第60章

第60章“coming！”thesentinelshoutedatthatmoment.thegeneral,turningred,rantohishorse,withtremblinghandscaughtatthestirrup,swunghimselfup,settledhimselfinthesaddle,drewouthissword,andwithapleasedandresolutefaceopenedhismouthononeside,inreadinesstoshout.theregimentflutteredallover,likeabirdpreeningitswings,andsubsidedintostillness.

“silence！”roaredthegeneral,inasoul-quakingvoice,expressingatoncegladnessonhisownaccount,severityasregardstheregiment,andwelcomeasregardstheapproachingcommander-in-chief.

ahigh,blueviennacoachwithseveralhorseswasdrivingatasmarttrot,rumblingonitssprings,alongthebroadunpavedhigh-road,withtreesplantedoneachsideofit.thegeneral’ssuiteandanescortofcroatsgallopedafterthecoach.besidekutuzovsatanaustriangeneralinawhiteuniform,thatlookedstrangeamongtheblackrussianones.thecoachdrewuponreachingtheregiment.kutuzovandtheaustriangeneralweretalkingofsomethinginlowvoices,andkutuzovsmiledslightlyas,treadingheavily,heputhisfootonthecarriagestep,exactlyasthoughthosetwothousandmengazingbreathlesslyathimandattheirgeneral,didnotexistatall.

thewordofcommandrangout,againtheregimentquiveredwithaclankingsoundasitpresentedarms.inthedeathlysilencetheweakvoiceofthecommander-in-chiefwasaudible.theregimentroared：“goodhealthtoyourex lency lency lency！”andagainallwasstill.atfirstkutuzovstoodinonespot,whiletheregimentmoved;thenkutuzovbeganwalkingonfootamongtheranks,thewhitegeneralbesidehim,followedbyhissuite.

fromthewaythatthegeneralincommandoftheregimentsalutedthecommander-in-chief,fixinghiseyesintentlyonhim,rigidlyrespectfulandobsequious,fromthewayinwhich,craningforward,hefollowedthegeneralsthroughtheranks,withaneffortrestraininghisquiveringstrut,anddartedupateverywordandeverygestureofthecommander-in-chief,—itwasevidentthatheperformedhisdutiesasasubordinatewithevengreaterzestthanhisdutiesasacommandingofficer.thankstothestrictnessandassiduityofitscommander,theregimentwasinexcellentformascomparedwiththeothersthathadarrivedatbraunauatthesametime.thesickandthelersleftbehindonlynumberedtwohundredandseventeen,andeverythingwasingoodorderexceptthesoldiers’boots.

kutuzovwalkedthroughtheranks,stoppingnowandthen,andsayingafewfriendlywordstoofficershehadknownintheturkishwar,andsometimestothesoldiers.lookingattheirboots,heseveraltimesshookhisheaddejectedly,andpointedthemouttotheaustriangeneralwithanexpressionasmuchastosaythatheblamednooneforit,buthecouldnothelpseeingwhatabadstateofthingsitwas.thegeneralincommandoftheregiment,oneveryoccasionsuchasthis,ranforward,afraidofmissingasinglewordthecommander-in-chiefmightutterregardingtheregiment.behindkutuzov,atsuchadistancethateveryword,evenfeeblyarticulated,couldbeheard,followedhissuite,consistingofsometwentypersons.thesegentlemenweretalkingamongthemselves,andsometimeslaughed.nearestofalltothecommander-in-chiefwalkedahandsomeadjutant.itwasprincebolkonsky.besidehimwashiscomradenesvitsky,atallstaff-officer,excessivelystout,withagood-natured,smiling,handsomeface,andmoisteyes.nesvitskycouldhardlysuppresshismirth,whichwasexcitedbyaswarthyofficerofhussarswalkingnearhim.thisofficer,withoutasmileorachangeintheexpressionofhisfixedeyes,wasstaringwithaseriousfaceatthecommandingofficer’sback,andmimickingeverymovementhemade.everytimethecommandingofficerquiveredanddartedforward,theofficerofhussarsquiveredanddartedforwardinpreciselythesameway.nesvitskylaughed,andpokedtheotherstomakethemlookatthemimic.

kutuzovwalkedslowlyandlistlesslybythethousandsofeyeswhichwerealmostrollingoutoftheirsocketsintheefforttowatchhim.onreachingthethirdcompany,hesuddenlystopped.thesuite,notforeseeingthishalt,couldnothelppressingupclosertohim.

“ah,timohin！”saidthecommander-in-chief,recognisingthecaptainwiththerednosewhohadgotintotroubleovertheblueovercoat.

onewouldhavethoughtitimpossibletostandmorerigidlyerectthantimohinhaddonewhenthegeneralincommandoftheregimenthadmadehisremarkstohim;butattheinstantwhenthecommander-in-chiefaddressedhim,thecaptainstoodwithsucherectrigiditythatitseemedthat,werethecommander-in-chieftoremainforsometimelookingathim,thecaptaincouldhardlysustaintheordeal,andforthatreasonkutuzov,realisinghisposition,andwishinghimnothingbutgood,hurriedlyturnedaway.ascarcelyperceptiblesmilepassedoverkutuzov’spodgyface,disfiguredbythescarofawound.

“anotheroldcomradeatismail！”hesaid.“agallantofficer！areyousatisfiedwithhim？”kutuzovaskedofthegeneralincommand.

andthegeneral,allunconsciousthathewasbeingreflectedasinamirrorintheofficerofhussarsbehindhim,quivered,pressedforward,andanswered：“fully,yourmosthighexcellency.”

“weallhaveourweaknesses,”saidkutuzov,smilingandwalkingawayfromhim.“hehadapredilectionforhus.”