Pagina 801 van 3800

And precious and dear as many persons are to me-father, sister,

wife-those dearest to me-yet dreadful and unnatural as it seems,

I would give them all at once for a moment of glory, of triumph

over men, of love from men I don't know and never shall know, for

the love of these men here," he thought, as he listened to voices

in Kutuzov's courtyard. The voices were those of the orderlies

who were packing up; one voice, probably a coachman's, was

teasing Kutuzov's old cook whom Prince Andrew knew, and who was

called Tit. He was saying, "Tit, I say, Tit!"

"Well?" returned the old man.

"Go, Tit, thresh a bit!" said the wag.

"Oh, go to the devil!" called out a voice, drowned by the

laughter of the orderlies and servants.

"All the same, I love and value nothing but triumph over them

all, I value this mystic power and glory that is floating here

above me in this mist!"

CHAPTER XIII