“I’ve been dismissed back to the regiment again on account of that devil, Mack. The Austrian general complained of me. I congratulated him on Mack’s arrival. … What is it, Rostov, you look as if you’d just come out of a hot bath?”

“We’ve been in such a mess these last two days, old boy.”

The regimental adjutant came in and confirmed the news brought by Zherkov. They were under orders to advance next day.

“To the front, gentlemen!”

“Well, thank God! we’ve been sticking here too long.”