On the cart, towards the front, a bearded Russian, in a lamb's-wool cap, was seated sidewise, and, holding the stock of his whip under his elbow, was tying on the lash. Behind him in the cart, about five soldiers, in different positions, were shaking about. One, though pale and thin, with his arm in a bandage, and his cloak thrown on over his shirt, was sitting up bravely in the middle of the cart, and tried to touch his cap on seeing the officer, but immediately afterwards (recollecting, probably, that he was wounded) he pretended that he only wanted to scratch his head. Another, beside him, was lying flat on the bottom of the wagon; all that was visible was two hands, as they clung to the rails of the wagon, and his knees uplifted limp as mops, as they swayed about in various directions. A third,
with a swollen face and a bandaged head, on which was placed his soldier's cap, sat on one side, with his legs dangling over the wheel, and, with his elbows resting on his knees, seemed immersed in thought. It was to him that the passing officer addressed himself.
" Dolzhnikoff! " he exclaimed.
" Here," replied the soldier, opening his eyes, and pulling off his cap, in such a thick and halting bass voice that it seemed as though twenty soldiers had uttered an exclamation at one and the same time.
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The leaden and swimming eyes of the soldier grew animated; he evidently recognized his officer.
** I wish Your Honor health! " he began again, in the same abrupt bass as before.
" Where is the regiment stationed now } "
" It was stationed in Sevastopol, but they were to move on Wednesday, Your Honor."
" I don't know; it must have been to the Sivernaya, Your Honor! To-day, Your Honor," he added, in a drawling voice, as he put on his cap, " they have begun to fire clear across, mostly with bombs, that even go as far as the bay; they are fighting horribly to-day, so that — "
It was impossible to hear what the soldier said further; but it was evident, from the expression of his countenance and from his attitude, that he was uttering discouraging remarks, with the touch of malice of a man who is suffering.
The travelling officer. Lieutenant Kozeltzoff, was no common officer. He was not one of those that live so and so and do thus and so because others live and do thus; he did whatever he pleased, and others did the same, and were convinced that it was well. He was rather richly endowed by nature with small gifts: he sang well, played on the guitar, talked very cleverly, and wrote very easily, particularly official documents, in which he had practised his hand in his capacity of adjutant of the battalion; but the most noticeable trait in his character was his egotistical energy, which, although chiefly founded on this array of petty talents, constituted in itself a sharp and striking trait. His egotism was of the sort that is most frequently found developed in masculine and especially in military circles, and which had become a part of his life to such a degree that he understood no other choice than to domineer or to humiliate himself; and his egotism was the mainspring even of his private impulses; he liked to usurp the first place over people with whom he put himself on a level.
" Well! it's absurd of me to listen to what a Moskva* chatters!" muttered the lieutenant, experiencing a certain weight of apathy in his heart, and a dimness of thought, which the sight of the transport full of wounded and the words of the soldier, whose significance was emphasized and confirmed by the sounds of the bombardment, had left with him. " That Moskva is ridiculous! Drive on, Nikolaeff! go ahead! Are you asleep V^ he added, rather fretfully, to the servant, as he rearranged the skirts of his coat.
The reins were tightened, Nikolaeff clacked his lips, and the wagon moved on at a trot.
" We will only halt a minute for food, and will proceed at once, this very day," said the officer.
* In many regiments the officers call a soldier, half in scorn, half caressingly, Moskva (Moscovite), ox prisyaga (an oath).
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II.
As he entered the street of the ruined remains of the stone wall, forming the Tatar houses of Duvanka, Lieutenant Kozeltzoff was stopped by a transport of bombs and grape-shot, which were on their way to Sevastopol, and had accumulated on the road. Two infantry soldiers were seated in the dust, on the stones of a ruined gardenwall by the roadside, devouring a watermelon and bread.
" Have you come far, fellow-countryman } " said one of them, as he chewed his bread, to the soldier, with a small knapsack on his back, who had halted near them.