“I will give forty rubles for six, in a week’s time.”
“If only I had it,” says I, “I should not think of refusing you, but I haven’t.”
What do you think! He rushed away, his teeth set, his fist doubled up, and ran down the corridor like one mad, and all at once he gave himself a knock on the forehead.
“O my God!” says he, “what has it come to?”
But he did not return to the dining-room; he jumped into a carriage, and drove away. Didn’t we have our laugh over it! The hussar asks—
“Where is the gentleman who was dining with me?”
“He has gone,” said someone.
“Where has he gone? What message did he leave?”
“He didn’t leave any; he just took to his carriage, and went off.”
“That’s a fine way of entertaining a man!” says he.
Now, thinks I to myself, it’ll be a long time before he comes again after this; that is, on account of this scandal. But no. On the next day he came about evening. He came into the billiard-room. He had a sort of a box in his hand. Took off his overcoat.
“Now let us have a game,” says he.
He looked out from under his eyebrows, rather fierce like.
We played a game. “That’s enough now,” says he: “go and bring me a pen and paper; I must write a letter.”