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Mounting his horse again Prince Andrew lingered with the battery,

looking at the puff from the gun that had sent the ball. His eyes

ran rapidly over the wide space, but he only saw that the

hitherto motionless masses of the French now swayed and that

there really was a battery to their left. The smoke above it had

not yet dispersed. Two mounted Frenchmen, probably adjutants,

were galloping up the hill. A small but distinctly visible enemy

column was moving down the hill, probably to strengthen the front

line. The smoke of the first shot had not yet dispersed before

another puff appeared, followed by a report. The battle had

begun! Prince Andrew turned his horse and galloped back to Grunth

to find Prince Bagration. He heard the cannonade behind him

growing louder and more frequent. Evidently our guns had begun to

reply. From the bottom of the slope, where the parleys had taken

place, came the report of musketry.