Chapter 8

           

           OnewouldhavethoughtthatunderthealmostincrediblywretchedconditionstheRussiansoldierswereinatthattime—lackingwarmbootsandsheepskincoats,withoutaroofovertheirheads,inthesnowwitheighteendegreesoffrost,andwithoutevenfullrations(thecommissariatdidnotalwayskeepupwiththetroops)—theywouldhavepresentedaverysadanddepressingspectacle.

           Onthecontrary,thearmyhadneverunderthebestmaterialconditionspresentedamorecheerfulandanimatedaspect.Thiswasbecauseallwhobegantogrowdepressedorwholoststrengthweresiftedoutofthearmydaybyday.Allthephysicallyormorallyweakhadlongsincebeenleftbehindandonlytheflowerofthearmy—physicallyandmentally—remained.

           MoremencollectedbehindthewattlefenceoftheEighthCompanythananywhereelse.Twosergeantsmajorweresittingwiththemandtheircampfireblazedbrighterthanothers.Forleavetositbytheirwattletheydemandedcontributionsoffuel.

           “Eh,Makéev!Whathasbecomeofyou,yousonofabitch?Areyoulostorhavethewolveseatenyou?Fetchsomemorewood!”shoutedared-hairedandred-facedman,screwinguphiseyesandblinkingbecauseofthesmokebutnotmovingbackfromthefire.“Andyou,Jackdaw,goandfetchsomewood!”saidhetoanothersoldier.

           Thisred-hairedmanwasneitherasergeantnoracorporal,butbeingrobustheorderedaboutthoseweakerthanhimself.

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