Twooftheenemy'sshotshadalreadyflownacrossthebridge, , , soldiersandcartspushedhimbackagainandpressedhimagainsttherailings, andallhecoulddowastosmile.
"Whatafinefellowyouare, friend!" saidtheCossacktoaconvoysoldierwithawagon, whowaspressingontotheinfantrymenwhowerecrowdedtogetherclosetohiswheelsandhishorses."Whatafellow! Youcan'twaitamoment! Don'tyouseethegeneralwantstopass?"
Buttheconvoymantooknonoticeoftheword "general" andshoutedatthesoldierswhowereblockinghisway."Hithere, boys! Keeptotheleft! Waitabit." Butthesoldiers, crowdedtogethershouldertoshoulder, theirbayonetsinterlocking, , noisylittlewavesoftheEnns, , shoulderstraps, coveredshakos, knapsacks, bayonets, longmuskets, and, undertheshakos, faceswithbroadcheekbones, sunkencheeks, andlistlesstiredexpressions, , likeafleckofwhitefoamonthewavesoftheEnns, anofficer, inacloakandwithatypeoffacedifferentfromthatofthemen, squeezedhiswayalong; sometimeslikeachipofwoodwhirlingintheriver, anhussaronfoot, anorderly, oratownsmanwascarriedthroughthewavesofinfantry; andsometimeslikealogfloatingdowntheriver, anofficers' orcompany'sbaggagewagon, piledhigh, leathercovered, andhemmedinonallsides, movedacrossthebridge.
"It'sasifadamhadburst," saidtheCossackhopelessly."Aretheremanymoreofyoutocome?"
"Amillionallbutone!" repliedawaggishsoldierinatorncoat, withawink, andpassedonfollowedbyanother, anoldman.
"Ifhe" (hemeanttheenemy) "beginspoppingatthebridgenow," saidtheoldsoldierdismallytoacomrade, "you'llforgettoscratchyourself."
