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Kuvalda got up and went to the entrance. "Is this a lodging-house?" asked someone, in a trembling voice. "Yes. Belonging to Aristid Kuvalda . . ." said the Captain, roughly. "Oh! Did a reporter, one Titoff, live here?" "Aha! Have you brought him?" "Yes. . . ." "Drunk?" "Ill." "That means he is very drunk. Ay, teacher! Now, then, get up!"
And to-day, as always, the red building stands out before the eyes of Aristid Kuvalda, so plain, so massive, and clinging so strongly to the earth, that it seems to be sucking away all its life. It appears to be laughing coldly at the Captain with its gaping walls. The sun pours its rays on them as generously as it does on the miserable hovels of the main street.
The people listen attentively, as only one bottle of vodki has been drunk. After the leader, they read the local events, then the court proceedings, and, if in the police court it reports that the defendant or plaintiff is a merchant, then Aristid Kuvalda sincerely rejoices. If someone has robbed the merchant, "That is good," says he. "Only it is a pity they robbed him of so little."
He saw the tall figure of Aristid Fomich Kuvalda, in a gray cap with a red band, with his arms bound behind his back, being led away. Petunikoff smiled the smile of the conqueror, and went back into the dosshouse, but suddenly he stopped and trembled.
Aristid Fomich asked him very softly. "Have you heard about our teacher?" Martyanoff lazily got up from the ground, looked at the line of light coming out of the dosshouse, shook his head and silently sat down beside the Captain. "Nothing particular . . . The man is dying remarked the Captain, shortly. "Have they been beating him?" asked Abyedok, with great interest. The Captain gave no answer.
It was only with him that Aristid Kuvalda could philosophise with the certainty of being understood. He valued this, and when the reformed teacher prepared to leave the dosshouse in order to get a corner in town for himself, then Aristid Kuvalda accompanied him so sorrowfully and sadly that it ended, as a rule, in their both getting drunk and spending all their money.
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