Vassilyevna.

'Allow me,' he began, 'honoured stranger, to express to you the
heartfelt amazement, into which you have thrown all of us by your
conduct. You belong, as far as I can judge, to the Saxon branch of the
Caucasian race; consequently we are bound to assume your acquaintance
with the customs of society, yet you address a lady to whom you have not
been introduced. I assure you that I individually should be delighted
another time to make your acquaintance, since I observe in you a
phenomenal development of the muscles, biceps, triceps and deltoid, so
that, as a sculptor, I should esteem it a genuine happiness to have you
for a model; but on this occasion kindly leave us alone.'

The 'honoured stranger' listened to Shubin's speech, his head held
contemptuously on one side and his arms akimbo.

'I don't understand what you say,' he commented at last. 'Do you suppose
I'm a cobbler or a watchmaker? Hey! I'm an officer, an official, so
there.'

'I don't doubt that----' Shubin was beginning.

'What I say is,' continued the stranger, putting him aside with his
powerful arm, like a twig out of the path--'why didn't you sing again
when we shouted _bis_? And I'll go away directly, this minute, only I
tell you what I want, this fraulein, not that madam, no, not her, but
this one or that one (he pointed to Elena and Zoya) must give me _einen
Kuss_, as we say in German, a kiss, in fact; eh? That's not much to
ask.'

'_Einen Kuss_, that's not much,' came again from the ranks of his
companions, '_Ih! der Stakramenter!_' cried one tipsy German, bursting
with laughter.

Zoya clutched at Insarov's arm, but he broke away from her, and stood
directly facing the insolent giant.

'You will please to move off,' he said in a voice not loud but sharp.

The German gave a heavy laugh, 'Move off? Well, I like that. Can't I
walk where I please? Move off? Why should I move off?'

'Because you have dared to annoy a lady,' said Insarov, and suddenly he
turned white, 'because you're drunk.'

'Eh? me drunk? Hear what he says. _Horen Sie das, Herr Provisor_? I'm an
officer, and he dares... Now I demand _satisfaction_. _Einen Kuss will
ich_.'

'If you come another step nearer----' began Insarov.

'Well? What then'

'I'll throw you in the water!'

'In the water? _Herr Je_! Is that all? Well, let us see that, that would
be very curious, too.'

The officer lifted his fists and moved forward, but suddenly something
extraordinary