"Wonderful!" Berjanian beamed as he hastily left the room.
General Kodorovich's command car rattled and bounced along the rough shoulder of the highway past his stalled 71st Motorized Infantry Division. He found the van of his column tangled with the rear of the 124th Armored Division under General Plekoskaya. Kodorovich sought out Plekoskaya and found him at table under some trees having a fine lunch.
"Would you mind getting your army out of the way," General Kodorovich said to General Plekoskaya. "I have emergency orders to proceed immediately to Moscow."
"So have I," Plekoskaya replied, wiping his lips. "Won't you join me for lunch?"
"I haven't time!" Kodorovich snapped, glaring accusingly at the roast fowl and wine on the white linen.
"Oh but you have, my dear Kodorovich," Plekoskaya said pleasantly. "You see, neither of us is going anywhere for the moment. There's a brigade of the 48th blocking the road ahead."
"The 48th from Kiev?" Kodorovich exclaimed. "What is a brigade of the 48th doing up here?"
"Looking for its sister brigades from which it was separated when the 116th Mechanized, in its hurry to reach Moscow, cut through their column."
"The 116th Mechanized?" Kodorovich exclaimed again. He wanted to stop talking in questions but all this was coming so fast and unexpectedly.