don't know,' answered the individual; some engineer, I
expect.'

"'And who built the cathedral in your town?' I asked again.

"'I really can't tell you.'

"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!

"I consoled myself with the reflection that the provinces are stupid,
and one could expect nothing of them and for celebrity one must go
to the intellectual centers--to Petersburg and to Moscow. And as it
happened, at that very time there was a work of mine in Petersburg which
I had sent in for a competition. The date on which the result was to be
declared was at hand.

"I took leave of K. and went to Petersburg. It is a long journey from
K. to Petersburg, and that I might not be bored on the journey I took a
reserved compartment and--well--of course, I took my singer. We set off,
and all the way we were eating, drinking champagne, and--tra-la--la! But
behold, at last we reach the intellectual center. I arrived on the very
day the result was declared, and had the satisfaction, my dear sir, of
celebrating my own success: my work received the first prize. Hurrah!
Next day I went out along the Nevsky and spent seventy kopecks on
various newspapers. I hastened to my hotel room, lay down on the sofa,
and, controlling a quiv