“Good day, gentlemen,” said Sanine in a loud voice, as he held out his hand.
Von Deitz hesitated, but Tanaroff bowed in such an exaggerated way that for an instant Sanine caught sight of the closely cropped hair at the back of his neck.
“How can I be of service to you?” continued Sanine, who had noticed Tanaroff’s excessive politeness, and was surprised at the assurance with which he played his part in this absurd comedy.
Von Deitz drew himself up and sought to give an expression of _hauteur_ to his horse-like countenance; unsuccessfully, however, owing to his confusion. Strange to say, it was Tanaroff, usually so stupid and shy, who addressed Sanine in firm, decisive fashion.
“Our friend, Victor Sergejevitsch Sarudine has done us the honour of asking us to represent him in a certain matter which concerns you and himself.” The sentence was delivered with automatic precision.
“Oho!” said Sanine with comic gravity, as he opened his mouth wide.
“Yes, sir,” continued Tanaroff, frowning slightly. “He considers that your behaviour towards him was not—er—quite …”
“Yes, yes, I understand,” interrupted Sanine, losing patience.
“I very nearly kicked him out of the house, so that ‘not—er—quite’ is hardly the right way of putting it.”
The speech was lost upon Tanaroff, who went on:
“Well, sir, he insists on your taking back your words.”
“Yes, yes,” chimed in the lanky Von Deitz, who kept shifting the position of his feet, like a stork.
“Take them back? How can I do that? ‘As uncaged bird is spoken word!’”
Too perplexed to reply, Tanaroff looked Sanine full in the face.
“What evil eyes he has!” thought the latter.
“This is no joking matter,” began Tanaroff, looking flushed and angry. “Are you prepared to retract your words, or are you not?”
“What an utter idiot!” he thought, as he took a chair and sat down.
“Possibly I might be willing to retract my words in order to please and pacify Sarudine,” he began, speaking seriously, “the more so as I attach not the slightest importance to them. But, in the first place, Sarudine, being a fool, would not understand my motive, and, instead of holding his tongue, would brag about it. In the second place, I thoroughly dislike Sarudine, so that, under these circumstances, I don’t see that there is any sense in my retractation.”