Nicholas attacks without orders, nearly kills a Frenchman face to face, and then wonders why he is doing this.
Summary:
Seeing before him the disorderly crowds of Uhlans and the French, Nicholas realizes its the perfect moment for his unit to attack. He felt instinctively that if the hussars struck at the French dragoons now, the latter could not withstand them. If a charge was to be made at this very minute, they could crush the French attack. Without orders, Nicholas leads his squadron into the frey. The French quickly turn tail and retreat in chaos. Nicholas knocks a fleeing French officer to the ground. The French officer, terrified of being killed, quickly surrenders to Nicholas. Nicholas experiences a moment of confusion. “Why should I kill him?” he asks himself. Later on, Nicholas is afraid of being reprimanded for attacking without orders. On the contrary, he is awarded the St. George’s Cross for bravery and promoted. But the thought of being about to kill that young French officer leaves Nicholas questioning his own notion of heroism.
quote from the chapter:
Rostóv himself did not know how or why he did it. He acted as he did when hunting, without reflecting or considering. He saw the dragoons near and that they were galloping in disorder; he knew they could not withstand an attack-knew there was only that moment and that if he let it slip it would not return. The bullets were whining and whistling so stimulatingly around him and his horse was so eager to go that he could not restrain himself. He touched his horse, gave the word of command, and immediately, hearing behind him the tramp of the horses of his deployed squadron, rode at full trot downhill toward the dragoons. Hardly had they reached the bottom of the hill before their pace instinctively changed to a gallop, which grew faster and faster as they drew nearer to our Uhlans and the French dragoons who galloped after them.
Book 9, Chapter 15
Nicholas attacks without orders, nearly kills a Frenchman face to face, and then wonders why he is doing this.
Summary:
Seeing before him the disorderly crowds of Uhlans and the French, Nicholas realizes its the perfect moment for his unit to attack. He felt instinctively that if the hussars struck at the French dragoons now, the latter could not withstand them. If a charge was to be made at this very minute, they could crush the French attack. Without orders, Nicholas leads his squadron into the frey. The French quickly turn tail and retreat in chaos. Nicholas knocks a fleeing French officer to the ground. The French officer, terrified of being killed, quickly surrenders to Nicholas. Nicholas experiences a moment of confusion. “Why should I kill him?” he asks himself. Later on, Nicholas is afraid of being reprimanded for attacking without orders. On the contrary, he is awarded the St. George’s Cross for bravery and promoted. But the thought of being about to kill that young French officer leaves Nicholas questioning his own notion of heroism.
quote from the chapter:
Rostóv himself did not know how or why he did it. He acted as he did when hunting, without reflecting or considering. He saw the dragoons near and that they were galloping in disorder; he knew they could not withstand an attack-knew there was only that moment and that if he let it slip it would not return. The bullets were whining and whistling so stimulatingly around him and his horse was so eager to go that he could not restrain himself. He touched his horse, gave the word of command, and immediately, hearing behind him the tramp of the horses of his deployed squadron, rode at full trot downhill toward the dragoons. Hardly had they reached the bottom of the hill before their pace instinctively changed to a gallop, which grew faster and faster as they drew nearer to our Uhlans and the French dragoons who galloped after them.
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