Chapter 8

           

           ThedayafterRostóvhadbeentoseeBorís,areviewwasheldoftheAustrianandRussiantroops,boththosefreshlyarrivedfromRussiaandthosewhohadbeencampaigningunderKutúzov.ThetwoEmperors,theRussianwithhisheirtheTsarévich,andtheAustrianwiththeArchduke,inspectedthealliedarmyofeightythousandmen.

           Fromearlymorningthesmartcleantroopswereonthemove,forminguponthefieldbeforethefortress.Nowthousandsoffeetandbayonetsmovedandhaltedattheofficers’command,turnedwithbannersflying,formedupatintervals,andwheeledroundothersimilarmassesofinfantryindifferentuniforms;nowwasheardtherhythmicbeatofhoofsandthejinglingofshowycavalryinblue,red,andgreenbraideduniforms,withsmartlydressedbandsmeninfrontmountedonblack,roan,orgrayhorses;thenagain,spreadingoutwiththebrazenclatterofthepolishedshiningcannonthatquiveredontheguncarriagesandwiththesmelloflinstocks,cametheartillerywhichcrawledbetweentheinfantryandcavalryandtookupitsappointedposition.Notonlythegeneralsinfullparadeuniforms,withtheirthinorthickwaistsdrawnintotheutmost,theirredneckssqueezedintotheirstiffcollars,andwearingscarvesandalltheirdecorations,notonlytheelegant,pomadedofficers,buteverysoldierwithhisfreshlywashedandshavenfaceandhisweaponscleanandpolishedtotheutmost,andeveryhorsegroomedtillitscoatshonelikesatinandeveryhairofitswettedmanelaysmooth—feltthatnosmallmatterwashappening,butanimportantandsolemnaffair.

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