Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 29, 2025
"But tell me, why did you make the acquaintance of your future neighbours like this through the law courts?" Vaviloff shrugged his shoulders and did not answer. "It would have been better to come straight to us and settle the matter peacefully, eh? What do you think?"
"Of course you already know me, and I presume you guess what I am going to say to you," began Petunikoff. "About the lawsuit? ... I presume?" remarked the ex-sergeant, respectfully. "Exactly! I am glad to see that you are not beating about the bush, but going straight to the point like a business man," said Petunikoff, encouragingly. "I am a soldier," answered Vaviloff, with a modest air.
They are as clever swindlers if not worse ..." Vaviloff stopped himself in time before making the intended comparison, and looked at the merchant's son in terror. The other smoked on, and seemed to be absorbed in that occupation. He went away soon, promising to destroy the nest of vagabonds.
Then he would thoughtfully and slowly direct his steps to the eating-house of Vaviloff, where he would drink silently and quickly till all his senses left him. Almost every day after his reporting he would bring a newspaper, and then gather round him all these creatures that once were men.
"Well, worthy descendant of Judas and Cain, tell us. . . ." "They decided" . . . said Vaviloff, sighing and lowering his eyes. "I don't doubt it; how many silver pieces did you receive?" "Four hundred roubles" "Of course you are lying . . . But all the better for me.
Without any further words, Egorka, ten per cent. of it for my discovery, four per cent. to the teacher for writing the petition, one 'vedro' of vodki to all of us, and refreshments all round. Give me the money now, the vodki and refreshments will do at eight o'clock." Vaviloff turned purple with rage, and stared at Kuvalda with wide-open eyes. "This is humbug! This is robbery!
And in the dawn, which filled the dosshouse, a solemn stillness reigned over all. Long and silently they sat at the feet of their dead companion, seldom looking at him, and both plunged in thought. Then Tyapa asked: "Will you bury him?" "I? No, let the police bury him!" "You took money from Vaviloff for this petition ... and I will give you some if you have not enough." ...
"I ask you, what the devil could you want more, my scoundrel friends? Now, then, let us prepare to devour Egorka Vaviloff, because all this is his blood and body!" They spread some old clothes on the ground, setting the delicacies and the drink on them, and sat around the feast, solemnly and quietly, but almost unable to control the craving for drink that was shining in their eyes.
He wrote petitions for them and published various remarks in the newspapers. For instance, on one occasion Vaviloff's customers noticed that the herrings and other provisions of the eating-house were not what they should be, and after a day or two they saw Vaviloff standing at the bar with the newspaper in his hand making a public apology.
The grey wooden eating-house of Vaviloff, with its bent roof covered with patches, leaned against one of the brick walls of the factory, and seemed as if it were some large form of parasite clinging to it. The Captain was thinking that they would very soon be making new houses to replace the old building. "They will destroy the dosshouse even," he reflected.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking