第102章

第102章theinfantry,whohadbeencaughtunawaresinthecopse,hadrunaway,andthedifferentcompaniesallconfusedtogetherhadretreatedindisorderlycrowds.onesoldierinapanichadutteredthosewords—terribleinwarandmeaningless：“cutoff！”andthosewordshadinfectedthewholemasswithpanic.

“outflanked！cutoff！lost！”theyshoutedastheyran.

whentheirgeneralheardthefiringandtheshoutsintherearhehadgraspedattheinstantthatsomethingawfulwashappeningtohisregiment;andthethoughtthathe,anexemplaryofficer,whohadservedsomanyyearswithouteverhavingbeenguiltyoftheslightestshortcoming,mightbeheldresponsiblebyhissuperiorsfornegligenceorlackofdiscipline,soaffectedhimthat,instantlyobliviousoftheinsubordinatecavalrycolonelandhisdignityasageneral,utterlyobliviousevenofdangerandoftheinstinctofself-preservation,heclutchedatthecrupperofhissaddle,andspurringhishorse,gallopedofftotheregimentunderaperfecthailofbulletsthatluckilymissedhim.hewaspossessedbytheonedesiretofindoutwhatwaswrong,andtohelpandcorrectthemistakewhateveritmightbe,ifitwereamistakeonhispart,sothataftertwenty-twoyearsofexemplaryservice,withoutincurringareprimandforanything,hemightavoidbeingresponsibleforthisblunder.

gallopingessfullybetweenthefrenchforces,hereachedthefieldbehindthecopseacrosswhichourmenwererunningdownhill,notheedingthewordofcommand.thatmomenthadcomeofmoralvacillationwhichdecidesthefateofbattles.wouldthesedisorderlycrowdsofsoldiershearthevoiceoftheircommander,or,lookingbackathim,runonfurther？inspiteofthedespairingyellofthecommander,whohadoncebeensoawe-inspiringtohissoldiers,inspiteofhisinfuriated,purpleface,distortedoutofalllikenesstoitself,inspiteofhisbrandishedsword,thesoldiersstillranandtalkedtogether,shootingintotheairandnotlisteningtothewordofcommand.themoralbalancewhichdecidesthefateofbattlewasunmistakablyfallingonthesideofpanic.

thegeneralwaschokedwithscreamingandgunpowder-smoke,andhestoodstillindespair.allseemedlost;butatthatmomentthefrench,whohadbeenadvancingagainstourmen,suddenly,fornoapparentreason,ranback,vanishedfromtheedgeofthecopse,andrussiansharp-shootersappearedinthecopse.thiswastimohin’sdivision,theonlyonethathadretaineditsgoodorderinthecopse,andhidinginambushintheditchbehindthecopse,hadsuddenlyattackedthefrench.timohinhadrushedwithsuchadesperateyelluponthefrench,andwithsuchdesperateanddrunkenenergyhadhedashedattheenemywithonlyaswordinhishand,thatthefrenchflungdowntheirweaponsandfledwithoutpausingtorecoverthemselves.dolohov,runningbesidetimohin,killedonefrenchsoldieratclosequarters,andwasthefirsttoseizebythecollaranofficerwhosurrendered.thefleeingrussianscameback;thebattalionswerebroughttogether;andthefrench,whohadbeenonthepointofsplittingtheforcesoftheleftflankintotwoparts,wereforthemomentheldincheck.thereserveshadtimetojointhemainforces,andtherunawayswerestopped.thegeneralstoodwithmajorekonomovatthebridge,watchingtheretreatingcompaniesgoby,whenasoldierranuptohim,caughtholdofhisstirrup,andalmostclungontoit.thesoldierwaswearingacoatofbluefinecloth,hehadnoknapsacknorshako,hisheadwasboundup,andacrosshisshoulderswasslungafrenchcartridgecase.inhishandheheldanofficer’ssword.thesoldierwaspale,hisblueeyeslookedimpudentlyintothegeneral’sface,buthismouthwassmiling.althoughthegeneralwasengagedingivinginstructionstomajorekonomov,hecouldnothelpnoticingthissoldier.

“yourexcellency,herearetwotrophies,”saiddolohov,pointingtothefrenchswordandcartridgecase.“anofficerwastakenprisonerbyme.istoppedthecompany.”dolohovbreathedhardfromweariness;hespokeinjerks.“thewholecompanycanbearmewitness.ibegyoutorememberme,yourexcellency！”

“verygood,verygood,”saidthegeneral,andheturnedtomajorekonomov.butdolohovdidnotleavehim;heundidthebandage,andshowedthebloodcongealedonhishead.

“abayonetwound;ikeptmyplaceinthefront.rememberme,yourexcellency.”

tushin’sbatteryhadbeenforgotten,anditwasonlyattheveryendoftheactionthatprincebagration,stillhearingthecannonadeinthecentre,sentthestaff-officerondutyandthenprinceandreytocommandthebatterytoretireasquicklyaspossible.theforcewhichhadbeenstationedneartushin’scannonstoprotectthemhadbysomebody’sordersretreatedinthemiddleofthebattle.butthebatterystillkeptupitsfire,andwasnottakenbythefrenchsimplybecausetheenemycouldnotconceiveoftherecklessdaringoffiringfromfourcannonsthatwerequiteunprotected.thefrenchsupposed,onthecontrary,judgingfromtheenergeticactionofthebattery,thatthechiefforcesoftherussianswereconcentratedhereinthecentre,andtwiceattemptedtoattackthatpoint,andbothtimesweredrivenbackbythegrapeshotfiredonthemfromthefourcannonswhichstoodinsolitudeontheheights.shortlyafterprincebagration’sdeparture,tushinhadeededinsettingfiretosch？ngraben.

“look,whatafussthey’rein！it’sflaming！whatasmoke！smartlydone！first-rate！thesmoke！thesmoke！”criedthegunners,theirspiritsreviving.