He was pitiable to see; but the adjutant, his
protector, seemed, on that very account, to be severe on his messmate,
and did not try to put him at his ease.
"Well, you're a graceful lad! Where did you think you were going?"
"Well, who can help tripping over these pins, Pavel Dmitrievitch?" said
Guskof. "You tripped over them yourself the other day."
"I, old man, [Footnote: batiushka]--I am not of the rank and file, and
such gracefulness is not expected of me."
"He can be lazy," said Captain S., keeping the ball rolling, "but low-
rank men have to make their legs fly."
"Ill-timed jest," said Guskof, almost in a whisper, and casting down his
eyes. The adjutant was evidently vexed with his messmate; he listened
with inquisitive attention to every word that he said.
"He'll have to be sent out into ambuscade again," said he, addressing
S., and pointing to the cashiered officer.
"Well, there'll be some more tears," said S., laughing. Guskof no longer
looked at me, but acted as though he were going to take some tobacco
from his pouch, though there had been none there for some time.
"Get ready for the ambuscade, old man," said S., addressing him with
shouts of laughter.
Pages:
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134