The Way of the Cross (Doroshevich)/XII
XII
HOW THE RIVER FLOWS
IN the overwhelmed, over frightened, trembling little towns and villages—they will tell you:
—There is no order whatever! No system, no plan.
That is not so.
That is how it seems in an immense war.
At each separate point it is difficult to catch the general plan.
And only if you make the whole journey of "The Way of the Cross" will you see that here is both plan and system.
Even an iron system.
The general principle is that:
—The railways being so overburdened, the fugitives be forced to go as far as they can with their own horses.
And along the road, to lead offf the stream in various directions and to diminish it.
To Bobruisk they all go in carts.
At Bobruisk there is the first diversion.
A portion of the fugitives is sent off by rail.
The stream is diminished.
At Rogachef another railroad crosses the way, and at Rogachef there is another diversion.
Another portion of the fugitives is given places.
—Na mashinu. On the train.
At Dovsk the direction of the stream is regulated.
It is let loose upon Roslavl.
Roslavl being choked, a dam is formed there and from Dovsk the main stream is set going towards Gomel, Cherneegof, and Kief.
At Roslavl the greatest diversion takes place.
Here the majority sell their horses, and the railway takes them off by a round-about route to the eastern provinces of Russia, avoiding Moscow.
Those who can still go on with their horses beyond Roslavl turn into the province of Kaluga.
Where they wander and are absorbed.
The province of Moscow receives only the tiniest streams, the little drops of this mighty:
—Bitter river.