in that fellow's shoes.
What in the world is going to happen?"

The following happened. As soon as that sleepy, heavy quiet came which
even now falls like a hot feather comforter on a Russian house after
dinner, David went, I following him with a beating heart, into the
servants' hall and called Wassily out. At first he did not want to
come, but finally he concluded to obey and to follow us into the
garden. David stood squarely before him: Wassily was a whole head the
taller.

"Wassily Tarentiev," began my comrade with a firm voice, "six weeks
ago you took from under this apple tree a watch which we had placed
there. You had no right to do that: it was not yours. Give it to me at
once."

Wassily was somewhat amazed, but he soon collected himself: "What
watch? What are you talking about? God knows I haven't any watch."

"I know what I'm saying: don't lie. You have the watch: give it to
me."

"No. I haven't got your watch."

"And in the drinking-house you--" I began, but David held me back.

"Wassily Tarentiev," he said in a low, threatening voice, "we know for
certain that you have the watch. I am in earnest. Give me the watch,
and if you don't give it to me--"

Wassily sniffed insolently: "And what will you do with me, then?"

"What? We will both fight with you until you beat us or we beat you."

Wassily laughed: "Fight? It's not the thing for young gentlemen to
fight with a servant."

David quickly took hold of Wassily's waistcoat. "True, we are not
going to fight with our fists," he said, grinding his teeth. "Listen!
I shall give you a knife and take one myself, and we shall see
who--Alexis!" he called to me, "go and bring me my large knife: you
know--the one with the bone handle: it is lying on the table. I have
the other in my pocket."

Wassily nearly fell to the ground. David still held him by the
waistcoat. "Have mercy on me, David," he stammered forth, the tears
coming into his eyes. "What does this mean? What are you doing? Oh,
let me go!"

"I sha'n't let you go, and you need not expect any mercy. If you're
afraid to-day, we'll try again to-morrow.--Alexis, where's the knife?"

"David," roared Wassily, "don't commit a murder. What do you mean? And
the watch! Well, I was joking. I--I'll fetch it this minute. What a
fellow you are! First you want to cut open Chrisauf Lukitsch; then me.
Leave me, David. Be good enough to take the watch; only say nothing
about it."

David let go of Wassily's wai