erre walked a stout major； with a fat； sallow； irascible countenance。 He was dressed in a Kazan gown； girt with a linen band； and obviously enjoyed the general respect of his companion prisoners。 He held his tobacco…pouch in one hand thrust into his bosom； with the other he pressed the stem of his pipe。 This major； panting and puffing； grumbled angrily at every one for pushing against him； as he fancied； and for hurrying when there was no need of hurry； and for wondering when there was nothing to wonder at。 Another； a thin； little officer； addressed remarks to every one； making conjectures where they were being taken now； and how far they would go that day。 An official； in felt high boots and a commissariat uniform； ran from side to side to get a good view of the results of the fire in Moscow； making loud observations on what was burnt； and saying what this or that district of the town was as it came into view。 A third officer； of Polish extraction by his accent； was arguing with the commissariat official； trying to prove to him that he was mistaken in his identification of the various quarters of Moscow。
“Why dispute？” said the major angrily。 “Whether it’s St。 Nikola or St。 Vlas； it’s no matter。 You see that it’s all burnt； and that’s all about it。 …Why are you pushing； isn’t the road wide enough？” he said； angrily addressing a man who had passed behind him and had not pushed against him at all。
“Aie； aie； aie； what have they been doing？” the voices of the prisoners could be heard crying on one side and on another as they looked at the burnt districts。 “Zamoskvoryetche； too； and Zubovo； and in the Kremlin。…Look； there’s not half left。 Why； didn’t I tell you all Zamoskvoryetche was gone； and so it is。”
“Well； you know it is burnt； well； why argue about it？” said the major。
Passing through Hamovniky （one of the few quarters of Moscow that had not been burnt） by the church； the whole crowd of prisoners huddled suddenly on one side； and exclamations of horror and aversion were heard。
“The wretches！ The heathens！ Yes； a dead man； a dead man； it is…They have smeared it with something。”
Pierre； too； drew near the church； where was the object that had called forth these exclamations； and he dimly discerned something leaning against the fence of the church enclosure。 From the words of his companions； who saw better than he did； he learnt that it was the dead body of a man； propped up in a standing posture by the fence； with the face smeared with soot。
“Move on； damn you！ Go on； thirty thousand devils！”…They heard the escort swearing； and the French soldiers； with fresh vindictiveness； used the flat sides of their swords to drive on the prisoners； who had lingered to look at the dead man。
Chapter 14
THROUGH THE LANES of Hamovniky； the prisoners marched alone with their escort； a train of carts and waggons； belonging to the soldiers of the escort； following behind them。 But as they came out to the provision shops they found themselves in the middle of a huge train of artillery； moving with difficulty； and mixed up with private baggage…waggons。
At the bridge itself the whole mass halted； waiting for the foremost to get across。 From the bridge the prisoners got a view of endless trains of baggage…waggons in front and behind。 On the right； where the Kaluga road turns by Neskutchny Gardens； endless files of troops and waggons stretched away into the distance。 These were the troops of Beauharnais’s corps； which had set off before all the rest。 Behind； along the riverside； and across Kamenny bridge； stretched the troops and transport of Ney’s corps。
Davoust’s troops； to which the prisoners belonged； were crossing by the Crimean Ford； and part had already entered Kaluga Street。 But the baggage…trains were so long that the last waggons of Beauharnais’s corps had not yet got out of Moscow into Kaluga Street； while the vanguard of Ney’s troops had already emerged from Bolshaya Ordynka。
After crossing the Crimean Ford； the prisoners moved a few steps at a time and then halted； and again moved forward； and the crowd of vehicles and people grew greater and greater on all sides。 After taking over an hour in crossing the few hundred steps which separates the bridge from Kaluga Street and getting as far as the square where the Zamoskvoryetche streets run into Kaluga Street； the prisoners were jammed in a close block and kept standing for several hours at the crossroads。 On all sides there was an unceasing sound； like the roar of the sea； of rumbling wheels； and tramping troops； and incessant shouts of anger and loud abuse。 Pierre stood squeezed against the wall of a charred house； listening to that sound； which in his imagination melted off into the roll of drums。
Several of the Russian officers clambered up on to the wall of the burnt house by which Pierre stood so as to get a better view。
“The crowds！ What crowds！…They have even loaded goods on the cannons！ Look at the furs！…” they kept saying。 “I say； the vermin； they have been pillaging。…Look at what that one has got behind； on the cart。…Why； they are holy pictures； by God！…Those must be Germans。 And a Russian peasant； by God！…Ah； the wretches！…See； how he’s loaded； he can hardly move！ Look； I say； chaises； they have got hold of them； too！…See； he has perched on the boxes。 Heavens！…They have started fighting！…That’s right； hit him in the face！ We shan’t get by before evening like this。 Look； look！…Why； that must surely be Napoleon himself。 Do you see the horses！ with the monograms and a crown！ That’s a portable house。 He has dropped his sack； and doesn’t see it。 Fighting again。…A woman with a baby； and good…looking； too！ Yes； I dare say； that’s the way they will let you pass。…Look； why； there’s no end to it。 Russian wenches； I do declare they are。 See how comfortable they are in the carriages！”
Again a wave of general curiosity； as at the church in Hamovniky； carried all the prisoners forward towards the road； and Pierre； thanks to his height； saw over the heads of the others what attracted the prisoners’ curiosity。 Three carriages were blocked between caissons； and in them a number of women with rouged faces； decked out in flaring colours； were sitting closely packed together； shouting something in shrill voices。
From the moment when Pierre had recognised the manifestation of that mysterious force； nothing seemed to him strange or terrible； not the corpse with its face blacked for a jest； nor these women hurrying away； nor the burnt ruins of Moscow。 All that Pierre saw now made hardly any impression on him—as though his soul； in preparation for a hard struggle； refused to receive any impression that might weaken it。
The carriages of women drove by。 They were followed again by carts； soldiers； waggons； soldiers； carriages； soldiers； caissons； and again soldiers； and at rare intervals women。
Pierre did not see the people separately； he saw only their movement。
All these men and horses seemed； as it were； driven along by some unseen force。 During the hour in which Pierre watched them they all were swept out of the different streets with the same one desire to get on as quickly as possible。 All of them； alike hindered by the rest； began to get angry and to fight。 The same oaths were bandied to and fro； and white teeth flashed； and every frowning face wore the same look of reckless determination and cold cruelty； which had struck Pierre in the morning in the corporal’s face； while the drums were beating。
It was almost evening when the officer in command of their escort rallied his men； and with shouts and oaths forced his way in among the baggage…trains； and the prisoners； surrounded on all sides； came out on the Kaluga road。
They marched very quickly without pausing； and only halted when the sun was setting。 The baggage…carts were moved up close to one another； and the men began to prepare for the night。 Every one seemed ill…humoured and dissatisfied。 Oaths； angry shouts； and fighting could be heard on all sides till a late hour。 A carriage； which had been following the escort； had driven into one of their carts and run a shaft into it。 Several soldiers ran up to the cart from different sides； some hit the carriage horses on the head as they turned them round； other were fighting among themselves； and Pierre saw one German seriously wounded by a blow from the flat side of a sword on his head。
It seemed as though now when they had come to a standstill in the midst of the open country； in the cold twilight of the autumn evening； all these men were experiencing the same feeling of unpleasant awakening from the hurry and eager impulse forward that had carried them all away at setting off。 Now standing still； all as it were grasped that they knew not where they were going； and that there was much pain and hardship in store for them on the journey。
At this halting…place； the prisoners were even more roughly treated by their escort than at starting。 They were for the first time given horse…flesh to eat。
In every one of the escort； from the officers to the lowest soldier； could be seen a sort of personal spite against every one of the prisoners； in surprising contrast with the friendly relations that had existed between them before。
This spite was increased when； on counting over the prisoners； it was discovered that in the bustle of getting out of Moscow one Russian soldier had managed to run away by pretending to be seized with colic。 Pierre had seen a Frenchman beat a Russian soldier unmercifully for moving too far from the road； and heard the captain； who had been his friend； reprimanding an under…officer for the escape of the prisoner； and threatening him with court…martial。 On the under…officer’s urging that the prisoner was ill and could not walk； the officer said that their orders were to shoot those who should lag behind。 Pierre felt that that fatal force which had crushed him at the execution； and had been imperceptible during his imprisonment； had now again the mastery of his existence。 He was afraid； but he felt too； that as that fatal force strove to crush him； there was growing up in his soul and gathering strength a force of life that was independent of it。 Pierre supped on soup made of rye flour and horseflesh； and talked a