After driving around the entire line of troops from the right to the left flank, Prince Andrei climbed the battery from which, according to the staff officer, the entire field was visible. Here he got off the horse and stopped at the outermost of the four guns removed from the front of the horse. In front of the guns was a clock gunner, who stretched out in front of the officer, but by the sign made him resume his even, boring walk. Behind the guns there were in front of the guns, and behind the guns there were horse-tie and artillery bonfires. To the left, not far from the outermost gun, there was a new wicker hut, from which lively officer voices were heard.
Indeed, the battery opened up the view of almost all the location of the Russian troops and most of the enemy. Directly against the battery, on the horizon of the opposite hill, you could see the village of Schoengraben, to the left and right could be distinguished in three places among the smoke of their fires masses of French troops, which, obviously, most of them were in the village and beyond the mountain. To the left of the village, in the smoke, it seemed to be something like a battery, but it was impossible to see with a simple eye. Our right flank was on a pretty steep hill that dominated the French position. On it was our infantry, and on the edge of it we could see the dragoons. In the center, where the Tushina battery was located, from which Prince Andrew looked at the position, was the most illogical and direct descent and ascent to the creek that separated us from Schoengraben. To the left, our troops were adjoining the forest, where the fires of our infantry, which was chopping firewood, were smoking. The French line was wider than ours, and it was clear that the French could easily bypass us on both sides. Behind our position was a steep and deep ravine, on which it was difficult to retreat artillery and cavalry. Prince Andrei, leaning on the gun and taking out his wallet, drew a plan for the location of the troops. In two places, he put notes in pencil, intending to inform Bagration. He assumed, firstly, to concentrate all the artillery in the center, and secondly, to transfer the cavalry back to the other side of the ravine. Prince Andrei, constantly under the commander-in-chief, following the movements of the masses and general orders and constantly engaged in historical descriptions of battles, and in this upcoming case, unwittingly reflected on the future course of hostilities only in general terms. He imagined only the following major coincidences: "If the enemy conducts an attack on the right flank, - he said to himself, - Kiev grenadier and Podolsk jagerskiy will have to hold its position until the reserves of the center will not approach them. In this case, the dragoons may hit the flank and knock them over. In case of an attack on the center, we put the central battery on this hill and under its cover pull the left flank and retreat to the ravine in trains", - he argued with himself ...
All the time he was on the battery at the gun, he couldn't stop hearing the sounds of the officers' voices in the showroom, but he didn't understand a single word they were saying. Suddenly, the sound of the balloon's voices struck him with such a cordial tone that he unwittingly began to listen.
- No, darling," said the voice that Prince Andrei knew, "if it were possible to know what would happen after his death, then none of us would be afraid of dying. That's right, darling!
Another, younger voice interrupted him:
- Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, you won't miss it anyway.
- And everybody is afraid! You scientists," said the third, courageous voice, interrupting both. - You artillerymen are scientists because you can bring everything with you, vodka and snacks.
And the owner of the courageous voice, apparently an infantry officer, laughed.
- And you're all afraid," the first voice you know continued. - You're afraid of the unknown, that's what. No matter how much you say that your soul will go to heaven... We know that there is no sky, but there is an atmosphere alone.
Again, the courageous voice interrupted the gunner.
- Well, you can buy your own herbalist, Tushin," he said.
"Ah, it's the same captain who stood at the marker's without boots," thought Prince Andrei, gladly recognizing the pleasant philosophical voice.
- It is possible for a travochku, - said Tushin, - but still the future life will be comprehended... - He did not finish.
At that time, a whistle was heard in the air; closer, closer, faster and more audible, more audible and faster, and the core, as if not having finished everything that was needed, with inhuman force blowing up spatter, slammed into the ground near the ballaganza. It was as if the earth had awoke from a terrible blow.
At the same moment, a small Tushin with a tube on his side, jumped out of the balaganza before all; his kind, clever face was a little pale. Behind him came the master of courageous voice, a well-trained infantry officer, and ran to his company, fastening up on the run.