We go back a little in time for now. Napoleon has not yet arrived to tell his army to attack. Prince Andrew has arrived and is reporting to Bagration. None of the men really believe in a truce or an upcoming battle, and Bagration reassures Andrew that there won't be a battle today, but gives him the option of going into battle (the hard way) or hanging out at the back of the troups. Prince Andrew takes the hard way, and goes on a tour to see where everyone is, in preparation. The troups get more and more orderly as they get closer to the front line, until he gets there and sees that the French and Russian soldiers - specifically Dolokhov, because it's always Dolokhov - are trash talking each other. It's all very 1915 Christmas football match crossed with a rap battle.
Also, the French guy has mixed up the Russians and Austrians.
Chapter 16
Prince Andrew is now doing stuff the hard way. He's ridden out into a position from which he can see all of Russian army and most of the enemy. One thing that surprised me here is that the narrative started referring to 'our right flank' and 'our infantry', when previously it's been more objective. Prince Andrew's making a battle plan, since the French are indeed, three times as strong and able to hem them in on both sides. He begins fantasising about himself as a great shiny hero and strategy genius. I'm also reading Philippa Gregory's Cousin's War books right now, and that's led me to become a little bit obsessed with Richard III. It wasn't all shiny armour for him, when he was knocked off his horse, killed, stripped naked, and carried through the town to prove that he was dead.
I spent far too long trying to find a good gif from the first season of Blackadder - ideally, his shock at having accidentally murdered Uncle Dicky - but apparently that's not a thing, so have this image of Henry Tulip instead.
Prince Andrew overhears some three soldiers - including Captain Tushin, who has apparently appeared previously but who I don't appear to have mentioned because I didn't know he'd come back - drinking vodka and philosophising about death. Suddenly, a cannonball hits the ground near the shed they're talking in and Tushin and the others rush out.
I know it's been a long time between posts, and, tbh, my eyes start to blur over when Prince Andrew is fantasising about tactics. I've made reading a chapter part of my nightly routine, so hopefully it will go a bit faster!
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