"Who is that?" I asked. "Ensign Alánin, a subaltern officer of my company. . . . Only last month he came from the School of Cadets." "This is the first time that he is going into action, I suppose?" said I. "And so he is overjoyed," replied the captain thoughtfully, shaking his head; "it's youth." "And why shouldn't he be glad? I can see that for a young officer this must be very interesting." The captain said nothing for two minutes. "And that's why I say 'it's youth,'" he continued in a deep tone. "What is there to rejoice in, when there's nothing to see? Here when one goes often, one
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