’swhyiamnotbeginning,sire;becausewearenotonparadeandnotonthetsaritsinfield,”hearticulatedclearlyanddistinctly.

allinthetsar’ssuiteexchangedinstantaneousglanceswithoneanother,andeveryfaceworeanexpressionofregretandreproach.“howeveroldhemaybe,heoughtnot,heoughtnevertospeaklikethat,”thefacesexpressed.

thetsarlookedsteadilyandattentivelyintokutuzov’sface,waitingtoseeifhewerenotgoingtosaymore.butkutuzovtooonhisside,bendinghisheadrespectfully,seemedtobewaiting.thesilencelastedaboutaminute.

“however,ifit’syourmajesty’scommand,”saidkutuzov,liftinghisheadandrelapsingintohisformeraffectationofthetoneofastupid,uncriticalgeneral,whoobeysorders.hemovedaway,andbeckoningthecommandingofficerofthecolumn,miloradovitch,gavehimthecommandtoadvance.

thetroopsbegantomoveagain,andtwobattalionsofthenovgorodregimentandabattalionoftheapsheronregimentpassedbeforethetsar.

whiletheapsheronbattalionwasmarchingby,miloradovitch,ared-facedman,wearingauniformandorders,withnoovercoat,andaturned-uphatwithhugeplumesstuckononeside,gallopedaheadofthem,andsalutingingallantstyle,reineduphishorsebeforethetsar.

“withgod’said,general,”saidthetsar.

“mafoi,sire,wewilldowhateverisinourpowertodo,”heansweredgaily,arousingnonethelessanironicalsmileamongthegentlemenofthetsar’ssuitebyhisbadfrenchaccent.miloradovitchwheeledhishorseroundsharply,andhaltedafewstepsbehindthetsar.theapsheronmen,rousedbythepresenceofthetsar,steppedoutgallantlyastheymarchedbytheemperorsandtheirsuites.

“lads！”shoutedmiloradovitchinhisloud,self-confident,andcheeryvoice.hewasapparentlysoexcitedbythesoundsofthefiring,theanticipationofbattle,andthesightofthegallantapsheronmen,hisoldcomradeswithsuvorov,thatheforgotthetsar’spresence.“lads！it’snotthefirstvillageyou’vehadtotake！”heshouted.

“gladtodoourbest,”roaredthesoldiers.thetsar’shorserearedattheunexpectedsound.thishorse,whohadcarriedthetsaratreviewsinrussia,borehisriderhereonthefieldofausterlitz,patientlyenduringtheheedlessblowsofhisleftfoot,andprickeduphisearsatthesoundofshotsashehaddoneonthereviewgroundwithnocomprehensionofthesignificanceofthesesounds,norofthenearnessoftheravenhorseofemperorfrancis,norofallthatwassaidandthoughtandfeltthatdaybythemanwhorodeuponhisback.

thetsarturnedwithasmiletooneofhiscourtiers,pointingtothegallant-lookingapsheronregiment,andsaidsomethingtohim.