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From a heap of dry leaves a hideous black snake suddenly darted across the path. "Reptile!" cried Ivanoff, shuddering. Then, on to the grass beside the newly-made grave that smelt of humid mould and green fir-trees they flung their empty beer-bottles. "Look here," said Sanine, as they walked down the street in the dusk. "Well, what is it?" "Come to the railway-station with me. I'm going away."
When at last Ivanoff, growling, had gone out into the courtyard, the room to Yourii seemed horribly dreary and deserted. There was a mist over everything; only the dirty table-cloth, with its green radish-stalks, empty beer-glasses and cigarette-ends danced before his eyes, as he sat there, huddled-up and forlorn. Afterwards, he remembered, Ivanoff came back, and with him was Sanine.
But his voice, even to himself, was inaudible. When they reached the fields, it was quite dark. Their pathway was lit by vivid flashes, and the thunder never ceased. "Oh! Ha! Ho!" shouted Sanine. "What's that?" cried Ivanoff. At that moment a vivid flash revealed to him Sanine's radiant face, the only answer to his question.
Sanine must have given him a teaser." He laughed. "A tough customer is that lad!" Ivanoff nodded approvingly. "He's strong enough, I warrant you." "Coarse brute!" said Yourii, in disgust. Sina glanced timidly at him. "In my opinion it was not his fault," she said. "He couldn't possibly wait until..." "Yes, yes," replied Riasantzeff, "but to hit a fellow like that! Sarudine had challenged him."
Already, on May 14, 1915, the German troops of Von Mackensen's army had occupied Jaroslav, only twenty-two miles north of the fortress. Ivanoff had concentrated his strongest forces on the line between Sieniava, north of Przevorsk, and Sambor, thirty miles southeast of Przemysl.
"Let's go and look at them," suggested Sanine. "They would see us." "No they wouldn't. We could land here, and go through the reeds." "Leave them alone," said Ivanoff, blushing slightly. "Come on." "No, I don't like to...." "Don't like to?" "Well, but ... they're girls ... young ladies ... I don't think it's quite proper."
"What sort of book?" "It's about women, by Tolstoi," replied the lanky officer, raising his voice as if he were making a report. On his long sallow face there was a look of evident pride at being able to read and discuss Tolstoi. "Do you read Tolstoi?" asked Ivanoff, who had noticed this naively complacent expression. "Von Deitz is mad about Tolstoi," exclaimed Malinowsky, with a loud guffaw.
Volochine, losing his pince-nez as he Stumbled over a bush, ran away as fast as he could across the damp grass, so that his spotless trousers instantly became black up to the knees. Tanaroff ground his teeth with fury, and also dashed forward, but Ivanoff caught him by the shoulders and pulled him back. "That's all right!" said Sanine scornfully. "Let him come."
I wished them a good night, and as soon as I was in bed the god of dreams took me under his care, and made me pass the night with the adorable Mdlle. Roman. I rang rather late in the morning, and the cousin came in and said that Rose would bring my chocolate, and that M. Charles Ivanoff wanted to speak to me.
Immediately after Sina's departure, Lialia and Riasantzeff went out. Ivanoff sat pensively smoking his cigarette for a while, as he stared sulkily at a corner of the room. Then he also departed. In the street as he walked along, swinging his arms in the usual way, he thought to himself, in his wrath: "These fools imagine that I am not capable of understanding what they understand! I like that!
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