Every one knows how an early summer morning can give one confidence; in my happiness, God forgive me, I thought that my struggles were at an end, that I had met my enemy and defeated him ...

that I was worthy and able to defend Marie.
These things may seem foolish now when one knows what followed them, but the happiness of that morning at least was real.

Perhaps all over Europe there were men, at that moment, happy as I was, because they had proved something to themselves.

Then Nikitin called to me, laughing.
"Tea, 'Mr.' and _bulki_ (white bread) and sausage ?" "All right, I'm coming," I answered.

"Listen, _golubchik_," I called to the soldier.