第155章

第155章“stopthosewretches！”kutuzovgaspedtotheofficerincommandoftheregiment,pointingtotheflyingsoldiers.butatthesameinstant,asthoughinrevengeforthewords,thebulletscamewhizzingovertheregimentandkutuzov’ssuitelikeaflockofbirds.thefrenchwereattackingthebattery,andcatchingsightofkutuzov,theywereshootingathim.withthisvolleythegeneralclutchedathisleg;severalsoldiersfell,andthesecondlieutenantstandingwiththeflagletitdropoutofhishands.theflagtotteredandwascaughtonthegunsofthenearestsoldiers.thesoldiershadbegunfiringwithoutorders.

“ooogh！”kutuzovgrowledwithanexpressionofdespair,andhelookedroundhim.“bolkonsky,”hewhisperedinavoiceshakingwiththeconsciousnessofhisoldageandhelplessness.“bolkonsky,”hewhispered,pointingtotheroutedbattalionandtheenemy,“what’sthis？”

butbeforehehadutteredthewords,princeandrey,feelingthetearsofshameandmortificationrisinginhisthroat,wasjumpingoffhishorseandrunningtotheflag.

“lads,forward！”heshriekedinavoiceofchildishshrillness.“here,itiscome！”princeandreythought,seizingthestaffoftheflag,andhearingwithreliefthewhizofbullets,unmistakablyaimedathim.severalsoldiersdropped.

“hurrah！”shoutedprinceandrey,andhardlyabletoholduptheheavyflaginbothhishands,heranforwardintheunhesitatingconvictionthatthewholebattalionwouldrunafterhim.andinfactitwasonlyforafewstepsthatheranalone.onesoldierstarted,thenanother,andthenthewholebattalionwithashoutof“hurrah！”wasrunningforwardandovertakinghim.anunder-officerofthebattalionranupandtooktheflagwhichtotteredfromitsweightinprinceandrey’shands,buthewasatoncekilled.princeandreysnatcheduptheflagagain,andwavingitbythestaff,ranonwiththebattalion.infrontofhimhesawourartillerymen,ofwhomsomewerefighting,whileothershadabandonedtheircannonsandwererunningtowardshim.hesawfrenchinfantrysoldiers,too,seizingtheartilleryhorsesandturningthecannonsround.princeandreyandthebattalionwerewithintwentypacesofthecannons.heheardthebulletswhizzingoverhimincessantly,andcontinuallythesoldiersmoanedandfelltotherightandleftofhim.buthedidnotlookatthem;hiseyeswerefixedonwhatwasgoingoninfrontofhim—atthebattery.hecouldnowseedistinctlythefigureofthered-hairedartilleryman,withashakocrushedononeside,pullingamoponeway,whileafrenchsoldierwasingittheotherway.princeandreycouldseedistinctlynowthedistraught,andatthesametimeexasperatedexpressionofthefacesofthetwomen,whowereobviouslyquiteunconsciousofwhattheyweredoing.

“whataretheyabout？”wonderedprinceandrey,watchingthem;“whydoesn’tthered-hairedartillerymanrun,sincehehasnoweapon？whydoesn’tthefrenchmanstabhim？hewon’thavetimetorunawaybeforethefrenchmanwillthinkofhisgun,andknockhimonthehead.”anotherfrenchmandid,indeed,runuptothecombatantswithhisgunalmostoverbalancinghim,andthefateofthered-hairedartilleryman,whostillhadnoconceptionofwhatwasawaitinghim,andwaspullingthemopawayintriumph,wasprobablysealed.butprinceandreydidnotseehowitended.itseemedtohimasthoughahardstickwasswungfullathimbysomesoldiernear,dealinghimaviolentblowonthehead.ithurtalittle,buttheworstofitwasthatthepaindistractedhisattention,andpreventedhimfromseeingwhathewaslookingat.

“what’sthis？amifalling？mylegsaregivingwayunderme,”hethought,andfellonhisback.heopenedhiseyes,hopingtoseehowtheleofthefrenchsoldierswiththeartillerymanwasending,andeagertoknowwhetherthered-hairedartillerymanwaskilledornot,whetherthecannonshadbeentakenorsaved.buthesawnothingofallthat.abovehimtherewasnothingbutthesky—theloftysky,notclear,butstillimmeasurablylofty,withgreycloudscreepingquietlyoverit.“howquietly,peacefully,andtriumphantly,andnotlikeusrunning,shouting,andfighting,notlikethefrenchmanandartillerymaningthemopfromoneanotherwithfrightenedandfranticfaces,howdifferentlyarethosecloudscreepingoverthatlofty,limitlesssky.howwasitididnotseethatloftyskybefore？andhowhappyiamtohavefounditatlast.yes！allisvanity,allisacheat,exceptthatinfinitesky.thereisnothing,nothingbutthat.buteventhatisnot,thereisnothingbutpeaceandstillness.andthankgod！…”