Chapter 14 Chapter Fourteen

It was more than two o'clock, and no one was asleep. At this time, the chief of staff came in to convey the order to enter the town of Ostrovna. The officers were still talking and laughing, and hurriedly began to prepare for departure; they boiled another samovar of unclean water.But Rostov went to the cavalry company before the tea was ready.It was daylight, the rain had stopped, and the clouds were clearing.Wet and cold, especially in wet clothes.Coming out of the tavern, Rostov and Ilyin looked at the leather hood of the hospital car, which was shining brightly from the rain, in the morning light. The doctor's feet were exposed under the curtain, and the doctor's wife's sleeping bag could be seen on the cushion in the middle of the car. Hat, I could hear her breathing in deep sleep.

"Really, she's so charming!" said Rostov to Ilyin, who came out with him. "What a charming woman!" replied sixteen-year-old Ilyn solemnly. Half an hour later, the cavalry companies lined up stood on the road.Only the command was heard: "Get on the horse!" The soldiers drew the cross on their chests and started to mount their horses.Rostov, who was riding in front, ordered: "Let's go!" Then the hussars set off in fours along the birch-lined avenue, followed by the infantry and artillery, and the sound of horses' hooves was heard. The snort on the muddy road, the clang of sabers, and the sound of soft conversation.

In the reddened east, fragments of thick bluish-purple clouds were quickly blown away by the wind, and the sky grew brighter.The curly grass that always grows on the country road looks brighter due to the wetness of the night rain; the low-hanging birch branches are wet, swaying in the breeze, and slantingly sprinkle crystal drops .The soldier's face became clearer and clearer.Rostov and Ilyin, who was closely following him, rode along the roadside between two rows of birch trees. During the journey Rostov freely rides not a war horse, but a Chissack.He is an expert in this field and a hunter. Not long ago, he got himself a tall horse with a white mane and red hair from the Don River steppe. No one can chase him on it.It was a pleasure for Rostov to ride on this horse.He thought of the horse, of the morning, of the doctor's wife, but never once did he think of the danger he was facing.

Rostov used to be afraid when fighting, but now he doesn't feel the slightest fear, not because he is used to the smell of gunpowder and not afraid (he is not used to danger), but because he has learned how to control his heart in the face of danger.He had acquired the habit of thinking of everything in battle except that which seemed to concern him most--the danger at hand.No matter how much he called himself a coward when he first served, he couldn't get what he was now; but year after year, now he did it naturally.Now he and Ilyin were marching among the birch trees, sometimes tearing off a few leaves from the branches, sometimes knocking the horse's belly with his feet, and sometimes handing the finished pipe to the hussar behind him without turning around, so leisurely, A carefree look, as if he was out for a drive.He couldn't bear to look at Ilyn's agitated face, that Ilyn who talked a lot and was upset. He knew from experience that this cavalry second lieutenant was in a painful state waiting for fear and death. He also knew that there was nothing now except time. Something can help him.

As soon as the sun appeared in the clear sky under the clouds, the wind died down, as if the wind did not dare to spoil the beauty of the summer morning after the rain; the water still fell, but it fell straight down,--there was silence all around.The sun was fully exposed on the horizon, and then disappeared in a narrow and long black cloud above it.After a few minutes, the sun tore through the edge of the dark clouds and reappeared on top of the dark clouds.Everything is bright and shiny.As if in response to the light, the sound of cannons immediately rang out ahead. Before Rostov had time to consider and judge the distance of the gunfire, Count Osterman Tolstoy's adjutant came galloping from Viteshisk and ordered to march along the road.

The cavalry company rushed down the hill, passed the same rapid advance of infantry and artillery, passed through an empty village, and went up another hill.The horses began to sweat, and the men flushed. "Stand still, keep up!" The command of the battalion commander came from the front. "Turn left and walk!" Another command came from the front. Then the hussars followed the long line of troops to the left flank of the position and stopped behind the first line of lancers.On the right is our dense column of infantry—this is the reserve; higher up on the hill, in the spotless clear air, in the bright slant of the morning sun, our artillery can be seen on the farthest horizon.The enemy's columns and artillery can be seen in the valley ahead, and the gunshots of our skirmishers in the valley can be heard. They have already entered the battle, and the gunfire of cheerfully shooting each other with the enemy can be clearly heard.

Rostov felt very comfortable in his heart as if he heard the most cheerful music, which he had not heard for a long time.Trap-tap-tap-tap-tap!Sometimes crackling.The shots were fired in unison, sometimes in rapid succession, several shots fired in quick succession.There was silence all around again, and then it seemed that someone had set off firecrackers, and they rang again and again. The hussars stood motionless for about an hour.The shelling also started.Earl Osterman galloped over from behind the cavalry company with his attendants, stopped to chat with the regimental commander, and then galloped towards the artillery position on the mountain.

As soon as Osterman left, the Lancers heard the password: "In column, ready to charge!" His troops in front were divided into two rows to allow the cavalry to pass.The Lancers moved out, the small flags on their spears fluttered, and rushed towards the French cavalry who appeared on the left under the mountain. As soon as the Lancers rushed down the hill, the hussars were ordered to go up the hill to cover the artillery.No sooner had the hussars stopped in the Lancers' position than the hissing shells from a distance from the skirmish line missed. Rostov hadn't heard such a sound for a long time, and he felt in his heart that he was more happy and excited than the sound of shooting before.He straightened his body, inspected the open battlefield in front of the mountain, and paid full attention to the actions of the Lancers.The Lancers charged at the French Dragoons, mingling in the smoke, and five minutes later the Lancers retreated, not to where they had been, but to the left.Between and behind the orange lancers on bay horses was a mass of French dragoons on gray horses in blue uniforms.