intimacy with Marie Mironoff, you have only to give her a pair of
earrings instead of your lackadaisical verses."

All my blood boiled. "Why have you this opinion of her?" I asked,
with much effort restraining my anger.

"Because," said he, "of my own experience."

"You lie, wretch," I cried, with furry, "you lie, shamelessly."

Alexis was enraged.

"That shall not pass so," he said, grasping my hand. "You shall give
me satisfaction."

"When ever you like," I replied, joyfully, for at that moment I was
ready to tear him to pieces. I ran at once to see Ivan Ignatius, whom
I found with a needle in his hand. According to orders from the
Commandant's wife, he was stringing mushrooms which were to be dried
for winter use.

"Ah! Peter Grineff, be welcome. Dare I ask on what business God sends
you here?"

In a few words I told him of my quarrel with Alexis, and begged him,
Ignatius, to be my second. Ignatius heard me to the end with great
attention, opening wide his only eye.

"You deign to say that you want to kill Alexis, and desire that I
should witness the act? Is that what you mean, dare I ask?"