"How are you, brother? Do all these belong to our company?"
"I wish you health! Welcome on your return, Your Honor!" replied the sergeant, with a cheerful and friendly look at Kozeltzoff. "Has Your Honor recovered your health? Well, God be praised. It has been very dull for us without you."
It was immediately apparent that Kozeltzoff was beloved in the company.
In the depths of the casemate, voices could be heard. Their old commander, who had been wounded, Mikhaïl Semyónitch Kozeltzoff, had arrived, and so forth; some even approached, and the drummer congratulated him.
"How are you, Obantchuk?" said Kozeltzoff. "Are you all right? Good-day, children!" he said, raising his voice.
"We wish you health!" sounded through the casemate.
"Badly, Your Honor. The French are getting the better of us.--Fighting from behind the fortifications is bad work, and that's all there is about it! and they won't come out into the open field."
"Perhaps luck is with me, and God will grant that they shall come out into the field, children!" said Kozeltzoff. "It won't be the first time that you and I have taken a hand together: we'll beat them again."
"We'll be glad to try it, Your Honor!" exclaimed several voices.
"And how about them--are they really bold?"
"Frightfully bold!" said the drummer, not loudly, but so that his words were audible, turning to another soldier, as though justifying before him the words of the commander, and persuading him that there was nothing boastful or improbable in these words.
From the soldiers, Kozeltzoff proceeded to the defensive barracks and his brother officers.
In the large room of the barracks there was a great number of men; naval, artillery, and infantry officers. Some were sleeping, others were conversing, seated on the shot-chests and gun-carriages of the cannons of the fortifications; others still, who formed a very numerous and noisy group behind the arch, were seated upon two felt rugs, which had been spread on the floor, and were drinking porter and playing cards.
"Ah! Kozeltzoff, Kozeltzoff! Capital! it's a good thing that he has come! He's a brave fellow!... How's your wound?" rang out from various quarters. Here also it was evident that they loved him and were rejoiced at his coming.