Page 1672 - war-and-peace

closer to one another. To keep one another back, to breathe
in that stifling atmosphere, to be unable to stir, and to await
something unknown, uncomprehended, and terrible, was
becoming unbearable. Those standing in front, who had
seen and heard what had taken place before them, all stood
with wide open eyes and mouths, straining with all their
strength, and held back the crowd that was pushing behind
them.
‘Beat him!... Let the traitor perish and not disgrace the
Russian name!’ shouted Rostopchin. ‘Cut him down. I com-
mand it.’
Hearing not so much the words as the angry tone of Ros-
topchin’s voice, the crowd moaned and heaved forward, but
again paused.
‘Count!’ exclaimed the timid yet theatrical voice of
Vereshchagin in the midst of the momentary silence that
ensued, ‘Count! One God is above us both....’ He lifted his
head and again the thick vein in his thin neck filled with
blood and the color rapidly came and went in his face.
He did not finish what he wished to say.
‘Cut him down! I command it...’ shouted Rostopchin,
suddenly growing pale like Vereshchagin.
‘Draw sabers!’ cried the dragoon officer, drawing his
own.
Another still stronger wave flowed through the crowd
and reaching the front ranks carried it swaying to the very
steps of the porch. The tall youth, with a stony look on
his face, and rigid and uplifted arm, stood beside Veresh-
chagin.

1672 War and Peace