his chance to capture some horses, but one of
the superior officers, who was acquainted with the higher authorities,
reported the incident to a general on the staff. The state of things on
the staff had of late been exceedingly strained. Ermolov had been to
see Bennigsen a few days previously and had entreated him to use
his influence with the commander in chief to induce him to take the
offensive.

"If I did not know you I should think you did not want what you are
asking for. I need only advise anything and his Highness is sure to do
the opposite," replied Bennigsen.

The Cossack's report, confirmed by horse patrols who were sent out, was
the final proof that events had matured. The tightly coiled spring was
released, the clock began to whirr and the chimes to play. Despite all
his supposed power, his intellect, his experience, and his knowledge of
men, Kutuzov--having taken into consideration the Cossack's report, a
note from Bennigsen who sent personal reports to the Emperor, the wishes
he supposed the Emperor to hold, and the fact that all the generals
expressed the same wish--could no longer check the inevitable movement,
and gave the order to do what he regarded as useless and harmful--gave
his approval, that is, to the accomplished fact.

CHAPTER IV

Bennigsen's note and the Cossack's information that the left flank
of the French was unguarded were merely final indications that it was
necessary to order an attack, and it was fixed for the fifth of October.

On the morning of the fourth of October Kutuzov signed the dispositions.
Toll read them to Ermolov, asking him to attend to the further
arrangements.

"All right--all right. I haven't time just now," replied Ermolov, and
left the hut.

The dispositions drawn up by Toll were very good. As in the Austerlitz
dispositions, it was written--though not in German this time:

"The First Column will march here and here," "the Second Column will
march there and there," and so on; and on paper, all these columns
arrived at their places at the appointed time and destroyed the enemy.
Everything had been admirably thought out as is usual in dispositions,
and as is always the case, not a single column reached its place at the
appointed time.

When the necessary number of copies of the dispositions had been
prepared, an officer was summoned and sent to deliver them to Ermolov
to deal with. A young officer of the Horse Guards, Kutuzov's orderly,
pleased a