them　all　flogged　and　double　the　tax　on　them；　the　bearded　rascals。
  Our　servile　rabble　applauded；　but　I　attacked　him；　not　from
  compassion　for　the　girls　and　their　fathers；　but　simply　because
  they　were　applauding　such　an　insect。　　I　got　the　better　of　him　on
  that　occasion；　but　though　Zverkov　was　stupid　he　was　lively　and
  impudent；　and　so　laughed　it　off；　and　in　such　a　way　that　my
  victory　was　not　really　complete；　the　laugh　was　on　his　side。　　He
  got　the　better　of　me　on　several　occasions　afterwards；　but　without
  malice；　jestingly；　casually。　　I　remained　angrily　and
  contemptuously　silent　and　would　not　answer　him。　　When　we　left
  school　he　made　advances　to　me；　I　did　not　rebuff　them；　for　I　was
  flattered；　but　we　soon　parted　and　quite　naturally。　　Afterwards　I
  heard　of　his　barrack…room　success　as　a　lieutenant；　and　of　the
  fast　life　he　was　leading。　　Then　there　came　other　rumoursof　his
  successes　in　the　service。　　By　then　he　had　taken　to　cutting　me　in
  the　street；　and　I　suspected　that　he　was　afraid　of　compromising
  himself　by　greeting　a　personage　as　insignificant　as　me。　　I　saw
  him　once　in　the　theatre；　in　the　third　tier　of　boxes。　　By　then　he
  was　wearing　shoulder…straps。　　He　was　twisting　and　twirling　about；
  ingratiating　himself　with　the　daughters　of　an　ancient　General。
  In　three　years　he　had　gone　off　considerably；　though　he　was　still
  rather　handsome　and　adroit。　　One　could　see　that　by　the　time　he
  was　thirty　he　would　be　corpulent。　　So　it　was　to　this　Zverkov　that
  my　schoolfellows　were　going　to　give　a　dinner　on　his　departure。
  They　had　kept　up　with　him　for　those　three　years；　though　privately
  they　did　not　consider　themselves　on　an　equal　footing　with　him；　I
  am　convinced　of　that。
  Of　Simonov's　two　visitors；　one　was　Ferfitchkin；　a　Russianised
  German　a　little　fellow　with　the　face　of　a　monkey；　a　blockhead
  who　was　always　deriding　everyone；　a　very　bitter　enemy　of　mine
  from　our　days　in　the　lower　formsa　vulgar；　impudent；　swaggering
  fellow；　who　affected　a　most　sensitive　feeling　of　personal　honour；
  though；　of　course；　he　was　a　wretched　little　coward　at　heart。　　He
  was　one　of　those　worshippers　of　Zverkov　who　made　up　to　the　latter
  from　interested　motives；　and　often　borrowed　money　from　him。
  Simonov's　other　visitor；　Trudolyubov；　was　a　person　in　no　way
  remarkablea　tall　young　fellow；　in　the　army；　with　a　cold　face；
  fairly　honest；　though　he　worshipped　success　of　every　sort；　and
  was　only　capable　of　thinking　of　promotion。　　He　was　some　sort　of
  distant　relation　of　Zverkov's；　and　this；　foolish　as　it　seems；
  gave　him　a　certain　importance　among　us。　　He　always　thought　me　of
  no　consequence　whatever；　his　behaviour　to　me；　though　not　quite
  courteous；　was　tolerable。
  〃Well；　with　seven　roubles　each；〃　said　Trudolyubov；　〃twenty…one
  roubles　between　the　three　of　us；　we　ought　to　be　able　to　get　a
  good　dinner。　　Zverkov；　of　course；　won't　pay。〃
  〃Of　course　not；　since　we　are　inviting　him；〃　Simonov　decided。
  〃Can　you　imagine；〃　Ferfitchkin　interrupted　hotly　and　conceitedly；
  like　some　insolent　flunkey　boasting　of　his　master　the　General's
  decorations；　〃can　you　imagine　that　Zverkov　will　let　us　pay　alone？
  He　will　accept　from　delicacy；　but　he　will　order　half　a　dozen
  bottles　of　champagne。〃
  〃Do　we　want　half　a　dozen　for　the　four　of　us？〃　observed
  Trudolyubov；　taking　notice　only　of　the　half　dozen。
  〃So　the　three　of　us；　with　Zverkov　for　the　fourth；　twenty…one
  roubles；　at　the　Hotel　de　Paris　at　five　o'clock　tomorrow；〃
  Simonov；　who　had　been　asked　to　make　the　arrangements；　concluded
  finally。
  〃How　twenty…one　roubles？〃　I　asked　in　some　agitation；　with　a　show
  of　being　offended；　〃if　you　count　me　it　will　not　be　twenty…one；
  but　twenty…eight　roubles。〃
  It　seemed　to　me　that　to　invite　myself　so　suddenly　and
  unexpectedly　would　be　positively　graceful；　and　that　they　would
  all　be　conquered　at　once　and　would　look　at　me　with　respect。
  〃Do　you　want　to　join；　too？〃　Simonov　observed；　with　no　appearance
  of　pleasure；　seeming　to　avoid　looking　at　me。　　He　knew　me　through
  and　through。
  It　infuriated　me　that　he　knew　me　so　thoroughly。
  〃Why　not？　　I　am　an　old　schoolfellow　of　his；　too；　I　believe；　and　I
  must　own　I　feel　hurt　that　you　have　left　me　out；〃　I　said；　boiling
  over　again。
  〃And　where　were　we　to　find　you？〃　Ferfitchkin　put　in　roughly。
  〃You　never　were　on　good　terms　with　Zverkov；〃　Trudolyubov　added；
  frowning。
  But　I　had　already　clutched　at　the　idea　and　would　not　give　it　up。
  〃It　seems　to　me　that　no　one　has　a　right　to　form　an　opinion　upon
  that；〃　I　retorted　in　a　shaking　voice；　as　though　something
  tremendous　had　happened。　　〃Perhaps　that　is　just　my　reason　for
  wishing　it　now；　that　I　have　not　always　been　on　good　terms　with
  him。〃
  〃Oh；　there's　no　making　you　out。。。with　these　refinements；〃
  Trudolyubov　jeered。
  〃We'll　put　your　name　down；〃　Simonov　decided；　addressing　me。
  〃Tomorrow　at　five…o'clock　at　the　Hotel　de　Paris。〃
  〃What　about　the　money？〃　Ferfitchkin　began　in　an　undertone；
  indicating　me　to　Simonov；　but　he　broke　off；　for　even　Simonov　was
  embarrassed。
  〃That　will　do；〃　said　Trudolyubov；　getting　up。　　〃If　he　wants　to
  come　so　much；　let　him。〃
  〃But　it's　a　private　thing；　between　us　friends；〃　Ferfitchkin　said
  crossly；　as　he；　too；　picked　up　his　hat。　　〃It's　not　an　official
  gathering。〃
  〃We　do　not　want　at　all；　perhaps。。。〃
  They　went　away。　　Ferfitchkin　did　not　greet　me　in　any　way　as　he
  went　out；　Trudolyubov　barely　nodded。　　Simonov；　with　whom　I　was
  left　tete…a…tete；　was　in　a　state　of　vexation　and　perplexity；　and
  looked　at　me　queerly。　　He　did　not　sit　down　and　did　not　ask　me　to。
  〃H'm　。。。　yes　。。。　tomorrow；　then。　　Will　you　pay　your　subscription
  now？　　I　just　ask　so　as　to　know；〃　he　muttered　in　embarrassment。
  I　flushed　crimson；　as　I　did　so　I　remembered　that　I　had　owed
  Simonov　fifteen　roubles　for　ageswhich　I　had；　indeed；　never
  forgotten；　though　I　had　not　paid　it。
  〃You　will　understand；　Simonov；　that　I　could　have　no　idea　when　I
  came　here。。。。I　am　very　much　vexed　that　I　have　forgotten　。。。。〃
  〃All　right；　all　right；　that　doesn't　matter。　　You　can　pay　tomorrow
  after　the　dinner。　　I　simply　wanted　to　know。。。。Please　don't。。。〃
  He　broke　off　and　began　pacing　the　room　still　more　vexed。　　As　he
  walked　he　began　to　stamp　with　his　heels。
  〃Am　I　keeping　you？〃　I　asked；　after　two　minutes　of　silence。
  〃Oh！〃　he　said；　starting；　〃that　isto　be　truthfulyes。　　I　have
  to　go　and　see　someone。。。not　far　from　here；〃　he　added　in　an
  apologetic　voice；　somewhat　abashed。
  〃My　goodness；　why　didn't　you　say　so？〃　I　cried；　seizing　my　cap；
  with　an　astonishingly　free…and…easy　air；　which　was　the　last　thing
  I　should　have　expected　of　myself
  〃It's　close　by。。。not　two　paces　away；〃　Simonov　repeated；
  accompanying　me　to　the　front　door　with　a　fussy　air　which　did　not
  suit　him　at　all。　　〃So　five　o'clock；　punctually；　tomorrow；〃　he
  called　down　the　stairs　after　me。　　He　was　very　glad　to　get　rid　of
  me。　　I　was　in　a　fury。
  〃What　possessed　me；　what　possessed　me　to　force　myself　upon　them？〃
  I　wondered；　grinding　my　teeth　as　I　strode　along　the　street；　〃for
  a　scoundrel；　a　pig　like　that　Zverkov！　　Of　course　I　had　better　not
  go；　of　course；　I　must　just　snap　my　fingers　at　them。　　I　am　not
  bound　in　any　way。　　I'll　send　Simonov　a　note　by　tomorrow's
  post。。。。〃
  But　what　made　me　furious　was　that　I　knew　for　certain　that　I
  should　go；　that　I　should　make　a　point　of　going；　and　the　more
  tactless；　the　more　unseemly　my　going　would　be；　the　more　certainly
  I　would　go。
  And　there　was　a　positive　obstacle　to　my　going：　I　had　no　money。
  All　I　had　was　nine　roubles；　I　had　to　give　seven　of　that　to　my
  servant；　Apollon；　for　his　monthly　wages。　　That　was　all　I　paid
  himhe　had　to　keep　himself。
  Not　to　pay　him　was　impossible；　considering　his　character。　　But　I
  will　talk　about　that　fellow；　about　that　plague　of　mine；　another
  time。
  However；　I　knew　I　should　go　and　should　not　pay　him　his　wages。
  That　night　I　had　the　most　hideous　dreams。　　No　wonder；　all　the
  evening　I　had　been　oppressed　by　memories　of　my　miserable　days　at
  school；　and　I　could　not　shake　them　off。　　I　was　sent　to　the　school
  by　distant　relations；　upon　whom　I　was　dependent　and　of　whom　I
  have　heard　nothing　sincethey　sent　me　there　a　forlorn；　silent
  boy；　already　crushed　by　their　reproaches；　already　troubled　by
  doubt；　and　looking　with　savage　distrust　at　everyone。　　My
  schoolfellows　met　me　with　spiteful　and　merciless　jibes　because　I
  was　not　like　any　of　them。　　But　I　could　not　endure　their　taunts；　I
  could　not　give　in　to　them　with　the　ignoble　readiness　with　which
  they　gave　in　to　one　another。　　I　hated　them　from　the　first；　and
  shut　myself　away　from　everyone　in　timid；　wounded　and
  disproportionate　pride。　　Their　coarseness　revolted　me。　　They
  laughed　cynically　at　my　face；　at　my　clumsy　figure；　and　yet　what
  stupid　faces　they　had　themselves。　　In　our　school　the　boys'　faces
  seemed　in　a　special　way　to　degenerate　and　grow　stupider。　　How
  many　fine…looking　boys　came　to　us！　　In　a　few　years　they　b