Theofficerappearedabashed, asthoughheunderstoodthatonemightthinkofhowmanymenwouldbemissingtomorrowbutoughtnottospeakofit.
"Well, sendnumberthreecompanyagain," theofficerrepliedhurriedly.
"Andyou, areyouoneofthedoctors?"
"No, I'vecomeonmyown," answeredPierre, andhewentdownthehillagain, passingthemilitiamen.
"Oh, thosedamnedfellows!" mutteredtheofficerwhofollowedhim, holdinghisnoseasheranpastthemenatwork.
"Theretheyare...bringingher, coming...Theretheyare...They'llbehereinaminute..." voicesweresuddenlyheardsaying; andofficers, soldiers, andmilitiamenbeganrunningforwardalongtheroad.
, .
SoldiersandmilitiamenranbareheadedpastPierretowardtheprocession.
"Theyarebringingher, ourProtectress!...TheIberianMotherofGod!" someonecried.
"TheSmolenskMotherofGod," anothercorrectedhim.
Themilitiamen, boththosewhohadbeeninthevillageandthosewhohadbeenatworkonthebattery, —, , before, andonbothsides, crowdsofmilitiamenwithbaredheadswalked, ran, andbowedtotheground.
