第151章

第151章ateighto’clockkutuzovrodeouttopratzenattheheadofmiloradovitch’sfourthcolumn,theonewhichwastooccupytheplaceleftvacantbythecolumnsofprzhebyshevskyandlangeron,whohadbythistimegonedowntotheplain.hegreetedthemenoftheforemostregiment,andgavethemthecommandtomarch,showingtherebythathemeanttoleadthatcolumnhimself.onreachingthevillageofpratzenhehalted.princeandreywasbehindamongtheimmensenumberofpersonswhomadeupthecommander-in-chief’ssuite.princeandreywasinastateofexcitement,ofirritation,andatthesametimeofrepressedcalm,asamanoftenisonattainingalong-desiredmoment.hewasfirmlyconvincedthatto-daywouldbethedayofhistoulonorhisbridgeofarcola.howitwouldcometopassheknewnot,buthewasfirmlyconvincedthatitwouldbeso.thelocalityandthepositionofourtroopshehadmasteredtotheminutestdetail,sofarastheycouldbeknowntoanyoneinourarmy.hisownstrategicplan,whichobviouslycouldnotconceivablybecarriedoutnow,wasforgottenbyhim.throwinghimselfintoweierother’splan,princeandreywasnowdeliberatingoverthecontingenciesthatmightarise,andinventingnewcombinations,inwhichhisrapidityofresourceanddecisionmightbecalledfor.

ontheleft,belowinthefog,couldbeheardfiringbetweenunseenforces.there,itseemedtoprinceandrey,thebattlewouldbeconcentrated,there“thedifficultywouldarise,andthereishallbesent,”hethought,“withabrigadeoradivision,andthere,flaginhand,ishallmarchforwardandshatterallbeforeme.”

princeandreycouldnotlookunmovedupontheflagsofthepassingbattalions.lookingattheflag,hekeptthinking：perhapsitisthatveryflagwithwhichishallhavetoleadthemen.towardsmorningnothingwasleftofthefogontheheightsbutahoarfrostpassingintodew,butinthevalleysthefogstilllayinamilky-whitesea.nothingcouldbeseeninthevalleytotheleftintowhichourtroopshadvanished,andfromwhichsoundsoffiringwerecoming.abovetheheightsstoodaclear,darkbluesky,andontherightthevastorbofthesun.inthedistanceinfront,onthecoastofthatseaofmist,roseupthewoodedhills,onwhichtheenemy’sarmyshouldhavebeen,andsomethingcouldbedescriedthere.ontherighttherewasthetrampofhoofsandrumbleofwheels,withnowandthenthegleamofbayonets,astheguardsplungedintotheregionofmist;ontheleft,behindthevillage,similarmassesofcavalryweremovinganddisappearingintotheseaoffog.infrontandbehindwerethemarchinginfantry.thecommander-in-chiefwasstandingattheendofthevillage,lettingthetroopspassbeforehim.kutuzovseemedexhaustedandirritablethatmorning.theinfantrymarchingbyhimhaltedwithoutanycommandbeinggiven,apparentlybecausesomethinginfrontblockeduptheway.

“dotellthementoforminbattalioncolumnsandgoroundthevillage,”saidkutuzovangrilytoageneralwhorodeup.“howisityoudon’tunderstand,mydearsir,thatit’soutofthequestiontoletthemfilethroughthedefileofthevillagestreet,whenweareadvancingtomeettheenemy.”

“ihadproposedformingbeyondthevillage,yourmosthighexcellency,”repliedthegeneral.

kutuzovlaughedbitterly.

“anicepositionyou’llbein,deployingyourfrontinsightoftheenemy—verynice.”

“theenemyisalongwayoffyet,yourmosthighexcellency.accordingtothedisposition.…”

“thedisposition！”kutuzovcriedwithbitterspleen;“butwhotoldyouso？…kindlydoasyouarecommanded.”

“yes,sir.”

“mydearboy,”nesvitskywhisperedtoprinceandrey,“theoldfellowisinaviletemper.”

anaustrianofficerwearingawhiteuniformandgreenplumesinhishat,gallopeduptokutuzovandaskedhimintheemperor’sname：hadthefourthcolumnstarted？

kutuzovturnedawaywithoutanswering,andhiseyefellcasuallyonprinceandrey,whowasstandingnearhim.seeingbolkonsky,kutuzovlethisvindictiveandbitterexpressionsoften,asthoughrecognisingthathisadjutantwasnottoblameforwhatwasbeingdone.andstillnotansweringtheaustrianadjutant,headdressedbolkonsky.

“goandsee,mydearfellow,whetherthethirddivisionhaspassedthevillage.tellthemtostopandwaitformyorders.”

princeandreyhadscarcelystartedwhenhestoppedhim.

“andaskwhetherthesharpshootersareposted,”headded.“whattheyaredoing,whattheyaredoing！”hemurmuredtohimself,stillmakingnoreplytotheaustrian.

princeandreygallopedofftodohisbidding.overtakingalltheadvancingbattalions,hestoppedthethirddivisionandascertainedthatthereactuallywasnolineofsharpshootersinadvanceofourcolumns.theofficerincommandoftheforemostregimentwasgreatlyastoundedontheorderbeingbroughthimfromthecommander-in-chieftosendaflyinglineofsharpshootersinadvance.theofficerhadbeenrestinginthefullconvictionthattherewereothertroopsinfrontofhim,andthattheenemycouldnotbelessthantenverstsaway.inrealitytherewasnothinginfrontofhimbutanemptystretchofground,slopingdownhillandcoveredwithfog.givinghimthecommander-in-chief’sordertorectifytheomission,princeandreygallopedback.kutuzovwasstillatthesamespot;hisbulkyframedroopedinthesaddlewiththelassitudeofoldage,andhewasyawningwearilywithclosedeyes.thetroopshadnotyetmovedon,butwerestandingatattention.

“good,good,”hesaidtoprinceandrey,andheturnedtothegeneralwho,watchinhand,wassayingthatitwastimetheystarted,asallthecolumnsoftheleftflankhadgonedownalready.

“wehaveplentyoftimeyet,yourexcellency,”kutuzovinterpolatedbetweenhisyawns.“plentyoftime！”herepeated.