- Koznyshev and Katavasov board the train to the tune of "Slavsya," a patriotic Russian song.
- Katavasov, who wants to meet some volunteers, goes into the second-class carriage at the next stop to chat with them.
- He feels that all of the men he meets are good-for-nothings who are fleeing debt and a general purposelessness in their lives.
- Katavasov tries to confirm this impression with a real military man who is also on the train, but neither of them wants to voice a poor opinion of the movement.
- Katavasov goes back to the first-class compartment and tells Koznyshev only the nicest things about the Volunteers.