"Where have you come from? Have you been away a long while from
Pitjer?" [Footnote: A slang term for St. Petersburg.] said Sarudine,
somewhat flurried, as he feared that "Pitjer" was not exactly the word
which he ought to have used.
"I only got here yesterday," said the gentleman in white, in a
determined tone, though his voice sounded like the suppressed crowing
of a cock. "My comrades," said Sarudine, introducing the others.
"Gentlemen, this is Mr. Pavel Lvovitsch Volochine."
Volochine bowed slightly.
"We must make a note of that!" observed the tipsy Ivanoff, much to
Sarudine's horror.
"Pray sit down, Pavel Lvovitsch. Would you like some wine or some
beer?"
Volochine sat down carefully in an arm-chair and his white, immaculate
form stood out sharply against the dingy oil-cloth cover.
"Please don't trouble. I just came to see you for a moment," he said,
somewhat coldly, as he surveyed the company.
"How's that? I'll send for some white wine. You like white wine, don't
you?" asked Sarudine, and he hurried out.
"Why on earth does the fool want to come here today?" he thought,
irritably, as he sent the orderly to fetch wine. "This Volochine will
say such things about me in Petersburg that I shan't be able to get a
footing in any decent house."
Meanwhile Volochine was taking stock of the others with undisguised
curiosity, feeling that he himself was immeasurably superior. There was
a look in his little glassy, grey eyes of unfeigned interest, as if he
were being shown a collection of wild beasts. He was specially
attracted by Sanine's height, his powerful physique, and his dress.
"An interesting type, that! He must be pretty strong!" he thought, with
the genuine admiration of the weakling for the athlete. In fact, he
began to speak to Sanine but the latter, leaning against the window-
sill, was looking out at the garden. Volochine stopped short; the very
sound of his own squeaky voice vexed him.
"Hooligans!" he thought.
At this moment Sarudine came back. He sat down next to Volochine and
asked questions about St. Petersburg, and also about the latter's
factory, so as to let the others know what a very wealthy and important
person his visitor was. The handsome face of this sturdy animal now
wore an expression of petty vanity and self-importance.
"Everything's the same with us, just the same!" replied Volochine, in a
bored tone of voice. "How is it with you?"