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"'Surely not to throw yourself into the river? cried Bachmatoff in alarm. Perhaps he read my thought in my face. "'No, not yet. At present nothing but the following consideration.
"Bachmatoff saw me home after the dinner and we crossed the Nicolai bridge. We were both a little drunk. He told me of his joy, the joyful feeling of having done a good action; he said that it was all thanks to myself that he could feel this satisfaction; and held forth about the foolishness of the theory that individual charity is useless. "I, too, was burning to have my say!
I have a friend, Bachmatoff, whose uncle is a councillor of state and has to do with these matters, one Peter Matveyevitch Bachmatoff. "'Peter Matveyevitch Bachmatoff! he cried, trembling all over with excitement. 'Why, nearly everything depends on that very man! "It is very curious, this story of the medical man, and my visit, and the happy termination to which I contributed by accident!
'I shall attack my uncle about it tomorrow morning, and I'm very glad you told me the story. But how was it that you thought of coming to me about it, Terentieff? "'So much depends upon your uncle, I said. 'And besides we have always been enemies, Bachmatoff; and as you are a generous sort of fellow, I thought you would not refuse my request because I was your enemy! I added with irony.
Isn't that an amusing idea! "Poor Bachmatoff was much impressed painfully so. He took me all the way home; not attempting to console me, but behaving with the greatest delicacy. On taking leave he pressed my hand warmly and asked permission to come and see me. He shrugged his shoulders, but quite agreed with me; and we parted better friends than I had expected.
"I continued in that strain for a long while, pointing out to Bachmatoff how impossible it is to follow up the effects of any isolated good deed one may do, in all its influences and subtle workings upon the heart and after-actions of others.
"'And to think that you are to be cut off from life! remarked Bachmatoff, in a tone of reproach, as though he would like to find someone to pitch into on my account. "We were leaning over the balustrade of the bridge, looking into the Neva at this moment. "'Do you know what has suddenly come into my head? said I, suddenly leaning further and further over the rail.
"I took a droshky and drove over to the Vassili Ostroff at once. For some years I had been at enmity with this young Bachmatoff, at school. We considered him an aristocrat; at all events I called him one. He used to dress smartly, and always drove to school in a private trap.
He got his travelling expenses paid, and something to help him to start life with once more. I think Bachmatoff must have persuaded the doctor to accept a loan from himself. I saw Bachmatoff two or three times, about this period, the third time being when he gave a farewell dinner to the doctor and his wife before their departure, a champagne dinner.
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