ked his beard, and sipped again the fragrant beverage.

"The red-haired man was saying,

"'I made, last summer, a splendid bargain. I had bought from a company
of Samara-Tartars, some five hundred bags of prime quality, which I
purchased from a nobleman who was in want of money, but such dreadful
stuff it was, that if it had not been for the very low price, I would
never have thought of looking at it. What did I do? I mixed these two
cargoes and sold the whole lot to a brandy-contractor at Ribna, for
prime quality.'

"'It was a clever speculation,' remarked the dark-haired.

"'A commercial trick!' added the gray-haired.

"While this conversation was proceeding, Vassily Ivanovitsch and Ivan
Vassilievitsch had taken seats at a separate little table; they had
ordered their tea, and were listening to what the three merchants were
saying.

"A poor-looking fellow came in, and took from his breast-pocket an
incredibly dirty sheet of paper, in which were wrapped up bank-notes and
some gold, and handed it over to the gray-haired merchant, who, having
counted them over, said,

"'Five thousand two hundred and seventeen roubles. Is it right?'

"'Quite right, sir.'

"'It shall be delivered according to your wish.'

"'Ivan asked why the sender had not taken a receipt?'

"The red and dark-haired merchants burst out laughing; the gray-haired
got into a passion.

"'A receipt!' he cried out, furiously, 'a receipt! I would have broken
his jaw with his own money, had he dared to ask me for a receipt. I have
been a merchant now more than fifty years, and I have never yet been
insulted by being asked to give a receipt.'

"'You see, sir,' said the red-haired merchant, it is only with noblemen
that such things as receipts and bills of exchange exist. We commercial
people do not make use of them. Our simple word suffices. We have no
time to spare for writing. For instance, sir: here is Sidor Avdeivitsch,
who has millions of roubles in his trade, and his whole writing consists
of a few scraps of paper, for memory's sake, sir.'

"'I don't understand that,' interrupted Ivan Vassilievitsch.

"'How could you, sir? It is mere commercial business, without plan or
_facade_. We ourselves learn it from our childhood: first as errand
boys, then as clerks, till we become partners in the business. I confess
it is hard work.'"

Upon this text Ivan preaches a "Young Russia discourse."

"'Allow me a few words,' he said with fervor. 'It app