Because the hussars were slow and hesitant on the bridge, some are killed before they can finish carrying out the order to destroy the bridge. Rostov had pictured battle differently—presumably fighting French soldiers face-to-face. When he’s actually under fire from the French, he finds himself completely unprepared for the task at hand. Unexpectedly, he experiences an intense awareness of nature, especially the sky, around him—a sensation that other characters will experience when in mortal danger. Though Nikolai feels his running and fear on the bridge are shameful, the reality is that most cadets react no differently in this situation, and everyone is so absorbed in his own feelings that he doesn’t notice what others are doing.