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Volume I, Part Two, Chapter V

Kutuzov fell back toward Vienna, destroying behind him the bridges over the rivers Inn (at Braunau) and Traun (at Linz). On October 23 the Russian troops were crossing the river Enns. At midday the Russian baggage-trains, the artillery, and columns of troops were defiling through the town of Enns on both sides of the bridge.

It was a warm, rainy, autumnal day. The wide expanse that opened out from the heights on which stood the Russian batteries guarding the bridge was at times veiled by a diaphanous curtain of slanting rain, and then, suddenly spreading out, the sunlight made objects visible far away and clearly, as if varnished. The little town could be seen below with its white houses and its red roofs, its cathedral, and its bridge, on both sides of which jostling masses of Russian troops were pouring along. At the bend of the Danube, vessels, an island, and a castle with a park surrounded by the waters of the confluence of the Enns and the Danube became visible, and the rocky left bank of the Danube covered with pine forests, with a mystic background of green tree-tops and bluish gorges. The turrets of a convent stood out beyond a wild virgin pine forest, and far away on the other side of the Enns the enemy's horse patrols could be discerned.

Among the field guns on the brow of the hill the general in command of the rearguard stood with a staff officer, scanning the country through a field glass. A little behind them sat Nesvitsky, who had been sent to the rearguard by the commander in chief. The Cossack who accompanied him had handed him a knapsack and a flask, and Nesvitsky was treating some officers to pies and real doppelkümmel. The officers gladly gathered round him, some on their knees, some sitting Turkish fashion on the wet grass.

— Yes, the Austrian prince who built that castle was no fool. It's a fine place. Why are you not eating, gentlemen? — Nesvitsky was saying.

— Thank you very much, prince, — answered one of the officers, pleased to be talking to a staff officer of such importance. — It's a lovely place. We passed close to the park and saw two deer... and what a splendid house!

— Look, prince, — said another, who would have dearly liked to take another pie but felt shy, and therefore pretended to be examining the countryside, — see, our infantry have already got there. Look there in the meadow behind the village, three of them are dragging something. They'll ransack that palace, — he remarked with evident approval.

— So they will, so they will, — said Nesvitsky. — No, but what I should like, — added he, munching a pie in his handsome, moist mouth, — would be to slip in over there.

He pointed to the turreted convent that could be seen on the mountain. He smiled, his eyes narrowed and gleamed.

— That would be fine, gentlemen!

The officers laughed.

— Just to flutter the nuns a bit. They say there are young Italian ones among them. Really, I'd give five years of my life!

— They must be feeling dull anyway, — said a bolder officer, laughing.

Meanwhile the staff officer standing in front pointed out something to the general, who looked through his field glass.

— Yes, so it is, so it is, — said the general angrily, lowering the field glass and shrugging his shoulders, — so it is! They'll fire at the crossing. And why are they dawdling there?

On the opposite side the enemy could be seen with the naked eye, and from their battery a milk-white cloud arose. Then came the distant report, and our troops could be seen hurrying to the crossing.

Nesvitsky rose, puffing, and went up to the general, smiling.

— Would your excellency not like a little refreshment? — he said.

— It's a bad business, — said the general without answering him, — our men have been dawdling.

— Hadn't I better ride over, your excellency? — asked Nesvitsky.

— Yes, please do, — answered the general, and he repeated the order that had already once been given in detail: — and tell the hussars that they are to cross last and to fire the bridge as I ordered, and the combustible material on the bridge must be inspected again.

— Very good, — answered Nesvitsky.

He called the Cossack with his horse, told him to put away the knapsack and flask, and swung his heavy person easily into the saddle.

— I'll really call in on the nuns, — he said to the officers who were watching him smilingly, and he rode off along the winding path down the hill.

— Now then, let's see how far it will carry, captain. Have a try! — said the general, turning to an artillery officer. — Have a little fun to pass the time.

— Crew to the guns! — commanded the officer, and in a moment the gunners stepped merrily out from the campfires and loaded.

— Number one! — came the command.

Number one jumped smartly aside. The gun rang out with a deafening metallic roar, and a whistling grenade flew over the heads of our troops below the hill and fell far short of the enemy, a little cloud of smoke showing the spot where it burst.

The faces of officers and men brightened up at the sound; everyone got up and began watching the movements of our troops below, as plainly visible as if in the palm of one's hand, and the movements of the approaching enemy farther off. At that instant the sun came out fully from behind the clouds, and the clear sound of the solitary shot and the brilliance of the bright sunshine merged into a single joyous and spirited impression.