As Jessaul (Colonel) of my dashing Cossack regiment I must be discreet
in my letter writing. Only last week one of my officers--in fact the
Sotnik (Captain) himself--let himself in for a nice wigging from the
department censor by heading a letter to his mother in Moscow with the
name of the nearest village to our regimental headquarters and the
exact date. All such details are "verboten," as the Austrian would say
whose bullet has given me this nice little rest in the field hospital.
Do not worry on my account. In a week I shall sit just as firmly in
my saddle as ever. Never was a wounded soldier of either sex more
petted and coddled than I am. Every day my little ones (Cossacks of her
regiment) almost bury me under Spring flowers.
"Listen, Batjuschka," I had to say just now to the grimmest and
fiercest of them--a grizzled giant who only yesterday captured six
Austrians single-handed--"do you wish to see your Jessual shedding
tears like a mere woman? For shame! About face--march!"
But the wretch had the audacity to try and kiss my hand--he left a tear
on it, anyway. When I'm out I shall have to discipline him severely!
My splendid Cossacks! Who would have thought that they would consent
to be commanded by a woman? Often have I told you of their superior
attitude toward women. They expect their women to work for them,
to serve them and be always submissive. Evidently my fierce little
ones consider me as a sort of Superwoman. Or, perhaps they do not
consider me a woman at all--except now that I am wounded and in the
hospital--and respect merely my colonel's uniform. Truly it has little
in common with the Tartar shirt, half-coat and foot-gear and kerchief
of their sisters and wives. At any rate they obey my slightest wish,
perform the most reckless deeds, gayly court death, to win my approval.
If you should be writing to Paul ----, or to Anna in America, be sure
and tell them to believe none of those German lies. Not one of my
fire-eating Cossacks has been guilty of offering indignities to a woman
of the enemy. Maybe my little ones do some burning and looting--if my
back is turned--but to act in a beastly way to women and children, no!