Sanine

"Yes, you're right," said Sarudine, growing interested in his turn, as

he twirled his moustache complacently.

"Take off her corset, and the smartest Petersburg woman becomes--Oh! by

the way, have you heard the latest?" said Volochine, interrupting

himself.

"No, I dare say not," replied Sarudine, leaning forward, eagerly.

"Well," said the other, "it's an awfully good story about a Parisian

cocotte." Then, with much wealth of detail, Volochine proceeded to

relate a spicy anecdote that pleased his companion vastly.

"Yes," said Volochine in conclusion, as he rolled his eyes, "shape's

everything in a woman. If she hasn't got that, well, for me she simply

doesn't exist."

Sarudine thought of Lida's beauty, and he shrank from discussing it

with Volochine. However, after a pause, he observed with much

affectation: "Every one to his taste. What I like most in a woman; is the back; that

sinuous line, don't you know...."

"Yes," drawled Volochine nervously.

"Some women, especially very young ones, have got ..."

The orderly now entered treading clumsily in his heavy boots. He had

come to light the lamp, and during the process of striking matches and

jingling the glass shade, Sarudine and Volochine were silent.

As the flame of the lamp rose, only their glittering eyes and the

glowing cigarette-ends could be seen. When the soldier had gone out,

they returned to their subject, the word "Woman" forming the theme of

talk that became at times grotesque in its obscenity. Sarudine's

instinctive longing to boast, and to eclipse Volochine led him at last

to speak of the splendid woman who had yielded to his charms, and

gradually to reveal his own secret lasciviousness. Before the eyes of

Volochine, Lida was exhibited as in a state of nudity, her physical

attributes and her passion all being displayed as though she were some

animal for sale at a fair. By their filthy thoughts she was touched and

polluted and held up to ridicule. Their love of woman knew no gratitude

for the enjoyment given to them; they merely strove to humiliate and

insult the sex, to inflict upon it indescribable pain.

The smoke-laden atmosphere of the room had become stifling. Their

bodies at fever heat, exhaled an unwholesome odour, as their eyes

gleamed and their voices sounded shrill and rabid as those of wild

beasts.

Beyond the window lay the calm, clear moonlit night. Bur for them the

world with all its wealth of colour and sound had vanished; all that

their eyes beheld was a vision of woman in her nude loveliness. Soon

their imagination became so heated that they felt a burning desire to

see Lida, whom now they had dubbed Lidka, by way of being familiar.

Sarudine had the horses harnessed, and they drove to a house situated

on the outskirts of the town.