Chapter 20
The battle appears to be lost, and the regiment's general is so upset at the thought that he might be blamed for this that he charges straight through a line of bullets towards the French. He gets all the way through and out the other side, to more Russian soldiers. He tries to command them, but they're all too panicked. But then the French suddenly retreat because Timokhin's company has crept up behind them, so that's all right. Dolokhov captures a French officer, and makes sure to point it out to the commander.
Everyone had forgotten to tell Tushin's regiment to retreat, but the French didn't attack them because they didn't believe anyone would continue to attack from unguarded guns. Tushin's excited about the village being alight. Poor village. The breeze is spreading it. Tushin didn't have time to be afraid, he was so focused on running his regiment. He's named all the guns and talks to them while he fights, imagining he is a giant throwing cannonballs at the French. Prince Andrew finally gets the message to retreat through to Tushin, and helps him pack up the cannons. They bond quite a lot in that very short period.
Chapter 21
It's getting dark and the battle is still going. The surviving troops have been ordered to abandon the wounding, but this is difficult as many of them drag themselves along behind them and call for help. Tushin has found room for two of them, one of which is Nikolai, who seems to be basically fine apart from a sprained arm.
It's now dark enough that the soldier's can't see each other, so the fighting dies down completely and people start coming out to compare scores. The Russian forces are positive that they've won this one and celebrate with vodka. Clearly, vodka is a drink for all occasions. Like tea.
(I am British).
They've captured a French soldier and haven't bothered to feed him, which seems a bit rude. Officers are flocking in to look at the colonel Dolokhov captured. They're also informing Bagration of their actions during the battle, and at least one is taking a little bit of artistic license in making himself out to be a bit more skilled and intentional than he actually had been. Another claims that he and Prince Andrew had only just missed one another, but Andrew flat out denies it. Bagration believes that the left had retreated very early on, and is asking how two guns in the centre came to be abandoned. Tushin walks in in the middle, believes he's asking about something that happened on the left and gets flustered, but Andrew is able to explain everything, stating that they owe today's success to Tushin and his battery. Tushin thanks him, but Andrew's too busy feeling sad about war not being at all like he thought it would be.
Rostov has managed to fall asleep, despite his arm, but now he's having fever dreams about everyone back home. He wakes up, and starts feeling sorry for himself because the doctor hasn't arrived and no one is looking after him. He is regretting this whole war business.
The chapter (and book 2) end abruptly, by telling us that the French army did not renew their attack, and what's left Bagration's detachment is joined back on to Kutuzov's army.
I like this habit of reading a chapter a day - did I mention that I was doing that? I am, though I'm not always publishing the post every day, it depends how long it is. I'm now 17% of the way through War & Peace. I hope the next book is a Peace one, I do find those parts more interesting.
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