Page 1673 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

and the heroic self-sacrifice of the merchant and saying
nothing about himself. When Katavasov asked him what
had impelled him to go to Servia, he answered modestly:
‘Oh, well, everyone’s going. The Servians want help,

too. I’m sorry for them.’
‘Yes, you artillerymen especially are scarce there,’ said
Katavasov.
‘Oh, I wasn’t long in the artillery, maybe they’ll put me
into the infantry or the cavalry.’
‘Into the infantry when they need artillery more than
anything?’ said Katavasov, fancying from the artilleryman’s
apparent age that he must have reached a fairly high grade.
‘I wasn’t long in the artillery; I’m a cadet retired,’ he
said, and he began to explain how he had failed in his
examination.
All of this together made a disagreeable impression on
Katavasov, and when the volunteers got out at a station for
a drink, Katavasov would have liked to compare his
unfavorable impression in conversation with someone.
There was an old man in the carriage, wearing a military
overcoat, who had been listening all the while to
Katavasov’s conversation with the volunteers. When they
were left alone, Katavasov addressed him.

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