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"Well, Michael Mitrich, sir?" he said, addressing one of the

battalion commanders who smilingly pressed forward (it was plain

that they both felt happy). "We had our hands full last night.

However, I think the regiment is not a bad one, eh?"

The battalion commander perceived the jovial irony and laughed.

"It would not be turned off the field even on the Tsaritsin

Meadow."

"What?" asked the commander.

At that moment, on the road from the town on which signalers had

been posted, two men appeared on horse back. They were an

aide-de-camp followed by a Cossack.

The aide-de-camp was sent to confirm the order which had not been

clearly worded the day before, namely, that the commander in

chief wished to see the regiment just in the state in which it

had been on the march: in their greatcoats, and packs, and

without any preparation whatever.