“Of course. I don’t believe you have many things with you; we will find a place for them.”
“All right, we’ll go,” replied the younger, as he went into the house sighing.
Just as he was opening the door of the hall he stopped and held down his head.
“Go straight to Sebastopol,” he said to himself, “be exposed to shells—it is terrible! However, isn’t it all the same whether it is to-day or later? At least with my brother—”
To tell the truth, at the thought that the carriage would carry him as far as Sebastopol in a single trip, that no new incident would delay him longer on the road, he began to appreciate the danger he had come to meet, and the proximity of it profoundly moved him. Having succeeded in calming himself at last, he rejoined his comrades, and remained such a long time with them that his brother, out of patience, opened the door to call him, and saw him standing before the officer, who was scolding him like a school-boy. At the sight of his brother his countenance fell.
“I’ll come at once,” he shouted, making a gesture with his hand; “wait for me, I’m coming!”
A moment later he went to find him.
“Just think,” he said, with a deep sigh, “I can’t go off with you.”
“Stuff and nonsense! Why not?”
“I am going to tell you the truth, Micha. We haven’t a penny; on the other hand, we owe money to that captain. It is horribly shameful!”