Chapter 6

           

           Nextdaythetroopsassembledintheirappointedplacesintheeveningandadvancedduringthenight.Itwasanautumnnightwithdarkpurpleclouds,butnorain.Thegroundwasdampbutnotmuddy,andthetroopsadvancednoiselessly,onlyoccasionallyajinglingoftheartillerycouldbefaintlyheard.Themenwereforbiddentotalkoutloud,tosmoketheirpipes,ortostrikealight,andtheytriedtopreventtheirhorsesneighing.Thesecrecyoftheundertakingheighteneditscharmandtheymarchedgaily.Somecolumns,supposingtheyhadreachedtheirdestination,halted,piledarms,andsettleddownonthecoldground,butthemajoritymarchedallnightandarrivedatplaceswheretheyevidentlyshouldnothavebeen.

           OnlyCountOrlóv-DenísovwithhisCossacks(theleastimportantdetachmentofall)gottohisappointedplaceattherighttime.Thisdetachmenthaltedattheoutskirtsofaforest,onthepathleadingfromthevillageofStromílovatoDmítrovsk.

           Towarddawn,CountOrlóv-Denísov,whohaddozedoff,wasawakenedbyadeserterfromtheFrencharmybeingbroughttohim.ThiswasaPolishsergeantofPoniatowski’scorps,whoexplainedinPolishthathehadcomeoverbecausehehadbeenslightedintheservice:thatheoughtlongagotohavebeenmadeanofficer,thathewasbraverthananyofthem,andsohehadleftthemandwishedtopaythemout.HesaidthatMuratwasspendingthenightlessthanamilefromwheretheywere,andthatiftheywouldlethimhaveaconvoyofahundredmenhewouldcapturehimalive.CountOrlóv-Denísovconsultedhisfellowofficers.

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