'He liberal! You just try it on!... This morning, relying on your
intercession, I asked him for cash. What do you suppose the old
skinflint answered? "I'll pay your debts," says he, "if you like. Up to
twenty-five roubles inclusive!" Do you hear, inclusive! No, sir, this
was a gift from God in my destitution. A lucky chance.'

'Been robbing someone?' Fustov hazarded carelessly.

Viktor frowned.

'Robbing, no indeed! I won it, won it from an officer, a guardsman. He
only arrived from Petersburg yesterday. Such a chain of circumstances!
It's worth telling... only this isn't the place. Come along to Yar's;
not a couple of steps. I'll stand the show, as I said!'

We ought, perhaps, to have refused; but we followed without making any
objection.


XV


At Yar's we were shown into a private room; supper was served, champagne
was brought. Viktor related to us, omitting no detail, how he had in a
certain 'gay' house met this officer of the guards, a very nice chap and
of good family, only without a hap'orth of brains; how they had made
friends, how he, the officer that is, had suggested as a joke a game of
'fools' with Viktor with some old cards, for next to nothing, and with
the condition that the officer's winnings should go to the benefit of
Wilhelmina, but Viktor's to his own benefit; how afterwards they had got