He had been so excited that he had not thought about it until that moment.

The officers' laughter confused him still more.

He stood before Bagration with his lower jaw trembling and was hardly able to mutter: "I don't know... your excellency... I had no men... your excellency.

" "You might have taken some from the covering troops.

" Tushin did not say that there were no covering troops, though that was perfectly true.