"Why any seconds?" he said to me, dryly. "We shall do very well without
them."
We decided to fight on the morrow behind the haystacks, at six o'clock
in the morning.
Seeing us talking in such a friendly manner, Iwan Ignatiitch, full of
joy, nearly betrayed us.
"You should have done that long ago," he said to me, with a face of
satisfaction. "Better a hollow peace than an open quarrel."
"What is that you say, Iwan Ignatiitch?" said the Commandant's wife, who
was playing patience in a corner. "I did not exactly catch what you
said."
Iwan Ignatiitch, who saw my face darken, recollected his promise, became
confused, and did not know what to say. Chvabrine came to the rescue.
"Iwan Ignatiitch," said he, "approves of the compact we have made."
"And with whom, my little father, did you quarrel?"
"Why, with Petr' Andrejitch, to be sure, and we even got to high words."
"What for?"
"About a mere trifle, over a little song."
"Fine thing to quarrel over--a little song! How did it happen?"
"Thus. Petr' Andrejitch lately composed a song, and he began singing it
to me this morning. So I--I struck up mine, 'Captain's daughter, don't
go abroad at dead of night!' As we did not sing in the same key, Petr'
Andrejitch became angry. But afterwards he reflected that 'every one is
free to sing what he pleases,' and that's all."
Chvabrine's insolence made me furious, but no one else, except myself,
understood his coarse allusions. Nobody, at least, took up the subject.
From poetry the conversation passed to poets in general, and the
Commandant made the remark that they were all rakes and confirmed
drunkards; he advised me as a friend to give up poetry as a thing
opposed to the service, and leading to no good.
Chvabrine's presence was to me unbearable. I hastened to take leave of
the Commandant and his family. After coming home I looked at my sword; I
tried its point, and I went to bed after ordering Saveliitch to wake me
on the morrow at six o'clock.
On the following day, at the appointed hour, I was already behind the
haystacks, waiting for my foeman. It was not long before he appeared.
"We may be surprised," he said to me; "we must make haste."
We laid aside our uniforms, and in our waistcoats we drew our swords
from the scabbard.
At this moment Iwan Ignatiitch, followed by five pensioners, came out
from behind a heap of hay. He gave us an order to go at once before the
Commandant. We sulkily obeyed. The soldiers surrounded us, and we
followed Iwan Ignatiitch who brought us along in triumph, walking with
a military step, with majestic gravity.
We entered the Commandant's house. Iwan Ignatiitch threw the door wide
open, and exclaimed, emphatically-"They are taken!"