The significance of the drama taking place in Russia at that time w the less easy to grasp, the closer the share a man was taking in it. In Peter burg, and in the provinces remote from Moscow, ladies and gentlemen volunteer uniforms bewailed the fate of Russia and the ancient capit; and talked of self-sacrifice, and so on. But in the army, which had r treated behind Moscow, men scarcely talked or thought at all about Mo cow, and, gazing at the burning city, no one swore to be avenged on tl French, but every one was thinking of the next quarter’s pay due to hir of the next halting-place, of Matryoshka the canteen-woman, and so o
Nikolay Rostov, without any idea of self-sacrifice, simply because tl war had happened to break out before he left the service, took an ir mediate and continuous part in the defence of his country, and cons quently he looked upon what was happening in Russia without despair ( gloomy prognostications. If he had been asked what he thought of tl present position of Russia, he would have said that it was not his busine to think about it, that that was what Kutuzov and the rest of them we for, but that he had heard that the regiments were being filled up to the full complements, and that they must therefore be going to fight for good time longer, and that under the present circumstances he migl pretty easily obtain the command of a regiment within a couple of year
Since this was his point of view, it was with no regret at taking no pa in the approaching battle, but with the greatest satisfaction—which 1 did not conceal, and his comrades fully understood—that he received tl news of his appointment to go to Voronezh to purchase remounts for h division.
A few days before the battle of Borodino, Nikolay received the sums < money and official warrants required, and, sending some hussars on b fore him, he’drove with posting-horses to Voronezh.
