t sun seemed to set their tatters on fire as they sat with
their backs and uncovered heads exposed to it ... a chaotic mixture of
the vegetable, mineral, and animal kingdoms. In the corners of the yard
the tall steppe grass grew luxuriantly.... Nothing else grew there but
some dingy vegetables, not even attractive to those who nearly always
felt the pangs of hunger.

* * * * *

The following was the scene that took place in Vaviloff's eating-house.

Young Petunikoff entered slowly, took off his hat, looked around him,
and said to the eating-house keeper:

"Egor Terentievitch Vaviloff? Are you he?"

"I am," answered the sergeant, leaning on the bar with both arms as if
intending to jump over it.

"I have some business with you," said Petunikoff.

"Delighted. Please come this way to my private room."

They went in and sat down, the guest on the couch and his host on the
chair opposite to him. In one corner a lamp was burning before a
gigantic icon, and on the wall at the other side there were several oil
lamps. They were well kept and shone as if they were new. The room,
which contained a number of boxes and a variety of furniture, smelt of
tobacco, sour cabbage, and olive oil. Petunikoff looked around him and
made a face. Vaviloff looked at the icon, and then they looked
simultaneously at one another, and both seemed to be favourably
impressed. Petunikoff liked Vaviloff's frankly thievish eyes, and
Vaviloff was pleased with the open, cold, determined face of
Petunikoff, with its large cheeks and white teeth.

"Of course you already know me, and I presume you guess what I am going
to say to you," began Petunikoff.

"About the lawsuit? ... I presume?" remarked the ex-sergeant,
respectfully.

"Exactly! I am glad to see that you are not beating about the bush,
but going straight to the point like a business man," said Petunikoff,
encouragingly.

"I am a soldier," answered Vaviloff, with a modest air.

"That is easily seen, and I am sure we shall be able to finish this job
without much trouble."

"Just so."

"Good! You have the law on your side, and will, of course, win your
case. I want to tell you this at the very beginning."

"I thank you most humbly," said the sergeant, rubbing his eyes in order
to hide the smile in them.

"But tell me, why did you make the acquaintance of your future
neighbours like this through the law courts?"

Vaviloff shrugged his shou