honourable character his is!" I thought to
myself, and dropped the subject.

We drove the rest of the way to Dubkoff's in silence. Dubkoff's flat was
an unusually fine one--or, at all events, so it seemed to me. Everywhere
were rugs, pictures, gardenias, striped hangings, photographs, and
curved settees, while on the walls hung guns, pistols, pouches, and the
mounted heads of wild beasts. It was the appearance of this apartment
which made me aware whom, it was that Woloda had imitated in the scheme
of his own sitting-room. We found Dubkoff and Woloda engaged in cards,
while seated also at the table, and watching the game with close
attention, was a gentleman whom I did not know, but who appeared to be
of no great importance, judging by the modesty of his attitude.
Dubkoff himself was in a silk dressing-gown and soft slippers, while
Woloda--seated opposite him on a divan--was in his shirtsleeves, as well
as (to judge by his flushed face and the impatient, cursory glance which
he gave us for a second as he looked up from the cards) much taken up
with the game. On seeing me, he reddened still more.

"Well, it is for you to deal," he remarked to Dubkoff. In an instant I
divined that he did not altogether relish my becoming acquainted with
the fact that he gambled. Yet his expression had nothing in it of
confusion--only a look which seemed to me to say: "Yes, I play cards,
and if you are surprised at that, it is only because you are so young.
There is nothing wrong about it--it is a necessity at our age." Yes, I
at once divined and understood that.

Instead of dealing, however, Dubkoff rose and shook hands with us; after
which he bade us both be seated, and then offered us pipes, which we
declined.

"Here is our DIPLOMAT, then--the hero of the day!" he said to me, "Good
Lord! how you look like a colonel!"

"H-m!" I muttered in reply, though once more feeling a complacent smile
overspread my countenance.

I stood in that awe of Dubkoff which a sixteen-year-old boy naturally
feels for a twenty-seven-year-old man of whom his elders say that he is
a very clever young man who can dance well and speak French, and who,
though secretly despising one's youth, endeavours to conceal the fact.
Yet, despite my respect for him, I somehow found it difficult and
uncomfortable, throughout my acquaintanceship with him, to look him in
the eyes, I have since remarked that there are three kinds of men whom I
cannot face easily, namely th