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Kutuzov walked through the ranks, sometimes stopping to say a few

friendly words to officers he had known in the Turkish war,

sometimes also to the soldiers. Looking at their boots he several

times shook his head sadly, pointing them out to the Austrian

general with an expression which seemed to say that he was not

blaming anyone, but could not help noticing what a bad state of

things it was. The regimental commander ran forward on each such

occasion, fearing to miss a single word of the commander in

chief's regarding the regiment. Behind Kutuzov, at a distance

that allowed every softly spoken word to be heard, followed some

twenty men of his suite. These gentlemen talked among themselves

and sometimes laughed. Nearest of all to the commander in chief

walked a handsome adjutant. This was Prince Bolkonski. Beside him

was his comrade Nesvitski, a tall staff officer, extremely stout,

with a kindly, smiling, handsome face and moist eyes.