'I should be glad to know,' he said, 'whether by now you can do anything for me in return for my having shed my blood and suffered sickness and wounds on military service.' 'First of all,' said the President, 'I must tell you that nothing can be decided in your case without the authority of the Supreme Government.

Without that sanction we cannot move in the matter.

Surely you see how things stand until the army shall have returned from the war?
All that I can advise you to do is wait for the Minister to return, and, in the meanwhile, to have patience.

Rest assured that then you will not be overlooked.

And if for the moment you have nothing to live upon, this is the best that I can do for you.' With that he handed Kopeikin a trifle until his case should have been decided.