Leo Tolstoy: War and Peace

BOOK NINE: 1812 21. CHAPTER XXI (continued)

"There! I said if only we waited- and so it was!" was being joyfully said by various people.

Happy as Petya was, he felt sad at having to go home knowing that all the enjoyment of that day was over. He did not go straight home from the Kremlin, but called on his friend Obolenski, who was fifteen and was also entering the regiment. On returning home Petya announced resolutely and firmly that if he was not allowed to enter the service he would run away. And next day, Count Ilya Rostov- though he had not yet quite yielded- went to inquire how he could arrange for Petya to serve where there would be least danger.