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Going onto the platform, Vronsky left his mother and disappeared
into a compartment.
On the platform there rang out “God save the Tsar,” then shouts of
“hurrah!” and “jivio!” One of the volunteers, a tall, very young man
with a hollow chest, was particularly conspicuous, bowing and waving
his felt hat and a nosegay over his head. Then two officers emerged,
bowing too, and a stout man with a big beard, wearing a greasy forage
cap.
Chapter 3.
Saying good-bye to the princess, Sergey Ivanovitch was joined by
Katavasov; together they got into a carriage full to overflowing, and the
train started.
At Tsaritsino station the train was met by a chorus of young men
singing “Hail to Thee!” Again the volunteers bowed and poked their
heads out, but Sergey Ivanovitch paid no attention to them. He had
had so much to do with the volunteers that the type was familiar to him
and did not interest him. Katavasov, whose scientific work had pre-
vented his having a chance of observing them hitherto, was very much
interested in them and questioned Sergey Ivanovitch.
Sergey Ivanovitch advised him to go into the second-class and talk
to them himself. At the next station Katavasov acted on this sugges-
tion.
At the first stop he moved into the second-class and made the
acquaintance of the volunteers. They were sitting in a corner of the
carriage, talking loudly and obviously aware that the attention of the
passengers and Katavasov as he got in was concentrated upon them.
More loudly than all talked the tall, hollow-chested young man. He
was unmistakably tipsy, and was relating some story that had occurred
at his school. Facing him sat a middle-aged officer in the Austrian
military jacket of the Guards uniform. He was listening with a smile to