attended to the removal of the
“A staff officer was here a minute ago, but skipped off,” said an artilleryman to Prince Andréy. “Not like your honor!”
Prince Andréy said nothing to Túshin. They were both so busy as to seem not to notice one another.
When having limbered up the only two cannon that remained uninjured out of the four, they began moving down the hill (one shattered gun and one unicorn were left behind), Prince Andréy rode up to Túshin.
“Well, till we meet again …” he said, holding out his hand to Túshin.
“Goodbye, my dear fellow,” said Túshin. “Dear soul! Goodbye, my dear fellow!” and for some unknown reason tears suddenly filled his eyes.
XXI
The wind had fallen and black clouds, merging with the powder smoke, hung low over the field of battle on the horizon. It was growing dark and the glow of two conflagrations was the more conspicuous. The cannonade was dying down, but the rattle of musketry behind and on the right sounded oftener and nearer. As soon as Túshin with his guns, continually driving round or coming upon wounded men, was out of range of fire and had descended into the dip, he was met by some of the staff, among them the staff officer and Zherkóv, who had been twice sent to Túshin’s battery but had never reached it. Interrupting one another, they all gave, and transmitted, orders as to how to proceed, reprimanding and reproaching him. Túshin gave no orders, and, silently—fearing to speak because at every word he felt ready to weep without knowing why—rode behind on his artillery nag.