As for me, it is difficult to express my joy. The idea of army
service was mingled in my head with that of liberty, and the
pleasures offered by a great city like Saint Petersburg. I saw
myself an officer in the Guards, which, in my opinion was the
height of felicity.

As my father neither liked to change his plans, nor delay their
execution, the day of my departure was instantly fixed. That
evening, saying that he would give me a letter to my future chief,
he called for writing materials.

"Do not forget, Andrew," said my mother, "to salute for me Prince B.
Tell him that I depend upon his favor for my darling Peter."

"What nonsense," said my father, frowning, "why should I write to
Prince B.?"

"You have just said that you would write to Peter's future chief."

"Well, what then?"

"Prince B. is his chief. You know very well that Peter is enrolled
in the Semenofski regiment."

"Enrolled! what's that to me? Enrolled or not enrolled, he shall
not go to Saint Petersburg. What would he learn there? Extravagance
and folly. No! let him serve in the army, let him smell powder, let
him be a soldier and not a do-nothing in the Guards; let him wear the
straps of his knapsack out. Where is the certificate of his birth
and baptism?"