The officer, having received the youngest of the awards of the Russian Empire - the Order of St. Stanislav of the 3rd degree - celebrates this in his room. His cohabitation with the cook and her pregnancy limits the society available to him to the lower strata of society: his guest who fell asleep under the table, who is hidden in the shadows and barely noticeable, is “also a cavalier”, a retired soldier with two St. George crosses on his chest. Taking a proud pose, throwing back his head and sticking out his lower lip, the officer points out to the cook on his order; the cook smiles and, in one hand carrying a mill of coffee, with the other shows his leaky boots.
