“I — I as a Christian — ” And at last it appears that the young man refuses to serve in the army because he is a Christian. “Don't talk nonsense. Stand to be measured. Doctor, may I trouble you to measure him. He is all right?” “Yes.” “Reverend father, administer the oath to him.”

No one is the least disturbed by what the poor scared young man is muttering.

They do not even pay attention to it. “They all mutter something, but we've no time to listen to it, we have to enroll so many.”

The recruit tries to say something still. “It's opposed to the law of Christ.” “Go along, go along; we know without your help what is opposed to the law and what's not; and you soothe his mind, reverend father, soothe him. Next: Vassily Nikitin.”