intercepted by Josef just as he was about to enter.
'The Countess is refreshing herself in the tent,' Josef informed him. 'If Your Excellency will come over here—' He led Orlov past the tent to the bushes behind it and helped him off with his clothes. There were a number of wet garments hanging to dry on the bushes and Orlov said lightly:
'Are you running a laundry?'
'A change of linen is a minor but important addition to the comfort of the situation,' replied Josef primly.
'Indeed,' said Orlov gravely. 'I'm much indebted to you for your forethought and ingenuity in the matter.' Josef acknowledged his appreciatio n with a slight bow and gave Or lov's clothes a violent shaking to rid them of some of the dust. 11 is master noticed that there were several shirts on the bushes and deduced that Josef had taken the other officers under his wing. Not only the officers, he realized, seeing that some of ! he garments had a little discreet lace trimming on them.
Josef indicated a couple of buckets of water and Orlov washed himself one-handedly, sluicing off the dust and sweat of the journey, and towelling himself briskly afterwards. 'We seem to be well provided with towels,' he remarked.
'There were a number at the inn,' replied Josef, handing him clean linen and helping him to dress. 'There seemed litt le point in leaving them for the French.' His tone implied that he doubted if the French washed very frequently, if at all.
Orlov emerged from his alfresco dressing room feeling a little less tired and a great deal more cheerful, and found his companions equally refreshed by plentiful applications of water and a change of linen.
'God bless your Josef,' said Kolniev in heartfelt tones.
Supper was served as the sun was declining and by the end of it, the strip of sky visible above the road was filled with crimson glory. The meal was the usual stewed meat and vegetables, mostly cabbage and dried peas, but the thick meaty gravy made it appetizing and at least it was plentiful and sustaining. The Countess, sitting very straight on the hard ground in contrast to the lounging men, did not appear to have much appetite and Koln iev, noticing this, apologized f or the quality of the food.
'It's good by army standards,' he said. 'But I'm afraid you don't much care for it. I expect you're used to daintier fare.'
'It's very good,' she replied. 'It's just that I don't feel very hungry. I'm sorry.'
Kusminsky looked at her thoughtfully, got up, and went over to the tent he shared with Kolniev, coming back with a bottle of wine. 'We could all do with something to hearten us,' he said. 'There was enough decent stuff in the inn to give us a bottle for dinner each night until we get to Kaluga. Not much between four of us, but a glassful is better than nothing.' In fact, it was a good cupful, enough to make them all feel a bit more hearty. The Countess made an effort to eat her plateful of food and had a little more color in her cheeks by the end of the meal.
Before it became completely dark, Kusminsky went to make his rounds, changing a few dressings and checking the progress of his patients. Orlov joined him and Kusminsky, surprisingly, made no protest and didn't urge him to rest, but drew him into conversation with the men.
They spent quite a long time beside the boy with the crushed pelvis, Petrushka. He seemed sufficiently conscious to understand when they spoke to him, but he replied slowly and after a long pause. He said he was not in pain any more.
'Where do you come from?' Orlov asked him gently.
'From Yaroslavl.'
'Are your parents there?'
'Yes.' The boy looked into Orlov's face. 'Please sir, would you tell them?' 'Of course.'
'Would you write to them?'
'What would you like me to say?' Orlov drew out his notebook and pencil and the boy slowly dictated a few messages to his mother, his sister, his little brother and his father. At length, his voice faded away, and Kusminsky, who had been holding a lantern for Orlov to see to
'The Countess is refreshing herself in the tent,' Josef informed him. 'If Your Excellency will come over here—' He led Orlov past the tent to the bushes behind it and helped him off with his clothes. There were a number of wet garments hanging to dry on the bushes and Orlov said lightly:
'Are you running a laundry?'
'A change of linen is a minor but important addition to the comfort of the situation,' replied Josef primly.
'Indeed,' said Orlov gravely. 'I'm much indebted to you for your forethought and ingenuity in the matter.' Josef acknowledged his appreciatio n with a slight bow and gave Or lov's clothes a violent shaking to rid them of some of the dust. 11 is master noticed that there were several shirts on the bushes and deduced that Josef had taken the other officers under his wing. Not only the officers, he realized, seeing that some of ! he garments had a little discreet lace trimming on them.
Josef indicated a couple of buckets of water and Orlov washed himself one-handedly, sluicing off the dust and sweat of the journey, and towelling himself briskly afterwards. 'We seem to be well provided with towels,' he remarked.
'There were a number at the inn,' replied Josef, handing him clean linen and helping him to dress. 'There seemed litt le point in leaving them for the French.' His tone implied that he doubted if the French washed very frequently, if at all.
Orlov emerged from his alfresco dressing room feeling a little less tired and a great deal more cheerful, and found his companions equally refreshed by plentiful applications of water and a change of linen.
'God bless your Josef,' said Kolniev in heartfelt tones.
Supper was served as the sun was declining and by the end of it, the strip of sky visible above the road was filled with crimson glory. The meal was the usual stewed meat and vegetables, mostly cabbage and dried peas, but the thick meaty gravy made it appetizing and at least it was plentiful and sustaining. The Countess, sitting very straight on the hard ground in contrast to the lounging men, did not appear to have much appetite and Koln iev, noticing this, apologized f or the quality of the food.
'It's good by army standards,' he said. 'But I'm afraid you don't much care for it. I expect you're used to daintier fare.'
'It's very good,' she replied. 'It's just that I don't feel very hungry. I'm sorry.'
Kusminsky looked at her thoughtfully, got up, and went over to the tent he shared with Kolniev, coming back with a bottle of wine. 'We could all do with something to hearten us,' he said. 'There was enough decent stuff in the inn to give us a bottle for dinner each night until we get to Kaluga. Not much between four of us, but a glassful is better than nothing.' In fact, it was a good cupful, enough to make them all feel a bit more hearty. The Countess made an effort to eat her plateful of food and had a little more color in her cheeks by the end of the meal.
Before it became completely dark, Kusminsky went to make his rounds, changing a few dressings and checking the progress of his patients. Orlov joined him and Kusminsky, surprisingly, made no protest and didn't urge him to rest, but drew him into conversation with the men.
They spent quite a long time beside the boy with the crushed pelvis, Petrushka. He seemed sufficiently conscious to understand when they spoke to him, but he replied slowly and after a long pause. He said he was not in pain any more.
'Where do you come from?' Orlov asked him gently.
'From Yaroslavl.'
'Are your parents there?'
'Yes.' The boy looked into Orlov's face. 'Please sir, would you tell them?' 'Of course.'
'Would you write to them?'
'What would you like me to say?' Orlov drew out his notebook and pencil and the boy slowly dictated a few messages to his mother, his sister, his little brother and his father. At length, his voice faded away, and Kusminsky, who had been holding a lantern for Orlov to see to
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