From beyond the town firing had been heard since early morning . At eight o'clock the booming of cannon was added to the sound of musketry . Many people were hurrying through the streets and there were many soldiers , but cabs were still driving about , tradesmen stood at their shops , and service was being held in the churches as usual . Alpátych went to the shops , to government offices , to the post office , and to the Governor 's . In the offices and shops and at the post office everyone was talking about the army and about the enemy who was already attacking the town , everybody was asking what should be done , and all were trying to calm one another .
С раннего утра из-за города слышалась стрельба. В восемь часов к звукам ружейной стрельбы добавился грохот пушек. По улицам спешило много народа и было много солдат, но по-прежнему ездили извозчики, торговцы стояли у своих лавок, а в церквях шла служба по-прежнему. Алпатыч ходил в магазины, в государственные учреждения, на почту и к губернатору. В конторах, магазинах и на почте все говорили об армии и о враге, который уже нападает на город, все спрашивали, что делать, и все пытались успокоить друг друга.
