“Then I asked him who was considered the best teacher in K⁠⸺, who the best architect, and to all my questions the unprepossessing individual answered that he did not know.

“ ‘And tell me, please,’ I asked in conclusion, with whom is that singer living?’

“ ‘With some engineer called Krikunov.’

“Well, how do you like that, sir? But to proceed. There are no minnesingers or bards nowadays, and celebrity is created almost exclusively by the newspapers. The day after the dedication of the bridge, I greedily snatched up the local Messenger , and looked for myself in it. I spent a long time running my eyes over all the four pages, and at last there it was⁠—hurrah! I began reading: ‘Yesterday in beautiful weather, before a vast concourse of people, in the presence of His Excellency the Governor of the province, so-and-so, and other dignitaries, the ceremony of the dedication of the newly constructed bridge took place,’ and so on.⁠ ⁠… Towards the end: Our talented actress so-and-so, the favorite of the K⁠⸺ public, was present at the dedication looking very beautiful. I need not say that her arrival created a sensation. The star was wearing⁠ ⁠…’ and so on. They might have given me one word! Half a word. Petty as it seems, I actually cried with vexation!