ld most
likely be here soon; but the cart with the provisions had not yet arrived.
Mitya jumped up from the table and ran into the next room to give orders,
but only three girls had arrived, and Marya was not there yet. And he did
not know himself what orders to give and why he had run out. He only told
them to take out of the box the presents for the girls, the sweets, the
toffee and the fondants. "And vodka for Andrey, vodka for Andrey!" he
cried in haste. "I was rude to Andrey!"

Suddenly Maximov, who had followed him out, touched him on the shoulder.

"Give me five roubles," he whispered to Mitya. "I'll stake something at
faro, too, he he!"

"Capital! Splendid! Take ten, here!"

Again he took all the notes out of his pocket and picked out one for ten
roubles. "And if you lose that, come again, come again."

"Very good," Maximov whispered joyfully, and he ran back again. Mitya,
too, returned, apologizing for having kept them waiting. The Poles had
already sat down, and opened the pack. They looked much more amiable,
almost cordial. The Pole on the sofa had lighted another pipe and was
preparing to throw. He wore an air of solemnity.

"To your places, gentlemen," cried Pan Vrublevsky.

"No, I'm not going to play any more," observed Kalganov, "I've lost fifty
roubles to them just now."

"The _pan_ had no luck, perhaps he'll be lucky this time," the Pole on the
sofa observed in his direction.

"How much in the bank? To correspond?" asked Mitya.

"That's according, _panie_, maybe a hundred, maybe two hundred, as much as
you will stake."

"A million!" laughed Mitya.

"The Pan Captain has heard of Pan Podvysotsky, perhaps?"

"What Podvysotsky?"

"In Warsaw there was a bank and any one comes and stakes against it.
Podvysotsky comes, sees a thousand gold pieces, stakes against the bank.
The banker says, '_Panie_ Podvysotsky, are you laying down the gold, or
must we trust to your honor?' 'To my honor, _panie_,' says Podvysotsky.
'So much the better.' The banker throws the dice. Podvysotsky wins. 'Take
it, _panie_,' says the banker, and pulling out the drawer he gives him a
million. 'Take it, _panie_, this is your gain.' There was a million in the
bank. 'I didn't know that,' says Podvysotsky. '_Panie_ Podvysotsky,' said
the banker, 'you pledged your honor and we pledged ours.' Podvysotsky took
the million."

"That's not true," said Kalganov.

"_Panie_ Kalganov, in gentlemanly society one doesn't say such th