Sanine

"Why didn't I hit him? I ought to have given him one in the jaw. I

might have used my sword. I had my revolver, too, in my pocket. I ought

to have shot him like a dog. How came I to forget the revolver? Well,

after all, perhaps it's just as well that I didn't. Suppose I had

killed him? It would have been a matter for the police. One of those

other fellows might have had a revolver, too! A pretty state of things,

eh? At all events, nobody knows that I had a weapon on me, and by

degrees, the whole thing will blow over."

Tanaroff looked cautiously round before he drew out his revolver and

placed it in the table drawer.

"I shall have to go to the colonel at once, and explain to him that I

had nothing whatever to do with the matter," he thought, as he locked

the drawer. Then an irresistible impulse seized him to go to the

officer's mess, and, as an eye-witness, describe exactly what took

place. The officers had already heard about the affair in the public

gardens, and they hurried back to the brilliantly lighted mess-rooms to

give vent in heated language to their indignation. They were really

rather pleased at Sarudine's discomfiture, since often enough his

smartness and elegance in dress and demeanour had served to put them in

the shade.

Tanaroff was hailed with undisguised curiosity. He felt that he was the

hero of the hour as he began to give a detailed account of the whole

incident. In his narrow black eyes there was a look of hatred for the

friend who had always been his superior. He thought of the money

incident, and of Sarudine's condescending attitude towards him, and he

revenged himself for past slights by a minute description of his

comrade's defeat.

Meanwhile, forsaken and alone, Sarudine lay there upon his couch.

His soldier-servant, who had learnt the whole truth elsewhere, moved

noiselessly about, looking sad and anxious as before. He set the tea-

things ready, fetched some wine, and drove the dog out of the room as

it leaped about for joy at the sight of its master.

After a while the man came back on tiptoe. "Your Excellency had better

have a little wine," he whispered.

"Eh? What?" exclaimed Sarudine, opening his eyes and shutting them

again instantly. In a tone which he thought severe, but which was

really piteous, he could just move his swollen lips sufficiently to

say: "Bring me the looking-glass."

The servant sighed, brought the mirror, and held a candle close to it.