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"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.
"It does not seem, but it is so!" said Novikoff, in the same tone, his eyes still fixed on his glass. Instantly, as it were, a living wall rose up between the rivals, amid much shouting, waving of arms, and expressions of amusement or of surprise. Sarudine was held back by Malinowsky and Von Deitz, while Ivanoff and the other officers kept Novikoff in check.
His ill-humour was contagious, for soon between Von Deitz and Malinowsky there was an interchange of high words. "I have staked on the side, there!" exclaimed Von Deitz irritably. It amazed him that this drunken boor, Malinowsky, should dare to dispute with such a clever, accomplished person as himself. "Oh! so you say!" replied Malinowsky, rudely.
Flinging himself on his bed, he buried his face in the pillows and lay thus almost the whole day long, bitterly conscious that he could do nothing. "Shall we play makao?" asked Malinowsky. "All right!" said Ivanoff. The orderly at once opened the card-table and gaily the green cloth beamed upon them all.
Sarudine smiled uneasily, as he accompanied his visitor to the door, and with a parting stare the latter in his immaculate shoes hurried off. "Now, sirs," said Sarudine, on his return, "how's the game going? Take the bank for me, will you, Tanaroff? I shall be back directly." He spoke hastily; his eyes were restless. "That's a lie!" growled the drunken, bestial Malinowsky.
But he dismissed all such regret with a gesture of disdain. "Devil take the lot! I can get hold of as many as I please!" He put his jacket straight, and, his lips still quivering, lit a cigarette. Then assuming his wonted air of nonchalance, he returned to his guests. All the gamblers except the drunken Malinowsky had lost their interest in the game.
Then Ivanoff, Novikoff, Captain Malinowsky, two other officers, and Sanine all appeared. "Hurrah!" cried Malinowsky, as he pushed his way in. His face was purple, he had fat, flabby cheeks and a moustache like two wisps of straw. "How are you, boys?" "Bang goes another twenty-five-rouble note!" thought Sarudine with some irritation.
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