Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 4, 2025
"My goodness, why didn't you say so?" I cried, seizing my cap, with an astonishingly free-and-easy air, which was the last thing I should have expected of myself. "It's close by ... not two paces away," Simonov repeated, accompanying me to the front door with a fussy air which did not suit him at all. "So five o'clock, punctually, tomorrow," he called down the stairs after me.
I had not been treated like that even at school, though they all hated me. I knew, of course, that they must despise me now for my lack of success in the service, and for my having let myself sink so low, going about badly dressed and so on which seemed to them a sign of my incapacity and insignificance. But I had not expected such contempt. Simonov was positively surprised at my turning up.
"Do we want half a dozen for the four of us?" observed Trudolyubov, taking notice only of the half dozen. "So the three of us, with Zverkov for the fourth, twenty-one roubles, at the Hotel de Paris at five o'clock tomorrow," Simonov, who had been asked to make the arrangements, concluded finally. "How twenty-one roubles?"
Simonov observed, with no appearance of pleasure, seeming to avoid looking at me. He knew me through and through. It infuriated me that he knew me so thoroughly. "Why not? I am an old schoolfellow of his, too, I believe, and I must own I feel hurt that you have left me out," I said, boiling over again. "And where were we to find you?" Ferfitchkin put in roughly.
"Oh, there's no making you out ... with these refinements," Trudolyubov jeered. "We'll put your name down," Simonov decided, addressing me. "Tomorrow at five-o'clock at the Hotel de Paris." "What about the money?" Ferfitchkin began in an undertone, indicating me to Simonov, but he broke off, for even Simonov was embarrassed. "That will do," said Trudolyubov, getting up.
In short, I parted from my schoolfellows as soon as I got out into the world. There were two or three left to whom I nodded in the street. One of them was Simonov, who had in no way been distinguished at school, was of a quiet and equable disposition; but I discovered in him a certain independence of character and even honesty I don't even suppose that he was particularly stupid.
I dropped my eyes. Simonov made haste to fill up the glasses with champagne. Trudolyubov raised his glass, as did everyone else but me. "Your health and good luck on the journey!" he cried to Zverkov. "To old times, to our future, hurrah!" They all tossed off their glasses, and crowded round Zverkov to kiss him. I did not move; my full glass stood untouched before me.
"If a trick like that had been played on me," observed Ferfitchkin, "I should ..." "But you should have ordered something for yourself," Zverkov interrupted, "or simply asked for dinner without waiting for us." "You will allow that I might have done that without your permission," I rapped out. "If I waited, it was ..." "Let us sit down, gentlemen," cried Simonov, coming in.
It was hot and steamy. The little shaggy piebald horse was also covered with snow and coughing, I remember that very well. I made a rush for the roughly made sledge; but as soon as I raised my foot to get into it, the recollection of how Simonov had just given me six roubles seemed to double me up and I tumbled into the sledge like a sack.
I flushed crimson, as I did so I remembered that I had owed Simonov fifteen roubles for ages which I had, indeed, never forgotten, though I had not paid it. "You will understand, Simonov, that I could have no idea when I came here.... I am very much vexed that I have forgotten...." "All right, all right, that doesn't matter. You can pay tomorrow after the dinner.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking