re them, mister
officer?"

"Well, now ... I,--that is ... Why not? ... Let's ..."

"That's fine! On account of such a pleasant acquaintanceship, I'll take
fifty kopecks apiece. What, is that expensive? Well, what's the
difference, God be with you! I see you're a travelling man, I don't
want to rob you; let it go at thirty, then. What? That ain't cheap
either? Well, shake hands on it! Twenty-five kopecks apiece. OI! What
an intractable fellow you are! At twenty! You'll thank me yourself
later! And then, do you know what else? When I come to K--, I always
stop at the Hotel Hermitage. You can very easily find me there either
very early in the morning, or about eight o'clock in the evening. I
know an awful lot of the finest little ladies. So I'll introduce you.
And, you understand, not for money. Oh, no. It's just simply nice and
gay for them to pass the time with a young, healthy, handsome man of
your sort. There's absolutely no money of any kind necessary. And for
that matter--they themselves will willingly pay for wine, for a bottle
of champagne! So remember then; The Hermitage, Horizon. And if it isn't
that, remember it anyway! Maybe I can be of use to you. And the cards
are such a thing, such a thing, that it will never lay on the shelf by
you. Those who like that sort of thing give three roubles for each
specimen. But these, of course, are rich people, little old men. And
then, you know"--Horizon bent over to the officer's very ear, winked
one eye, and pronounced in a sly whisper--"you know, many ladies adore
these cards. Why, you're a young man, and handsome; how many romances
you will have yet!"

Having received the money and counted it over painstakingly, Horizon
had the brazenness to extend his hand in addition, and to shake the
hand of the sub-lieutenant, who did not dare to lift up his eyes to
him; and, having left him on the platform, went back into the
passageway of the car, as though nothing had happened.

This was an unusually communicative man. On the way to his COUPE he
came to a stop before a beautiful little girl of three years, with whom
he had for some time been flirting at a distance and making all sorts
of funny grimaces at. He squatted down on his heels before her, began
to imitate a nanny goat for her, and questioned her in a lisping voice:

"May I athk where the young lady ith going? OI, OI, OI! Thuch a big
girl! Travelling alone, without mamma? Bought a ticket all by herthelf
and travelth a