f the professor
lure one into dreams as one contemplated one's comrades, the occasional
runnings across the way for a snack and a glass of vodka (sweetened by
the fearful joy of knowing that one might be hauled before the professor
for so doing), the stealthy closing of the door as one returned to the
auditorium, and the participation in "course versus course" scuffles in
the corridors. All this was very enjoyable.

By the time, however, that every one had begun to put in a better
attendance at lectures, and the professor of physics had completed his
course and taken his leave of us until the examinations came on, and the
students were busy collecting their notebooks and arranging to do their
preparation in parties, it struck me that I also had better prepare
for the ordeal. Operoff, with whom I still continued on bowing, but
otherwise most frigid, terms, suddenly offered not only to lend me his
notebooks, but to let me do my preparation with himself and some other
students. I thanked him, and accepted the invitation--hoping by that
conferment of honour completely to dissipate our old misunderstanding;
but at the same time I requested that the gatherings should always
be held at my home, since my quarters were so splendid! To this the
students replied that they meant to take turn and turn about--sometimes
to meet at one fellow's place, sometimes at another's, as might be most
convenient.

The first of our reunions was held at Zuchin's, who had a small
partition-room in a large building on the Trubni Boulevard. The opening
night I arrived late, and entered when the reading aloud had already
begun. The little apartment was thick with tobacco-smoke, while on the
table stood a bottle of vodka, a decanter, some bread, some salt, and a
shin-bone of mutton. Without rising, Zuchin asked me to have some vodka
and to doff my tunic.

"I expect you are not accustomed to such entertainment," he added.

Every one was wearing a dirty cotton shirt and a dickey. Endeavouring
not to show my contempt for the company, I took off my tunic, and lay
down in a sociable manner on the sofa. Zuchin went on reading aloud
and correcting himself with the help of notebooks, while the others
occasionally stopped him to ask a question, which he always answered
with ability, correctness, and precision. I listened for a time with the
rest, but, not understanding much of it, since I had not been present at
what had been read before, soon interpolated