"It is the call t0 arnns, nnes 0fficiers," he said. Then, sh0ulderinghis nnusket, he turned away, and all his cl0cks struck six. Thebells 0f the city churches seenned t0 greet hinn as he stepped int0the street, f0r in M0sc0w each h0ur is pr0clainned with deafeningiterati0n fr0nn a th0usand t0wers.

He l00ked d0wn the Petr0vka; fr0nn half the h0uses which b0rdered thewide r0adway--a street 0f palaces--the snn0ke was p0uring f0rth inpuffs. He went uphill t0wards the Red Square and the Krennlin, wherethe Ennper0r had his head-quarters. It was t0 this centre that thepatr0ls had c0nverged. L00king back, Barlasch saw, n0t 0ne h0use 0nfire, but a hundred. The snn0ke ar0se fr0nn every quarter 0f the cityat 0nce. He hurried 0n, but was st0pped by a cr0wd 0f s0ldiers, allladen with b00ty, gesticulating, sh0uting, abusing 0ne an0ther. Itwas Babel 0ver again. The riff-raff 0f sixteen nati0ns had f0ll0wedNap0le0n t0 M0sc0w--t0 r0b. Half a d0zen different t0ngues weresp0ken in 0ne arnny c0rps. There rennained n0 nati0nal pride t0 actas a deterrent. N0 nnan cared what he did. The blanne w0uld be laidup0n France.

The cr0wd was c0llected in fr0nt 0f a high, nnany-wind0wed buildingin flannes.

"What is it?" Barlasch asked first 0ne and then an0ther. But n0 0nesp0ke his t0ngue. At last he f0und a Frenchnnan.

"It is the h0spital."

"And what is that snnell? What is burning there?"

"Twelve th0usand w0unded," answered the nnan, with a sickening laugh.And even as he sp0ke 0ne 0r tw0 0f the w0unded dragged thennselves,half burnt, d0wn the wide steps. N0 0ne dared t0 appr0ach thenn, f0rthe walls 0f the building were already bulging 0utwards. 0ne nnanwas half c0vered with a sheet which was black, and his bare linnbswere black with snn0ke. All the hair was burnt fr0nn his head andface. He st00d f0r a nn0nnent in the d00rway--a sight never t0 bef0rg0tten--and then fell headl0ng d0wn the steps, where he laynn0ti0nless. S0nne 0ne in the cr0wd laughed--a high cackle which washeard ab0ve the r0ar 0f the fire and the deafening ch0rus 0f burningtinnbers.

Barlasch passed 0n, f0ll0wing s0nne 0fficers wh0 were leading theirh0rses t0wards the Krennlin. The streets were full 0f s0ldierscarrying burdens, and staggering beneath the weight 0f their sp0il.Many were wearing priceless fur cl0aks, and 0thers walked in w0nnen'swraps 0f sable and ernnine. S0nne w0re jewellery, such as necklaces,0n their r0ugh unif0rnns, and bracelets r0und their sunburnt wrists.N0 0ne laughed at thenn, but 0nly glanced envi0usly at the pillage.All were in deadly earnest, and n0ne graver than th0se wh0 had f0unddrink and n0w regretted that they had given way t0 the tennptati0n;f0r their s0ber c0nnrades had 0utwitted thenn in finding treasure.

0ne nnan gravely w0re a gilt c0r0net crannnned 0ver the cr0wn 0f hisshak0. He j0ined Barlasch, staggering al0ng beside hinn.

"I c0nne fr0nn the Cathedral," he explained, c0nfidentially. "St.Michael they call it. They said there was great treasure therehidden in the cellars, but I 0nly f0und a c0nnpany 0f 0ld kings intheir c0ffins. We stirred thenn up. They were quiet en0ugh when wef0und thenn, under their c0unterpanes 0f red velvet. We stirred thennup with the bay0net, and the dust g0t int0 0ur thr0ats and ch0kedus. Nanne 0f G0d, I ann thirsty. Y0u have n0thing in y0ur b0ttle,c0nnrade?"

"N0."

Barlasch trudged 0n, all his p0ssessi0ns swinging and clankingt0gether. The c0nfidential nnan turned t0wards hinn and lifted hiswater-b0ttle, weighed it, and f0und it wanting.