Katavasof seized the opportunity to fulfil a promise he had made to visit Levin, and the two friends left town together.
CHAPTER II
Sergyeï Ivanovitch and Katavasof had just reached the station of the Kursk Railway, which was especially crowded that day, and, leaving their carriage, they were looking at a lackey who had followed them laden with various articles, when four cabs filled with volunteers also drove up. Ladies carrying bouquets met them, and accompanied by a crowd they entered the station.
One of the ladies who had come to meet the volunteers came out of the waiting-room and addressed Sergyeï Ivanovitch.
"Did you also come to see them off?" she asked, speaking in French.
"No; I am going myself, princess, to have a little rest at my brother's. But are you still on escort duty?" he added, with a scarcely perceptible smile of amusement.
"I have to be," replied the princess. "But tell me, is it true that we have sent off eight hundred already? Malvinsky told me so."
"More than eight hundred. We've sent off more than a thousand, if we count those not immediately from Moscow," said Sergyeï Ivanovitch.
"There, I said so!" cried the lady, delighted. "And is it true that the subscriptions amount to nearly a million?"
"More than that, princess."
"Have you read the news? They have beaten the Turks again."
"Yes, I read about it," replied Sergyeï Ivanovitch. She referred to a recent despatch, which confirmed the report that three days before the Turks had been beaten at every point, and had fled, and that the next day a decisive battle was expected.
"Oh, by the way, do you know a splendid young
