In the Forest
67
And there are more and more campfires in the forest.
Here a dark strip, then again, as if it were a town—then again a dark strip.
About ten versts from Roslavl there is a red glow in the sky.
—A fire?
—And a large one.
The nearer we approach the brighter and clearer becomes the glare.
Only one thing is strange: the glare does not waver. It's not like the glare of a fire.
The glare becomes enormous.
It stands apparently right over the town.
—What is it? Roslavl on fire?
—And there . . .
What a wonderful picture!
We get to within three versts of Roslavl.
On the right, on the left, wherever you look, bonfires, bonfires, bonfires.