the carpets may be ruined, and the furniture smashed!... You
should shut the door on the lot, in my opinion. But I confess that I am
extremely curious to see how it ends."

"Rogojin!" announced Ferdishenko.

"What do you think about it?" said the general in a low voice to Totski.
"Is she mad? I mean mad in the medical sense of the word .... eh?"

"I've always said she was predisposed to it," whispered Afanasy
Ivanovitch slyly. "Perhaps it is a fever!"

Since their visit to Gania's home, Rogojin's followers had been
increased by two new recruits--a dissolute old man, the hero of some
ancient scandal, and a retired sub-lieutenant. A laughable story was
told of the former. He possessed, it was said, a set of false teeth, and
one day when he wanted money for a drinking orgy, he pawned them, and
was never able to reclaim them! The officer appeared to be a rival of
the gentleman who was so proud of his fists. He was known to none of
Rogojin's followers, but as they passed by the Nevsky, where he stood
begging, he had joined their ranks. His claim for the charity he desired
seemed based on the fact that in the days of his prosperity he had given
away as much as fifteen roubles at a time. The rivals seemed more than
a little jealous of one another. The athlete appeared injured at the
admission of the "beggar" into the company. By nature taciturn, he now
merely growled occasionally like a bear, and glared contemptuously
upon the "beggar," who, being somewhat of a man of the world, and a
diplomatist, tried to insinuate himself into the bear's good graces.
He was a much smaller man than the athlete, and doubtless was conscious
that he must tread warily. Gently and without argument he alluded to
the advantages of the English style in boxing, and showed himself a
firm believer in Western institutions. The athlete's lips curled
disdainfully, and without honouring his adversary with a formal denial,
he exhibited, as if by accident, that peculiarly Russian object--an
enormous fist, clenched, muscular, and covered with red hairs! The sight
of this pre-eminently national attribute was enough to convince anybody,
without words, that it was a serious matter for those who should happen
to come into contact with it.

None of the band were very drunk, for the leader had kept his intended
visit to Nastasia in view all day, and had done his best to prevent
his followers from drinking too much. He was sober himself, but the
excitement of t