第147章

第147章“yourhonour,thegenerals！”saidthesergeant,ridinguptorostov.rostov,stilllookingawaytowardsthelightsandshouts,rodewiththesergeanttomeetseveralmengallopingalongtheline.onewasonawhitehorse.princebagrationwithprincedolgorukovandhisadjutanthadriddenouttolookatthestrangedemonstrationoflightsandshoutsintheenemy’sarmy.rostov,goinguptobagration,reportedwhathehadheardandseentohim,andjoinedtheadjutants,listeningtowhatthegeneralsweresaying.

“takemywordforit,”princedolgorukovwassayingtobagration,“it’snothingbutatrick;theyhaveretreatedandorderedtherearguardtolightfiresandmakeanoisetodeceiveus.”

“idoubtit,”saidbagration;“sinceeveningihaveseenthemonthatknoll;iftheyhadretreated,theywouldhavewithdrawnfromtheretoo.monsieurl’officier,”princebagrationturnedtorostov,“aretheenemy’spicketsstillthere？”

“theyweretherethisevening,butnowican’tbesure,yourexcellency.shalligowithsomehussarsandsee？”saidrostov.

bagrationstoodstill,andbeforeanswering,triedtomakeoutrostov’sfaceinthemist.

“well,goandsee,”hesaidafterabriefpause.

“yes,sir.”

rostovputspurstohishorse,calledupthesergeantfedtchenko,andtwootherhussars,toldthemtorideafterhim,andtrottedoffdownhillinthedirectionoftheshouting,whichstillcontinued.rostovfeltbothdreadandjoyinridingalonewiththreehussarsintothatmysteriousanddangerous,mistydistance,wherenoonehadbeenbeforehim.bagrationshoutedtohimfromthehillnottogobeyondthestream,butrostovmadeasthoughhehadnotheardhiswords,androdeonwithoutstopping,furtherandfurther,continuallymistakingbushesfortreesandravinesformen,andcontinuallydiscoveringhismistakes.ashegallopeddownhillhelostsightbothofourmenandtheenemy,butmoreloudlyanddistinctlyheheardtheshoutsofthefrench.inthevalleyhesawaheadofhimsomethingthatlookedlikeariver,butwhenhehadriddenuptoit,hefoundoutitwasaroad.ashegotoutontheroadhepulleduphishorse,hesitatingwhethertogoalongitortocutacrossit,andrideovertheblackfieldupthehillside.tofollowtheroad,whichshowedlighterinthemist,wasmoredangerous,becausefigurescouldbemoreeasilydescrieduponit.“followme,”hesaid,“cutacrosstheroad,”andbegangallopingupthehilltowardsthepointwherethefrenchpickethadbeenintheevening.

“yourhonour,hereheis！”saidoneofthehussarsbehind;andbeforerostovhadtimetomakeoutsomethingthatroseupsuddenlyblackinthemist,therewasaflashoflight,thecrackofashotandabullet,thatseemedwhiningacomplaint,whizzedhighintheairandflewawayoutofhearing.anothershotmissedfire,buttherewasaflashinthepan.rostovturnedhishorse’sheadandgallopedback.heheardfourmoreshotsatvaryingintervals,andfourmorebulletswhistledinvaryingtonessomewhereinthemist.rostovheldinhishorse,whoseemedinspirited,ashewashimselfbytheshots,androdebackatawalkingpace.“now,then,somemore;nowthen,more！”asortoflight-heartedvoicemurmuredinhissoul.buttherewerenomoreshots.onlyasheapproachedbagration,rostovputhishorseintoagallopagain,andwithhishandtohiscap,rodeuptohim.

dolgorukovwasstillinsistingonhisopinionthatthefrenchwereretreating,andhadonlylightedfirestomisleadthem.“whatdoesitprove？”hewassaying,asrostovrodeuptothem.“theymighthaveretreatedandleftpickets.”

“it’scleartheyhavenotallretired,prince,”saidbagration.“wemustwaittillmorning;to-morrowweshallknowallaboutit.”

“thepicket’sonthehill,yourexcellency,stillwhereitwasintheevening,”rostovannounced,hishandtohiscap,unabletorestrainthesmileofdelightthathadbeencalledupbyhisexpeditionandthewhizofthebullets.

“verygood,verygood,”saidbagration,“ithankyou,monsieurl’officier.”

“yourexcellency,”saidrostov,“mayiaskafavour？”

“whatisit？”

“to-morrowoursquadronisorderedtotherear;mayibegyoutoattachmetothefirstsquadron？”

“what’syourname？”

“countrostov.”

“ah,verygood！youmaystayinattendanceonme.”

“ilyaandreitch’sson？”saiddolgorukov.butrostovmadehimnoreply.

“soimayreckononit,yourexcellency.”

“iwillgivetheorder.”

“to-morrow,verylikely,theywillsendmewithsomemessagetotheemperor,”hethought.“thankgod！”

theshoutsandlightsintheenemy’sarmyhadbeenduetothefactthatwhilenapoleon’sproclamationhadbeenreadtothetroops,theemperorhadhimselfriddenamongthebivouacs.thesoldiersonseeingtheemperorhadlightedwispsofstrawandrunafterhim,shouting,“vivel’empereur！”napoleon’sproclamationwasasfollows：—

“soldiers！therussianarmyiscomingtomeetyou,toavengetheaustrianarmy,thearmyofulm.theyaretheforcesyouhavedefeatedathollabrunn,andhavebeenpursuingeversinceuptothisplace.thepositionweoccupyisapowerfulone,andwhiletheywillmarchtoout-flankmeontheright,theywillexposetheirflanktome！soldiers！iwillmyselfleadyourbattalions.iwillkeepoutoffire,ifyou,withyourhabitualbravery,carrydefeatanddisorderintotheranksoftheenemy.butifvictoryisforonemomentdoubtful,youwillseeyouremperorexposedtotheenemy’shottestattack,fortherecanbenouncertaintyofvictory,especiallyonthisday,whenitisaquestionofthehonourofthefrenchinfantry,onwhichreststhehonourofournation.donot,onthepretextofremovingthewounded,breaktheorderoftheranks！leteverymanbefullypenetratedbytheideathatwemustsubduetheseminionsofengland,whoareinspiredbysuchhatredofourcountry.thisvictorywillconcludeourcampaign,andwecanreturntowinterquarters,whereweshallbereinforcedbyfreshforcesnowbeingformedinfrance;andthenthepeaceishallconcludewillbeoneworthyofmypeople,ofyouandme.

“napoleon.”