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"I am not your 'dear sir,' Mr. Staff Officer, and you did not

tell me to burn the bridge! I know the service, and it is my

habit orders strictly to obey. You said the bridge would be

burned, but who would burn it, I could not know by the holy

spirit!"

"Ah, that's always the way!" said Nesvitski with a wave of the

hand. "How did you get here?" said he, turning to Zherkov.

"On the same business. But you are damp! Let me wring you out!"

"You were saying, Mr. Staff Officer..." continued the colonel in

an offended tone.

"Colonel," interrupted the officer of the suite, "You must be

quick or the enemy will bring up his guns to use grapeshot."

The colonel looked silently at the officer of the suite, at the

stout staff officer, and at Zherkov, and he frowned.

"I will the bridge fire," he said in a solemn tone as if to

announce that in spite of all the unpleasantness he had to endure

he would still do the right thing.