Page 221 - war-and-peace

tered quickly, slamming the door. Prince Andrew stopped
short.
‘Commander in Chief Kutuzov?’ said the newly arrived
general speaking quickly with a harsh German accent,
looking to both sides and advancing straight toward the in-
ner door.
‘The commander in chief is engaged,’ said Kozlovski, go-
ing hurriedly up to the unknown general and blocking his
way to the door. ‘Whom shall I announce?’
The unknown general looked disdainfully down at Ko-
zlovski, who was rather short, as if surprised that anyone
should not know him.
‘The commander in chief is engaged,’ repeated Kozlovski
calmly.
The general’s face clouded, his lips quivered and trem-
bled. He took out a notebook, hurriedly scribbled something
in pencil, tore out the leaf, gave it to Kozlovski, stepped
quickly to the window, and threw himself into a chair, gaz-
ing at those in the room as if asking, ‘Why do they look
at me?’ Then he lifted his head, stretched his neck as if he
intended to say something, but immediately, with affected
indifference, began to hum to himself, producing a queer
sound which immediately broke off. The door of the pri-
vate room opened and Kutuzov appeared in the doorway.
The general with the bandaged head bent forward as though
running away from some danger, and, making long, quick
strides with his thin legs, went up to Kutuzov.
‘Vous voyez le malheureux Mack,’ he uttered in a broken
voice.

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