,BOOK #i1 ,*APT] #ab 

#ahfiahfi 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,LEO ,TOL/OY 

,TEXT 3 

,BE=E ! BEG9N+ ( ! CAMPAIGN1 ,RO/OV HAD RECEIV$ A LETT] FROM 
 HIS P>5TS 9 :I* !Y TOLD HIM BRIEFLY ( ,NATA%A'S ILLNESS & ! 
 BREAK+ (F ( H] 5GAGEM5T TO ,PR9CE ,&REW 7:I* !Y EXPLA9$ BY 
 ,NATA%A'S HAV+ REJECT$ HIM7 & AGA9 ASK$ ,NI*OLAS TO RETIRE FROM ! 
 >MY & RETURN HOME4 ,ON RECEIV+ ?IS LETT]1 ,NI*OLAS DID NOT EV5 MAKE 
 ANY ATTEMPT TO GET LEAVE ( ABS5CE OR TO RETIRE FROM ! >MY1 BUT WROTE 
 TO HIS P>5TS ?AT HE WAS SORRY ,NATA%A WAS ILL & H] 5GAGEM5T BROK5 
 (F1 & ?AT HE W\LD DO ALL HE C\LD TO MEET !IR WI%ES4 ,TO ,SONYA HE 
 WROTE SEP>ATELY4 

0,ADOR$ FRI5D ( MY S\L60 HE WROTE4 0,NO?+ BUT HONOR C\LD KEEP ME 
 FROM RETURN+ TO ! C\NTRY4 ,BUT N[1 AT ! COMM5CEM5T ( ! 
 CAMPAIGN1 ,I %\LD FEEL DI%ONOR$1 NOT ONLY 9 MY COMRADES' EYES BUT 9 
 MY [N1 IF ,I PREF]R$ MY [N HAPP9ESS TO MY LOVE & DUTY TO ! 
 ,FA!RL&4 ,BUT ?IS %ALL BE \R LA/ SEP>ATION4 ,BELIEVE ME1 DIRECTLY 
 ! W> IS OV]1 IF ,I AM /ILL ALIVE & /ILL LOV$ BY Y\1 ,I WILL ?R[ 
 UP EV]Y?+ & FLY TO Y\1 TO PRESS Y\ =EV] TO MY >D5T BREA/40 

,IT WAS1 9 FACT1 ONLY ! COMM5CEM5T ( ! CAMPAIGN ?AT PREV5T$ 
 ,RO/OV FROM RETURN+ HOME AS HE HAD PROMIS$ & M>RY+ ,SONYA4 ,! 
 AUTUMN 9 ,OTRADNOE ) ! HUNT+1 & ! W9T] ) ! ,*RI/MAS 
 HOLIDAYS & ,SONYA'S LOVE1 HAD OP5$ \T TO HIM A VI/A ( TRANQUIL RURAL 
 JOYS & PEACE SU* AS HE HAD NEV] KN[N BE=E1 & :I* N[ ALLUR$ 
 HIM4 0,A SPL5DID WIFE1 *ILDR51 A GOOD PACK ( H\NDS1 A DOZ5 LEA%ES ( 
 SM>T BORZOIS1 AGRICULTURE1 NEI<BORS1 S]VICE BY ELECTION4440 ?\<T HE4 
 ,BUT N[ ! CAMPAIGN WAS BEG9N+1 & HE HAD TO REMA9 ) HIS 
 REGIM5T4 ,& S9CE IT HAD TO BE SO1 ,NI*OLAS ,RO/OV1 AS WAS NATURAL TO 
 HIM1 FELT CONT5T$ ) ! LIFE HE L$ 9 ! REGIM5T & WAS ABLE TO 
 F9D PLEASURE 9 ?AT LIFE4 

,ON HIS RETURN FROM HIS FURL\< ,NI*OLAS1 HAV+ BE5 JOYFULLY WELCOM$ BY 
 HIS COMRADES1 WAS S5T TO OBTA9 REM\NTS & BR\<T BACK FROM ! 
 ,UKRA9E EXCELL5T HORSES :I* PLEAS$ HIM & E>N$ HIM COMM5DATION 
 FROM HIS COMM&]S4 ,DUR+ HIS ABS5CE HE HAD BE5 PROMOT$ CAPTA91 & 
 :5 ! REGIM5T WAS PUT ON W> FOOT+ ) AN 9CREASE 9 NUMB]S1 HE 
 WAS AGA9 ALLOTT$ HIS OLD SQUADRON4 

,! CAMPAIGN BEGAN1 ! REGIM5T WAS MOV$ 9TO ,POL& ON D\BLE PAY1 NEW 
 (FIC]S >RIV$1 NEW M5 & HORSES1 & ABOVE ALL EV]YBODY WAS 9FECT$ 
 ) ! M]RILY EXCIT$ MOOD ?AT GOES ) ! COMM5CEM5T ( A W>1 
 & ,RO/OV1 CONSCI\S ( HIS ADVANTAGE\S POSITION 9 ! REGIM5T1 
 DEVOT$ HIMSELF 5TIRELY TO ! PLEASURES & 9T]E/S ( MILIT>Y 
 S]VICE1 ?\< HE KNEW ?AT SOON] OR LAT] HE W\LD HAVE TO REL9QUI% 
 !M4 

,! TROOPS RETIR$ FROM ,VILNA = V>I\S COMPLICAT$ REASONS ( /ATE1 
 POLITICAL & /RATEGIC4 ,EA* /EP ( ! RETREAT WAS ACCOMPANI$ BY A 
 COMPLICAT$ 9T]PLAY ( 9T]E/S1 >GUM5TS1 & PASSIONS AT 
 HEADQU>T]S4 ,= ! ,PAVLOGRAD HUSS>S1 H[EV]1 ! :OLE ( ?IS 
 RETREAT DUR+ ! F9E/ P]IOD ( SUMM] & ) SUFFICI5T SUPPLIES 
 WAS A V]Y SIMPLE & AGREEABLE BUS9ESS4 

,IT WAS ONLY AT HEADQU>T]S ?AT !RE WAS DEPRESSION1 UNEAS9ESS1 & 
 9TRIGU+2 9 ! BODY ( ! >MY !Y DID NOT ASK !MSELVES :]E !Y 
 W]E GO+ OR :Y4 ,IF !Y REGRETT$ HAV+ TO RETREAT1 IT WAS ONLY 
 BECAUSE !Y HAD TO LEAVE BILLETS !Y HAD GR[N ACCU/OM$ TO1 OR SOME 
 PRETTY Y\NG ,POLI% LADY4 ,IF ! ?\<T ?AT ?+S LOOK$ BAD *ANC$ TO 
 5T] ANYONE'S HEAD1 HE TRI$ TO BE AS *E]FUL AS BEFITS A GOOD SOLDI] 
 & NOT TO ?9K ( ! G5]AL TR5D ( AFFAIRS1 BUT ONLY ( ! TASK 
 NE>E/ TO H&4 ,FIR/ !Y CAMP$ GAILY BE=E ,VILNA1 MAK+ ACQUA9TANCE 
 ) ! ,POLI% L&[N]S1 PREP>+ = REVIEWS & BE+ REVIEW$ BY 
 ! ,EMP]OR & O!R HI< COMM&]S4 ,!N CAME AN ORD] TO RETREAT TO 
 ,SV5TSYANI & DE/ROY ANY PROVISIONS !Y C\LD NOT C>RY AWAY ) !M4 
 ,SV5TSYANI WAS REMEMB]$ BY ! HUSS>S ONLY AS ! DRUNK5 CAMP1 A NAME 
 ! :OLE >MY GAVE TO !IR 5CAMPM5T !RE1 & BECAUSE MANY COMPLA9TS 
 W]E MADE AGA9/ ! TROOPS1 :O1 TAK+ ADVANTAGE ( ! ORD] TO 
 COLLECT PROVISIONS1 TOOK ALSO HORSES1 C>RIAGES1 & C>PETS FROM ! 
 ,POLI% PROPRIETORS4 ,RO/OV REMEMB]$ ,SV5TSYANI1 BECAUSE ON ! FIR/ DAY 
 ( !IR >RIVAL AT ?AT SMALL T[N HE *ANG$ HIS S]GEANT MAJOR & WAS 
 UNABLE TO MANAGE ALL ! DRUNK5 M5 ( HIS SQUADRON :O1 UNKN[N TO HIM1 
 HAD APPROPRIAT$ FIVE B>RELS ( OLD BE]4 ,FROM ,SV5TSYANI !Y RETIR$ 
 F>!R & F>!R TO ,DRISSA1 & !NCE AGA9 BEYOND ,DRISSA1 DRAW+ 
 NE> TO ! FRONTI] ( ,RUSSIA PROP]4 

,ON ! ?IRTE5? ( ,JULY ! ,PAVLOGRADS TOOK P>T 9 A S]I\S ACTION = 
 ! FIR/ TIME4 

,ON ! TWELF? ( ,JULY1 ON ! EVE ( ?AT ACTION1 !RE WAS A HEAVY /ORM 
 ( RA9 & HAIL4 ,9 G5]AL1 ! SUMM] ( #ahab WAS REM>KABLE = ITS 
 /ORMS4 

,! TWO ,PAVLOGRAD SQUADRONS W]E BIV\ACK+ ON A FIELD ( RYE1 :I* WAS 
 ALREADY 9 E> BUT HAD BE5 COMPLETELY TRODD5 D[N BY CATTLE & HORSES4 
 ,! RA9 WAS DESC5D+ 9 TORR5TS1 & ,RO/OV1 ) A Y\NG (FIC] 
 NAM$ ,ILY91 HIS PROTEGE1 WAS SITT+ 9 A HA/ILY CON/RUCT$ %ELT]4 ,AN 
 (FIC] ( !IR REGIM5T1 ) LONG MU/A*ES EXT5D+ ONTO HIS *EEKS1 
 :O AFT] RID+ TO ! /AFF HAD BE5 OV]TAK5 BY ! RA91 5T]$ 
 ,RO/OV'S %ELT]4 

0,I HAVE COME FROM ! /AFF1 ,C\NT4 ,HAVE Y\ HE>D ( ,RAEVSKI'S EXPLOIT80 

,& ! (FIC] GAVE !M DETAILS ( ! ,SALTANOV BATTLE1 :I* HE HAD 
 HE>D AT ! /AFF4 

,RO/OV1 SMOK+ HIS PIPE & TURN+ HIS HEAD AB\T AS ! WAT] TRICKL$ 
 D[N HIS NECK1 LI/5$ 9ATT5TIVELY1 ) AN OCCASIONAL GLANCE AT ,ILY91 
 :O WAS PRESS+ CLOSE TO HIM4 ,?IS (FIC]1 A LAD ( SIXTE5 :O HAD 
 REC5TLY JO9$ ! REGIM5T1 WAS N[ 9 ! SAME RELATION TO ,NI*OLAS 
 ?AT ,NI*OLAS HAD BE5 TO ,D5ISOV SEV5 YE>S BE=E4 ,ILY9 TRI$ TO 
 IMITATE ,RO/OV 9 EV]Y?+ & ADOR$ HIM AS A GIRL MI<T HAVE DONE4 

,ZDRZH9SKI1 ! (FIC] ) ! LONG MU/A*E1 SPOKE GR&ILOQU5TLY ( 
 ! ,SALTANOV DAM BE+ 0A ,RUSSIAN ,!RMOPYLAE10 & ( H[ A DE$ WOR?Y 
 ( ANTIQUITY HAD BE5 P]=M$ BY ,G5]AL ,RAEVSKI4 ,HE REC\NT$ H[ 
 ,RAEVSKI HAD L$ HIS TWO SONS ONTO ! DAM UND] T]RIFIC FIRE & HAD 
 *>G$ ) !M BESIDE HIM4 ,RO/OV HE>D ! /ORY & NOT ONLY SAID 
 NO?+ TO 5C\RAGE ,ZDRZH9SKI'S 5?USIASM BUT1 ON ! CONTR>Y1 LOOK$ 
 LIKE A MAN A%AM$ ( :AT HE WAS HE>+1 ?\< ) NO 9T5TION ( 
 CONTRADICT+ IT4 ,S9CE ! CAMPAIGNS ( ,AU/]LITZ & ( #ahg ,RO/OV 
 KNEW BY EXP]I5CE ?AT M5 ALWAYS LIE :5 DESCRIB+ MILIT>Y EXPLOITS1 
 AS HE HIMSELF HAD DONE :5 REC\NT+ !M2 BESIDES ?AT1 HE HAD 
 EXP]I5CE 5\< TO KN[ ?AT NO?+ HAPP5S 9 W> AT ALL AS WE CAN 
 IMAG9E OR RELATE IT4 ,& SO HE DID NOT LIKE ,ZDRZH9SKI'S TALE1 NOR DID HE 
 LIKE ,ZDRZH9SKI HIMSELF :O1 ) HIS MU/A*ES EXT5D+ OV] HIS *EEKS1 
 B5T L[ OV] ! FACE ( HIS HE>]1 AS WAS HIS HABIT1 & CR[D$ ,RO/OV 
 9 ! N>R[ *ANTY4 ,RO/OV LOOK$ AT HIM 9 SIL5CE4 0,9 ! FIR/ 
 PLACE1 !RE MU/ HAVE BE5 SU* A CONFUSION & CR[D+ ON ! DAM ?AT 
 WAS BE+ ATTACK$ ?AT IF ,RAEVSKI DID LEAD HIS SONS !RE1 IT C\LD HAVE 
 HAD NO EFFECT EXCEPT P]HAPS ON SOME DOZ5 M5 NE>E/ TO HIM10 ?\<T 
 HE1 0! RE/ C\LD NOT HAVE SE5 H[ OR ) :OM ,RAEVSKI CAME ONTO ! 
 DAM4 ,& EV5 ?OSE :O DID SEE IT W\LD NOT HAVE BE5 MU* /IMULAT$ BY 
 IT1 = :AT HAD !Y TO DO ) ,RAEVSKI'S T5D] PAT]NAL FEEL+S :5 
 !IR [N SK9S W]E 9 DANG]8 ,& BESIDES1 ! FATE ( ! ,FA!RL& 
 DID NOT DEP5D ON :E!R !Y TOOK ! ,SALTANOV DAM OR NOT1 AS WE >E 
 TOLD WAS ! CASE AT ,!RMOPYLAE4 ,SO :Y %\LD HE HAVE MADE SU* A 
 SACRIFICE8 ,& :Y EXPOSE HIS [N *ILDR5 9 ! BATTLE8 ,I W\LD NOT HAVE 
 TAK5 MY BRO!R ,PETYA !RE1 OR EV5 ,ILY91 :O'S A /RANG] TO ME BUT A 
 NICE LAD1 BUT W\LD HAVE TRI$ TO PUT !M SOME:]E UND] COV]10 
 ,NI*OLAS CONT9U$ TO ?9K1 AS HE LI/5$ TO ,ZDRZH9SKI4 ,BUT HE DID NOT 
 EXPRESS HIS ?\<TS1 = 9 SU* MATT]S1 TOO1 HE HAD GA9$ EXP]I5CE4 
 ,HE KNEW ?AT ?IS TALE R$\ND$ TO ! GLORY ( \R >MS & SO ONE HAD 
 TO PRET5D NOT TO D\BT IT4 ,& HE ACT$ ACCORD+LY4 

0,I CAN'T /& ?IS ANY MORE10 SAID ,ILY91 NOTIC+ ?AT ,RO/OV DID NOT 
 RELI% ,ZDRZH9SKI'S CONV]SATION4 0,MY /OCK+S & %IRT444 & ! WAT] 
 IS RUNN+ ON MY SEAT6 ,I'LL GO & LOOK = %ELT]4 ,! RA9 SEEMS LESS 
 HEAVY40 

,ILY9 W5T \T & ,ZDRZH9SKI RODE AWAY4 

,FIVE M9UTES LAT] ,ILY91 SPLA%+ ?R\< ! MUD1 CAME RUNN+ BACK TO 
 ! *ANTY4 

0,HURRAH6 ,RO/OV1 COME QUICK6 ,I'VE F\ND IT6 ,AB\T TWO HUNDR$ Y>DS AWAY 
 !RE'S A TAV]N :]E \RS HAVE ALREADY GA!R$4 ,WE CAN AT LEA/ GET DRY 
 !RE1 & ,M>Y ,H5DRIKHOVNA'S !RE40 

,M>Y ,H5DRIKHOVNA WAS ! WIFE ( ! REGIM5TAL DOCTOR1 A PRETTY Y\NG 
 ,G]MAN WOMAN HE HAD M>RI$ 9 ,POL&4 ,! DOCTOR1 :E!R FROM LACK ( 
 MEANS OR BECAUSE HE DID NOT LIKE TO P>T FROM HIS Y\NG WIFE 9 ! E>LY 
 DAYS ( !IR M>RIAGE1 TOOK H] AB\T ) HIM :]EV] ! HUSS> 
 REGIM5T W5T & HIS JEAL\SY HAD BECOME A /&+ JOKE AMONG ! HUSS> 
 (FIC]S4 

,RO/OV ?REW HIS CLOAK OV] HIS %\LD]S1 %\T$ TO ,LAVRU%KA TO FOLL[ 
 ) ! ?+S1 &--N[ SLIPP+ 9 ! MUD1 N[ SPLA%+ RI<T 
 ?R\< IT--SET (F ) ,ILY9 9 ! LESS5+ RA9 & ! D>KNESS 
 ?AT WAS OCCASIONALLY R5T BY DI/ANT LI<TN+4 

0,RO/OV1 :]E >E Y\80 

0,H]E4 ,:AT LI<TN+60 !Y CALL$ TO ONE ANO!R4 

,FROM 3 ,GUT5B]G4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,NOVEMB] #c1 #ahfh 3 ,BOOK #i1 ,*APT] #ab -- ,PUBLICATION4 
,FEBRU>Y #a#a1 #bag 3 ,BOOK #i1 ,*APT] #ab -- ,ADD$4 

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