ght that Nijeradze was
right flashed through him. But he quickly gained control of himself,
shook his head, and, stretching out his hand to the prince, uttered
triumphantly:

"I promise you, that after half a year you'll take your words back, and
as a mark of apology, you Erivanian billy goat, you Armavirian
egg-plant, you'll stand me to a dozen of Cakhetine wine."

"Va! That's a go!" the prince struck Lichonin's hand with his palm with
all his might. "With pleasure. But if it comes out as I say--then you
do it."

"Then I do it. However, AU REVOIR, prince. Whom are you lodging with?"

"Right here, in this corridor, at Soloviev's. But you, of course, like
a mediaeval knight, will lay a two-edged sword between yourself and the
beauteous Rosamond? Yes?"

"Nonsense! I did want to pass the night at Soloviev's myself. But now
I'll go and wander about the streets a bit and turn in into somebody's;
to Zaitzevich or Strump. Farewell, prince!"

"Wait, wait!" Nijeradze called him, when he had gone a few steps. "I
have forgotten to tell you the main thing: Partzan has tripped up!"

"So that's how?" wondered Lichonin, and at once yawned long, deeply and
with enjoyment.

"Yes. But there's nothing dreadful; only the possession of some illegal
brochures and stuff. He won't have to sit for more than a year."

"That's nothing; he's a husky lad, he can stand it."

"He's husky, all right" confirmed the prince.

"Farewell!"

"AU REVOIR, knight Grunwaldus!"

"AU REVOIR, you Carbidinian stallion."

CHAPTER XI.

Lichonin was left alone. In the half-dark corridor it smelt of kerosene
fumes from the guttering little tin lamp, and of the odour of stagnant
bad tobacco. The daylight dully penetrated only near the top, from two
small glass frames, let in the roof at both ends of the corridor.

Lichonin found himself in that simultaneously weakened and elevated
mood which is so familiar to every man who has happened to be
thoroughly sleepless for a long time. It was as though he had gone out
of the limitations of everyday human life, and this life had become to
him distant and of indifference; but at the same time his thoughts and
emotions obtained a certain peaceful clarity and apathetic
distinctness, and there was a tedious and languishing allurement in
this crystal Nirvanah.

He stood near his room, leaning against the wall, and seemed to see,
feel, and hear how near him and below him were sleeping several score
of p