| And yet, gentlemen, all that sort of thing-all the old-time absurdities, were as nothing compared with what is done in our days. | Но все это, скажу вам, господа, чепуха и мандрагория в сравнении с теперешним. |
| It might be well said that discipline has received its quietus. | Это уж, что называется - приидите, последнее целование. |
| The soldier, if you please, is now to be treated 'humanely.' | Прежде по крайности знали, что с тебя спросят, а теперь? |
| He is our 'fellow-creature,' our 'brother'; his 'mind is to be developed,' he is to be taught 'to think,' etc., etc. What absolute madness! | Ах помилуйте, солдатик - ближний, нужна гуманность. |
| No, he shall have a thrashing, the scoundrel. | Дррать его надо, расподлеца! |
| And oh, my saintly Suvorov, tell me if a single individual nowadays knows how a soldier ought to be treated, and what one should teach him. | Ах, развитие умственных способностей, быстрота и соображение. Суворовцы! |
| Nothing but new-fangled arts and rubbish. | Не знаешь теперь, чему солдата и учить. |
| That invention in regard to cavalry charges, for instance." | От, извольте, выдумал новую штуку, сквозную атаку... |
| "Yes, one might have something more amusing," Vi?tkin chimed in. | - Да, это не шоколад! - сочувственно кивнул головой Веткин. |
| "There you stand," continued Sliva, "in the middle of the field, like a decoy-bird, and the Cossacks rush at you in full pelt. | - Стоишь, как тот болван, а на тебя казачишки во весь карьер дуют. |
| Naturally, like a sensible man, you make room for them in good time. | И насквозь! Ну-ка, попробуй - посторонись-ка. |
| Directly after comes: | Сейчас приказ: |
| 'You have bad nerves, Captain; one should not behave in that way in the army. Be good enough to recollect that,' etc., etc., in the same style." | "У капитана такого-то слабые нервы. Пусть помнит, что на службе его никто насильно не удерживает". |
| "The General in command of the K-- Regiment," interrupted Vi?tkin, "once had a brilliant idea. | - Лукавый старикашка, - сказал Веткин. - Он в К-ском полку какую штуку удрал. |
| He had a company marched to the edge of an awful cesspool, and then ordered the Captain to order the men to lie down. | Завел роту в огромную лужу и велит ротному командовать: "Ложись!" |
| The latter hesitated for an instant, but obeyed the command. | Тот помялся, однако командует: "Ложись!" |
| The soldiers were chapfallen, gazing at one another in a questioning way. All thought they had heard incorrectly; but they got their information right enough. |
