The Complete Works of Lyof N Tolsto Author:Leo Tolstoy Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: the sovereign and the country, ! command that we retreat." Immediately after this, the generals began to disperse with that solemn and silent circumspection w... more »hich people observe after a funeral. Several of the generals, in low voices, but in an entirely different key from that in which they had spoken during the council, made some communication to the commander-in-chief. Malasha, who had long since been expected at the supper-table, cautiously let herself down backwards from the loft, clinging with her little bare toes to the projections of the stove, and, slipping between the legs of the officers, darted out of the door. Having dismissed the generals, Kutuzof sat for a long time with his elbows resting on the table and pondering over the same terrible question : — " When was it, when was it, that it was finally decided Moscow must be abandoned ? When took place that which decided the question ? and who is to blame for it ? " "I did not expect this, I did not expect it," said he aloud to his aide, Schneider, who came to him late that night. " I did not expect this. I did not dream of such a thing!" " You must get some rest, your serene highness," said Schneider. " It's not done with yet! They shall chaw horse-flesh yet like the Turks," cried Kutuzof, not heeding him, and thumping his fat fist on the table. "They shall.... as soon as.... " CHAPTER V In contradistinction to Kutuzof, though at the same time, and in an event of even greater importance than the retreat of the army without fighting, — namely, in the abandonment and burning of Moscow, — Rostopchin, who has been considered the responsible agent for this action, behaved in an entirely different manner. This event, — tixeabandonment of Moscow and its destruction by fireT—-afteF"tTie""Baftre of ...« less