main salon. As luck would have it, M.
Kolpikoff was no longer there, but only a waiter engaged in clearing the
table. For a moment I felt like telling the waiter the whole story, and
explaining to him my innocence in the matter, but for some reason or
another I thought better of it, and once more returned, in the same hazy
condition of mind, to our own room.

"What has become of our DIPLOMAT?" Dubkoff was just saying. "Upon him
now hang the fortunes of Europe."

"Oh, leave me alone," I said, turning moodily away. Then, as I paced the
room, something made me begin to think that Dubkoff was not altogether a
good fellow. "There is nothing very much to admire in his eternal jokes
and his nickname of 'DIPLOMAT,'" I reflected. "All he thinks about is to
win money from Woloda and to go and see his 'Auntie.' There is nothing
very nice in all that. Besides, everything he says has a touch of
blackguardism in it, and he is forever trying to make people laugh. In
my opinion he is simply stupid when he is not absolutely a brute."
I spent about five minutes in these reflections, and felt my enmity
towards Dubkoff continually increasing. For his part, he took no notice
of me, and that angered me the more. I actually felt vexed with Woloda
and Dimitri because they went on talking to him.

"I tell you what, gentlemen: the DIPLOMAT ought to be christened," said
Dubkoff suddenly, with a glance and a smile which seemed to me derisive,
and even treacherous. "Yet, O Lord, what a poor specimen he is!"

"You yourself ought to be christened, and you yourself are a sorry
specimen!" I retorted with an evil smile, and actually forgetting to
address him as "thou." [In Russian as in French, the second person
singular is the form of speech used between intimate friends.]

This reply evidently surprised Dubkoff, but he turned away
good-humouredly, and went on talking to Woloda and Dimitri. I tried to
edge myself into the conversation, but, since I felt that I could not
keep it up, I soon returned to my corner, and remained there until we
left.

When the bill had been paid and wraps were being put on, Dubkoff turned
to Dimitri and said: "Whither are Orestes and Pedalion going now? Home,
I suppose, to talk about love. Well, let US go and see my dear Auntie.
That will be far more entertaining than your sour company."

"How dare you speak like that, and laugh at us?" I burst out as I
approached him with clenched fists. "How dare you laugh at feeli