What struck him was that Denisov did not seem glad to see him, and smiled at him unnaturally.

He did not ask about the regiment, nor about the general state of affairs, and when Rostov spoke of these matters did not listen.

Rostov even noticed that Denisov did not like to be reminded of the regiment, or in general of that other free life which was going on outside the hospital.

He seemed to try to forget that old life and was only interested in the affair with the commissariat officers.

On Rostov's inquiry as to how the matter stood, he at once produced from under his pillow a paper he had received from the commission and the rough draft of his answer to it.