saying of yours, though," Verhovensky mumbled
more carelessly than ever, in fact with an air of positive boredom.
"Emigration is a good idea. But all the same, if in spite of all the
obvious disadvantages you foresee, more and more come forward every day
ready to fight for the common cause, it will be able to do without you.
It's a new religion, my good friend, coming to take the place of the old
one. That's why so many fighters come forward, and it's a big movement.
You'd better emigrate! And, you know, I should advise Dresden, not 'the
calm islands.' To begin with, it's a town that has never been visited by
an epidemic, and as you are a man of culture, no doubt you are afraid
of death. Another thing, it's near the Russian frontier, so you can more
easily receive your income from your beloved Fatherland. Thirdly,
it contains what are called treasures of art, and you are a man of
aesthetic tastes, formerly a teacher of literature, I believe. And,
finally, it has a miniature Switzerland of its own--to provide you
with poetic inspiration, for no doubt you write verse. In fact it's a
treasure in a nutshell!" There was a general movement, especially among
the officers. In another instant they would have all begun talking at
once. But the lame man rose irritably to the bait.

"No, perhaps I am not going to give up the common cause. You must
understand that..."

"What, would you join the quintet if I proposed it to you?" Verhovensky
boomed suddenly, and he laid down the scissors.

Every one seemed startled. The mysterious man had revealed himself too
freely. He had even spoken openly of the "quintet."

"Every one feels himself to be an honest man and will not shirk his part
in the common cause"--the lame man tried to wriggle out of it--"but..."

"No, this is not a question which allows of a _but_," Verhovensky
interrupted harshly and peremptorily. "I tell you, gentlemen, I must
have a direct answer. I quite understand that, having come here and
having called you together myself, I am bound to give you explanations"
(again an unexpected revelation), "but I can give you none till I know
what is your attitude to the subject. To cut the matter short--for we
can't go on talking for another thirty years as people have done for the
last thirty--I ask you which you prefer: the slow way, which consists in
the composition of socialistic romances and the academic ordering of
the destinies of humanity a thousand years hence, while de