"Well, Michael Mitrich, sir?" he said, addressing one of the battalion commanders who smilingly pressedforward (it was plain that they both felt happy). "We had our hands full last night. However, I think the regiment is not a bad one, eh?"
The battalion commander perceived the jovial irony and laughed.
"It would not be turned off the field even on the Tsaritsin Meadow."
"What?" asked the commander.