Leo Tolstoy. Hadji Murat (№ 459736)

Although everyone, especially the officers who had been in action, knew and could know that in the war then in the Caucasus, and never anywhere does that hand-to-hand cutting with swords, which is always assumed and described, happen (and if such hand-to-hand fighting with swords and bayonets does happen, then they always cut and stab only those who are running), this fiction of hand-to-hand combat was recognized by the officers and gave them that calm pride and gaiety with which they, some in brave, others, on the contrary, in the most modest poses, sat on the drums, smoked, drank and joked, not caring about death, which, like Sleptsov, could befall each of them at any moment.