BOOK 14, Chptr. 5, P&V pg. 1040

Book 14, Chapter 5

Denísov, Pétya and a few of the partisan fighters surveil the small village where the French baggage convoy is spending the night. The see a man named Tíkhon who Denísov sent to kidnap an informant being chased by the French.

Summary:

The rain has stopped. A guide leads Denísov with Pétya and others to a point where they can look down on a small village where is camped the French convoy they plan to attack the next day. Denísov and his men discuss the best way to make the attack. Denísov says he will attack whether or not Dólokhov shows up. Suddenly they see a man named Tíkhon fleeing from the French. Tíkhon is a highly valued member of Denísov’s partisan unit. Tíkhon is a peasant who volunteered to join Denísov’s partisan forces, and who has proven to be very good at the work. Denísov had sent Tíkhon into the village on a mission to kidnap a French quartermaster for intelligence purposes. The French are chasing Tíkhon, but he manages to escape the French by jumping in and crossing a stream. The pursuing French do not wish to enter the water, so Tíkhon is able to escape.

quote from the chapter:

(Tíkhon) was the bravest and most useful man in the party. No one found more opportunities for attacking, no one captured or killed more Frenchmen, and consequently he was made the buffoon of all the Cossacks and hussars and willingly accepted that role. Now he had been sent by Denísov overnight to Shámshevo to capture a tongue. But whether because he had not been content to take only one Frenchman or because he had slept through the night, he had crept by day into some bushes right among the French and, as Denísov had witnessed from above, had been detected by them.

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