“... Here the gendarmerie launched an attack on the army: - Dear Ivan Antonovich! These are difficult times... There are turmoil and unrest in Europe,” Merzlyaev began to whisper, “there are barricades here and there.” Harmful ideas are in the air. They exhaled there, they inhaled here... Who should the sovereign rely on? Who to trust? Only the army... But, as they say, trust, but verify... - Well, don’t dirty my regiment! My eagles are not fools! They don’t read newspapers, they haven’t even seen books, they don’t have any ideas! – There’s no need to over-praise, Ivan Antonovich... For example, a signal was received: a certain cornet Pletnev spoke freely in one company. – You never know what he did when he was drunk?! “Everyone is chatting.” “Everyone is chatting,” Merzlyaev noted thoughtfully. “They don’t write about everyone... But let’s put him face to face with the rebels - and it will immediately become clear what kind of person he is.” Whether he was drunk or not. “I vouch for Pletnev as for myself!” “Dear Ivan Antonovich,” Merzlyaev said sadly, “it’s impossible to vouch for anyone at such a time... Here, listen... It seems like the birds of God, but what do they allow. “He whistled, and the parrots immediately responded: “The Tsar is a fool...”, “The Tsar is a fool...”, “Fool!”, “Down with autocracy!” The colonel’s face twisted. Merzlyaev was also somewhat amazed at the parrot’s new wording. “These are the moods that float not only in society, but also in nature!” - Merzlyaev summed up, rejoicing that the gendarmerie had once again won a victory over the army. ..."