Asthewarhadcaughthimintheservice, NicholasRostovtookacloseandprolongedpartinthedefenseofhiscountry, butdidsocasually, withoutanyaimatself-sacrifice, , hewouldhavesaidthatitwasnothisbusinesstothinkaboutit, thatKutuzovandotherswerethereforthatpurpose, butthathehadheardthattheregimentsweretobemadeuptotheirfullstrength, thatfightingwouldprobablygoonforalongtimeyet, andthatthingsbeingsoitwasquitelikelyhemightbeincommandofaregimentinacoupleofyears' time.
Ashelookedatthematterinthisway, helearnedthathewasbeingsenttoVoronezhtobuyremountsforhisdivision, notonlywithoutregretatbeingpreventedfromtakingpartinthecomingbattle, butwiththegreatestpleasure—whichhedidnotconcealandwhichhiscomradesfullyunderstood.
AfewdaysbeforethebattleofBorodino, Nicholasreceivedthenecessarymoneyandwarrants, andhavingsentsomehussarsoninadvance, hesetoutwithposthorsesforVoronezh.
Onlyamanwhohasexperiencedit—thatis, haspassedsomemonthscontinuouslyinanatmosphereofcampaigningandwar—canunderstandthedelightNicholasfeltwhenheescapedfromtheregioncoveredbythearmy'sforagingoperations, provisiontrains, —freefromsoldiers, wagons, andthefilthytracesofacamp—hesawvillageswithpeasantsandpeasantwomen, gentlemen'scountryhouses, fieldswherecattleweregrazing, posthouseswithstationmastersasleepinthem, , youngandhealthy, withoutadozenofficersmakinguptoeachofthem; women, too, whowerepleasedandflatteredthatapassingofficershouldjokewiththem.
