The artillery, with not a little spirit of rivalry with the infantry, heaped up their piles; and soon the fire was already so well under way that it was impossible to get within a couple of paces of it. The dense black smoke arose through the icy branches, from which the water dropped hissing into the flames, as the soldiers heaped them upon the fire; and the glowing coals dropped down upon the dead white grass exposed by the heat. It was all mere boy's play to the soldiers; they dragged great logs, threw on the tall steppe grass, and fanned the fire more and more. As I came near a bonfire to light a cigarette, Velenchúk, always officious, but, now that he had been found napping, showing himself more actively engaged about the fire than any one else, in an excess of zeal seized a coal with his naked hand from the very middle of the fire, tossed it from one palm to the other, two or three times, and flung it on the ground. "Light a match and give it to him," said another. "Bring a lintstock, fellows," said still a third. When I at last lighted my cigarette without the aid of Velenchúk, who tried to bring another coal from the fire, he rubbed his burnt fingers on the back of his sheepskin coat, and, doubtless for the sake of exercising himself, seized a great plane-tree stump, and with a mighty swing flung it on the fire. When at last it seemed to him that he might rest, he went close to the fire, spread out his cloak, which he wore like a mantle fastened at the back by a single button, stretched his legs, folded his great black hands in his lap, and opening his mouth a little, closed his eyes. "Alas![2] I forgot my pipe! What a shame, fellows!" he said after a short silence, and not addressing anybody in particular. [Footnote 1: Yunker (German _Junker_) is a non-commissioned officer belonging to the nobility. Count Tolstoi himself began his military service in the Caucasus as a Yunker.] [Footnote 2: _Ekh-ma._] II. In Russia there are three predominating types of soldiers, which embrace the soldiers of all arms,--those of the Caucasus, of the line, the guards, the infantry, the cavalry, the artillery, and the others. These three types, with many subdivisions and combinations, are as follows:-- (1) The obedient, (2) The domineering or dictatorial, and (3) The desperate. The obedient are subdivided into the apathetic obedient and the energetic obedient. The domineering are subdivided into the gruffly domineering and the diplomatically domineering. The desperate are subdivided into the desperate jesters and the simply desperate. The type more frequently encountered than the rest--the type most gentle, most sympathetic, and for the most part endowed with the Christian virtues of meekness, devotion, patience, and submission to the will of God--is that of the obedient. The distinctive character of the apathetic obedient is a certain invincible indifference and disdain of all the turns of fortune which may overtake him.