“After Austerlitz!” said Prince Andréy gloomily. “No, thank you very much! I have promised myself not to serve again in the active Russian army. And I won’t⁠—not even if Bonaparte were here at Smolénsk threatening Bald Hills⁠—even then I wouldn’t serve in the Russian army! Well, as I was saying,” he continued, recovering his composure, “now there’s this recruiting. My father is chief in command of the Third District, and my only way of avoiding active service is to serve under him.”

“Then you are serving?”

“I am.”

He paused a little while.

“And why do you serve?”