the
champagne to be brought up, which came out in frozen little lumps as
he poured it into the glasses. "For our ... our enterprise!" Golushkin
exclaimed, winking at the servant, as much as to say, "One must be
careful in the presence of strangers." The proselyte Vasia continued
silent, and though he sat on the very edge of his chair and conducted
himself generally with a servility quite out of keeping with the
convictions to which, according to his master, he was devoted body and
soul, yet gulped down the wine with an amazing greediness. The others
made up for his silence, however, that is, Golushkin and Paklin,
especially Paklin. Nejdanov was inwardly annoyed, Markelov angry and
indignant, just as indignant, though in a different way, as he had been
at the Subotchevs'; Solomin was observant.

Paklin was in high spirits and delighted Golushkin with his sharp,
ready wit. The latter had not the slightest suspicion that the "little
cripple" every now and again whispered to Nejdanov, who happened to be
sitting beside him, the most unflattering remarks at his, Golushkin's,
expense. He thought him "a simple sort of fellow" who might be
patronised; that was probably why he liked him. Had Paklin been sitting
next him he would no doubt have poked him in the ribs or slapped him on
the shoulder, but as it was, he merely contented himself by nodding and
winking in his direction. Between him and Nejdanov sat Markelov, like a
dark cloud, and then Solomin. Golushkin went into convulsions at every
word Paklin said, laughed on trust in advance, holding his sides and
showing his bluish gums. Paklin soon saw what was expected of him and
began abusing everything (it being an easy thing for him), everything
and everybody; conservatives, liberals, officials, lawyers,
administrators, landlords, county councils and district councils, Moscow
and St. Petersburg. "Yes, yes, yes," Golushkin put in, "that's just
how it is! For instance, our mayor here is a perfect ass! A hopeless
blockhead! I tell him one thing after another, but he doesn't understand
a single word; just like our governor!"

"Is your governor a fool then?" Paklin asked.

"I told you he was an ass!"

"By the way, does he speak in a hoarse voice or through his nose?"

"What do you mean?" Golushkin asked somewhat bewildered.

"Why, don't you know? In Russia all our important civilians speak in
a hoarse voice and our great army men speak through the nose. Only our
very highest