"Good! You have the law on your side, and will, of course, win
your case. I want to tell you this at the very beginning."

"I thank you most humbly," said the sergeant, rubbing his eyes in
order to hide the smile in them.

"But tell me, why did you make the acquaintance of your future
neighbours like this through the law courts?"

Vaviloff shrugged his shoulders and did not answer.

"It would have been better to come straight to us and settle the
matter peacefully, eh? What do you think?"

"That would have been better, of course, but you see there is a
difficulty . . . I did not follow my own wishes, but those of
others . . . I learned afterwards that it would have been better
if . . . but it was too late."

"Oh! I suppose some lawyer taught you this?"

"Someone of that sort."

"Aha! Do you wish to settle the affair peacefully?"

"With all my heart!" cried the soldier.

Petunikoff was silent for a moment, then looked at him, and
suddenly asked, coldly and drily, "And why do you wish to do so?"