"Why did I utter those words? It was by some accident I saidthem.... I need not have said them," he thought. "And then nothingwould have happened." He saw the frightened and then infuriated faceof the dragoon who dealt the blow, the look of silent, timidreproach that boy in the fur-lined coat had turned upon him. "But Idid not do it for my own sake. I was bound to act that way.... Themob, the traitor... the public welfare," thought he.

　　Troops were still crowding at the Yauza bridge. It was hot. Kutuzov,dejected and frowning, sat on a bench by the bridge toying with hiswhip in the sand when a caleche dashed up noisily. A man in ageneral's uniform with plumes in his hat went up to Kutuzov and saidsomething in French. It was Count Rostopchin. He told Kutuzov thathe had come because Moscow, the capital, was no more and only the armyremained.

　　"Things would have been different if your Serene Highness had nottold me that you would not abandon Moscow without another battle;all this would not have happened," he said.

　　Kutuzov looked at Rostopchin as if, not grasping what was said tohim, he was trying to read something peculiar written at that momenton the face of the man addressing him. Rostopchin grew confused andbecame silent. Kutuzov slightly shook his head and not taking hispenetrating gaze from Rostopchin's face muttered softly:

　　"No! I shall not give up Moscow without a battle!"

　　Whether Kutuzov was thinking of something entirely different when hespoke those words, or uttered them purposely, knowing them to bemeaningless, at any rate Rostopchin made no reply and hastily lefthim. And strange to say, the Governor of Moscow, the proud CountRostopchin, took up a Cossack whip and went to the bridge where hebegan with shouts to drive on the carts that blocked the way.BK11|CH26

　　CHAPTER XXVI

　　Toward four o'clock in the afternoon Murat's troops were enteringMoscow. In front rode a detachment of Wurttemberg hussars and behindthem rode the King of Naples himself accompanied by a numerous suite.

　　About the middle of the Arbat Street, near the Church of theMiraculous Icon of St. Nicholas, Murat halted to await news from theadvanced detachment as to the condition in which they had found thecitadel, le Kremlin.