The Duel

On a Russian regiment’s parade ground, an afternoon drill exposes the strain beneath military routine. Recruits face trick questions and angry orders while junior officers watch the clock and trade stories. Viätkin complains that endless practice leaves the soldiers exhausted. Among them is Sublieutenant Romashov, a young officer whose reactions give the novel a more private view of life under command. The exchanges mix dry comedy with the petty humiliations built into rank and discipline.

Away from the drill, Romashov watches a brilliant sunset and imagines a radiant city beyond the clouds. His thoughts return to a public rebuke and to his own harsh treatment of the men below him. He then pictures academic success and a distinguished military career that would change how his comrades see him. Readers interested in the pressures of army life will find a close study of wounded pride, ambition and the uneasy recognition of another person’s dignity.