But it was no time
now for talk. This message made it clear that the corn was
indeed at Minsk, and that there were no troops there to defend
it. I gave a hurried order from the window, the trumpeter blew
the assembly, and in ten minutes we had left the village behind
us and were riding hard for the city, the gilded domes and
minarets of which glimmered above the snow of the horizon.
Higher they rose and higher, until at last, as the sun sank
toward the west, we were in the broad main street, and galloped
up it amid the shouts of the moujiks and the cries of frightened
women until we found ourselves in front of the great town-hall.
My cavalry I drew up in the square, and I, with my two sergeants,
Oudin and Papilette, rushed into the building.
Heavens! shall I ever forget the sight which greeted us? Right
in front of us was drawn up a triple line of Russian Grenadiers.
Their muskets rose as we entered, and a crashing volley burst
into our very faces. Oudin and Papilette dropped upon the floor,
riddled with bullets.
Pages:
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228