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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.
"What is the matter with you?" said Woloda and Dimitri simultaneously. "No one was trying to insult you." "Yes, he DID try to insult me!" I replied. "What an extraordinary fellow your brother is!" said Dubkoff to Woloda. At that moment he was passing out of the door, and could not have heard what I said.
Although, when in the society of Woloda's friends, I had to play a part that hurt my pride, I liked sitting in his room when he had visitors, and silently watching all they did. The two who came most frequently to see him were a military adjutant called Dubkoff and a student named Prince Nechludoff.
At this critical moment, Woloda, who had remarked that I was conversing with great animation, and probably was curious to know what excuses I was making for not dancing, approached us with Dubkoff. Seeing, however, my smiling face and the Princess's frightened mien, as well as overhearing the appalling rubbish with which I concluded my speech, he turned red in the face, and wheeled round again.
After drinking a glass of water, however, I felt nearly recovered, and ready to go with him. "So much for your trying to smoke!" said he as he gazed at the remnants of my debauch. "It is a silly thing to do, and waste of money as well. I long ago promised myself never to smoke. But come along; we have to call for Dubkoff."
All that winter, until the opening of spring, Woloda had been inseparable from Dubkoff, while at the same time the pair of them had cooled greatly towards Dimitri. It was this last fact which, despite our love for one another, placed a vast gulf between Woloda and myself.
In our particular family such apprehension was common to Papa, Woloda, and myself, and was developed to the highest pitch, Dubkoff also approximated to our coterie in apprehension, but Dimitri, though infinitely more intellectual than Dubkoff, was grosser in this respect.
No time was lost in allotting us a private room, where a bottle of iced champagne-upon which I tried to look with as much indifference as I could stood ready waiting for us, and where we were served with a most wonderful repast selected by Dubkoff from the French menu.
I like him very much, and always shall like him, in spite of his weakness." For some reason or another the idea occurred to me that, just BECAUSE Dimitri stuck up so stoutly for Dubkoff, he neither liked nor respected him in reality, but was determined, out of stubbornness and a desire not to be accused of inconstancy, never to own to the fact.
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!"
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