|
| The
English Officer
(extract from the Russian newspaper "Odessa
News")
The English Officer is least of all an Officer. He is
a rich landowner, house owner, capitalist or merchant and only an Officer
incidentally.
He knows absolutely nothing about the Services and is
only seen on parades and revues. From the professional point of view he is the
most ignorant Officer in Europe. He enters the Services, not to serve, but for
the uniform, which is magnificent.
He considers himself to be irresistible to the
fair-haired, blue-eyed, English ladies. The English Officer is a beautiful
aristocrat, extremely rich, an independent sybarite and epicure. He has a
spoilt, capricious and blasé character and loves pornographic literature,
suggestive pictures, recherché food and strong drink.
His chief amusements are gambling, racing and sports.
He goes to bed at dawn and gets up at midday. He is usually occupied with two
mistresses simultaneously, one a lady of high society and the other a girl from
the opera or ballet.
His income runs into several thousands, often tens of
thousands a year, of which he keeps no account. The pay he receives from the
Government hardly suffices to keep him in scent and gloves.
English Officers, especially the young ones, do no
work of any kind. They spend their days and nights in clubs noted for their
opulence. |