nasty creature, he played the part of a buffoon: they smeared his
bald head with mustard, made him go upon all-fours, drink mixtures of
different brandies and dance comical dances; he did all this in silence,
an idiotic smile on his wrinkled face, and having done what he was told
to do, he invariably said, outstretching his hand with his palm upward:

"Give me a rouble."

They laughed at him and sometimes gave him twenty kopeiks, sometimes
gave him nothing, but it sometimes happened that they threw him a
ten-rouble bill and even more.

"You abominable fellow," cried Ignat to him one day. "Say, who are you?"

The priest was frightened by the call, and bowing low to Ignat, was
silent.

"Who? Speak!" roared Ignat.

"I am a man--to be abused," answered the priest, and the company burst
out laughing at his words.

"Are you a rascal?" asked Ignat, sternly.

"A rascal? Because of need and the weakness of my soul?"

"Come here!" Ignat called him. "Come and sit down by my side."

Trembling with fear, the priest walked up to the intoxicated merchant
with timid steps and remained standing opposite him.

"Sit down beside me!" said Ignat, taking the frightened priest by the
hand and seating him next to himself. "You are a very near man to me. I
am also a rascal! You, because of need; I, because of wantonness. I am a
rascal because of grief! Understand?"

"I understand," said the priest, softly. All the company were giggling.

"Do you know now what I am?"

"I do."

"Well, say, 'You are a rascal, Ignat!'"

The priest could not do it. He looked with terror at the huge figure of
Ignat and shook his head negatively. The company's laughter was now like
the rattling of thunder. Ignat could not make the priest abuse him. Then
he asked him:

"Shall I give you money?"

"Yes," quickly answered the priest.

"And what do you need it for?"

He did not care to answer. Then Ignat seized him by the collar, and
shook out of his dirty lips the following speech, which he spoke almost
in a whisper, trembling with fear:

"I have a daughter sixteen years old in the seminary. I save for her,
because when she comes out there won't be anything with which to cover
her nakedness."

"Ah," said Ignat, and let go the priest's collar. Then he sat for a long
time gloomy and lost in thought, and now and again stared at the priest.
Suddenly his eyes began to laugh, and he said:

"Aren't you a liar, drunkard?"

The priest silently made