"When there's work they'll be only too
delighted. But there won't always be work. You must be prepared for
that. Sometimes our Division is in reserve and then we're in reserve
too. Sometimes for so much as a fortnight. When I was out here before
I was in one place for more than two months. You must just take
everything as it comes."
"I want to work," he said. "I _must_."
Once again only he spoke:
"That little fat man who travelled with us...."
"Andrey Vassilievitch," I said.
"Yes.... He interests me. You knew him before?"
"Yes. I've known him slightly for some years."
"What has he come for? He's frightened out of his life."
"Frightened?"
"Yes, he himself told me. He says that he's very nervous but that he
must do everything that every one else does--for a certain reason. He
got very excited when he talked to me and asked me whether I thought
it would all be very terrible."
"He is a nervous fussy little man. Russians are not cowards, but
Andrey Vassilievitch lost his wife last year.
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