stcoat. I looked at his face. Really,
any one would have been frightened, he looked so fierce and cold and
angry. Wassily ran into the house, and at once returned, bringing the
watch. Without a word he gave it to David, and only when he had got
back again to the house he shouted out from the threshold, "Fie!
what a row!" David shook his head and went into our chamber. I still
followed him. "Suwarow, just like Suwarow," I thought to myself. At
that time, in the year 1801, Suwarow was our first national hero.

XVIII.

David closed the door behind him, laid the watch down on the table,
folded his hands, and, strange to say, burst out laughing. I looked at
him and laughed too. "It's a most extraordinary thing," he began: "we
can't get rid of this watch in any way. It's really bewitched. And why
did I suddenly get so angry?"

"Yes, why?" I repeated. "If you'd left it with Wassily---"

"No, no," interrupted David: "that would have been foolish. But what
shall we do with it now?"

"Yes, what shall we?"

We both looked at the watch and considered, Adorned with a blue string
of pearls (the unhappy Wassily in his terror had not been able to
remove this decoration, which belonged to him), it was going quietly.
It ticked--to be sure somewhat unevenly--and the minute-hand was
slowly advancing.

"Shall we bury it again, or throw it into the river?" I asked at last.
"Or shall we not give it to Latkin?"

"No," answered David, "none of those things. But do you know? At
the governor's office there is a committee to receive gifts for the
benefit of those who were burnt out at Kassimow. They say that the
town of Kassimow, with all its churches, has been burned to the
ground; and I hear they receive everything--not merely bread and
money, but all sorts of things. We'll give the watch, eh?"

"Yes, indeed," I assented. "A capital idea! But I thought since your
friend's family was in need---"

"No, no--to the committee! The Latkins will pull through without that.
To the committee!"

"Well, to the committee--yes, to the committee. Only, I suppose we
must write a line to the governor."

David looked at me: "You suppose?"

"Yes, of course we must write something. Just a few words."

"For example?"

"Well, for example, we might begin, 'Sympathizing,' or, 'Moved by'---"

"'Moved by' will do very well."

"And we must add, 'this mite of ours.'"

"'Mite' is good, too. Now take your pen and sit down and write."

"First