第98章

第98章“onlylook,yourexcellency！”hecalledhisattentiontothebulletswhichwerecontinuallywhizzing,singing,andhissingaboutthem.hespokeinthetoneofprotestandentreatywithwhichacarpenterspeakstoagentlemanwhohaspickedupahatchet.“weareusedtoit,butyoumayblisteryourfingers.”hetalkedasthoughthesebulletscouldnotkillhim,andhishalf-closedeyesgaveastillmorepersuasiveeffecttohiswords.thestaff-officeraddedhisproteststothecolonel,butbagrationmadethemnoanswer.hemerelygavetheordertoceasefiring,andtoformsoastomakeroomforthetwobattalionsofreinforcements.justashewasspeakingthecloudofsmokecoveringthehollowwasliftedasbyanunseenhandandblownbytherisingwindfromrighttoleft.andtheoppositehillcameintosightwiththefrenchmovingacrossit.alleyesinstinctivelyfastenedonthatfrenchcolumnmovingdownuponthemandwindinginandoutovertheupsanddownsoftheground.alreadytheycouldseethefurcapsofthesoldiers,coulddistinguishofficersfromprivates,couldseetheirflagflappingagainstitsstaff.

“howwellthey’remarching,”saidsomeoneinbagration’ssuite.

thefrontpartofthecolumnwasalreadydippingdownintothehollow.theengagementwouldtakeplacethenonthenearersideoftheslope…

theremnantsoftheregimentthathadalreadybeeninaction,forminghurriedly,drewofftotheright;thetwobattalionsofthesixthchasseursmarchedupingoodorder,drivingthelastlersbeforethemtheyhadnotyetreachedbagration,buttheheavy,weightytreadcouldbeheardofthewholemasskeepingstep.ontheleftflank,nearestofalltobagration,marchedthecaptain,around-facedimposing-lookingman,withafoolishandhappyexpressionofface.itwasthesameinfantryofficerwhohadrunoutoftheshantyaftertushin.hewasobviouslythinkingofnothingatthemoment,butthathewasmarchingbeforehiscommanderinfinestyle.withthecomplacencyofamanonparade,hesteppedspringingonhismuscularlegs,drawinghimselfupwithouttheslightesteffort,asthoughhewereswinging,andthiseasyelasticitywasastrikingcontrasttotheheavytreadofthesoldierskeepingstepwithhim.heworehangingbyhisleganunsheathed,slender,narrowsword（asmallbentsabre,morelikeatoythanaweapon）,andlookingabouthim,nowatthecommander,nowbehind,heturnedhiswholepowerfulframeroundwithoutgettingoutofstep.itlookedasthoughalltheforceofhissoulwasdirectedtomarchingbyhiscommanderinthebeststylepossible.andconsciousthathewasaccomplishingthis,hewashappy.“left…left…left…”heseemedtobeinwardlyrepeatingateachalternatestep.andthewallofsoldierlyfigures,weigheddownbytheirknapsacksandguns,withtheirfacesallgraveindifferentways,movedbyinthesamerhythm,asthougheachofthehundredsofsoldierswererepeatingmentallyateachalternatestep,“left…left…left…”astoutmajorskirtedabushontheroad,puffingandshiftinghisstep.asoldier,whohaddroppedbehind,trottedafterthecompany,lookingpanic-strickenathisowndefection.acannonball,whizzingthroughtheair,flewovertheheadsofprincebagrationandhissuite,andintimetothesamerhythm,“left…left…”itfellintothecolumn.

“closetheranks！”rangoutthejauntyvoiceofthecaptain.thesoldiersmarchedinahalfcircleroundsomethingintheplacewheretheballhadfallen,andanoldcavalryman,anunderofficer,lingeredbehindnearthedead,andovertakinghisline,changedfeetwithahop,gotintostep,andlookedangrilyabouthim.“left…left…left…”seemedtoechooutofthemenacingsilenceandthemonotonoussoundofthesimultaneoustreadofthefeetontheground.

“welldone,lads！”saidprincebagration.

“foryourex…slen,slen,slency！”rangoutalongtheranks.asurly-lookingsoldier,marchingontheleft,turnedhiseyesonbagrationasheshouted,withanexpressionthatseemedtosay,“weknowthatwithouttelling.”another,openinghismouthwide,shoutedwithoutglancinground,andmarchedon,asthoughafraidoflettinghisattentionstray.theorderwasgiventohaltandtakeofftheirknapsacks.

bagrationroderoundtheranksofmenwhohadmarchedbyhim,andthendismountedfromhishorse.hegavethereinstoacossack,tookoffhiscloakandhandedittohim,stretchedhislegsandsethiscapstraightonhishead.thefrenchcolumnwiththeofficersinfrontcameintosightunderthehill.

“withgod’shelp！”criedbagrationinaresolute,sonorousvoice.heturnedforoneinstanttothefrontline,andswinginghisarmsalittle,withtheawkward,lumberinggaitofamanalwaysonhorseback,hewalkedforwardovertheunevenground.princeandreyfeltthatsomeunseenforcewasdrawinghimforward,andhehadasensationofgreathappiness.

thefrenchwerenear.alreadyprinceandrey,walkingbesidebagration,coulddistinguishclearlythesashes,theredepaulettes,eventhefacesofthefrench.（hesawdistinctlyonebandy-edoldfrenchofficer,wearinghessianboots,whowasgettingupthehillwithdifficulty,takingholdofthebushes.）princebagrationgavenonewcommand,andstillmarchedinfrontoftheranksinthesamesilence.suddenlytherewasthesnapofashotamongthefrench,anotherandathird…andsmokeroseandfiringrangoutinallthebroken-upranksoftheenemy.severalofourmenfell,amongthemtheround-facedofficer,whohadbeenmarchingsocarefullyandcomplacently.butattheveryinstantofthefirstshot,bagrationlookedroundandshouted,“hurrah！”“hurra…a…a…ah！”rangoutalongourlinesinaprolongedroar,andout-strippingprincebagrationandoneanother,innoorder,butinaneagerandjoyouscrowd,ourmenrandownhillaftertheroutedfrench.