smoke,
l was alone in the carriage.
l had the window open.
Suddenly, in came two ladies
with a little poodle,
not bad-looking women.
They looked haughtily about,
and talked English together.
And l kept on smoking.
l observed that
the ladies were getting
angry over my cigar,
l took no notice.
lf they didn't like,
why couldn't they say so?
Human beings can share!
Not a word, not a hint!
Suddenly, and without
the very slightest warning,
a lady in light blue seizes
my cigar and throws it out.
On flew the train,
and l sat bewildered.
And the wild woman,
out of her wildness,
glared at me
with flashing eyes.
l didn't say a word,
but with extreme
courtesy,
l reached my fingers
over towards the poodle,
took it up delicately
by the nape of the neck
and threw it out of the
window, after the cigar.
The poodle's yells were lost.
- The train went flying on!
- Oh, you naughty man!
Bravo! Bravo!
l was right! Truly right!
lf cigars are forbidden
in carriages,
poodles are much more so.
-And what did the lady do?
- Her?
That's where all
the mischief of it lies.
Without a word,
without any warning,
she slapped me on the cheek!
Awild woman!
Out of her wildness!
-And you?
- l lost my head!
- Did you hit her?
- No! l didn't.
There was a great flare-up,
but l didn't hit her!
l had to struggle a little,
purely to defend myself.
But the very devil was
in the business.
lt turned out that the light
blue was an Englishwoman,
governess
at Princess Bielokonski's,
and the other woman was a
princess Bielokonski.
And old-maid of 35.
Well, everybody knows
what great friends
the princess and
Mrs. Epanchin are.
Of course,
l called with apologies.
And l wrote a letter,
asking for forgiveness.
But they would not receive
either me or my apology.
And the Epanchins
cut me, too!
But how is it?
5 or 6 days ago
''l read exactly the same story
in the ''''lndependance''''.''
Exactly the same!
lt happened in
a railway carriage,
between a Frenchman and
an English girl.
The cigar was snatched away
exactly as you describe,
and the poodle was thrown
out of the window after it,
as in your case,
and the dress was light blue!
But assure you that the same
thing happened to myself!
l assure you!
lt happened to myself!
My father had a trouble
with Bielokonski's governess.
How very curious,
the same anecdote happening
at different ends of Europe!
All the details are same.
l'll send you the paper.
But my experience
was 2 years earlier.
That's it, no doubt!
Father!
Will you hear a word
from me outside?
Here he is, the Judas!
Hello, Gania, you scoundrel!
You didn't expect Rogojin?!
l suppose it is true, then!
So that's the end of it!
Will you answer me or not?
What, you here too, prince?
What does it mean?!
You are not in a stable, my
mother and sister are here.
l see your mother and sister.
- May l ask you...
- He doesn't recognize me!
l have met you somewhere,
l believe.
You met me somewhere!
lt's only 3 months since
l lost 200 roubles to you.
You made me play,
and you cheated.
Ptitsin knows all about it.
l'll show a 3-rouble note
and you'd crawl on your
hands and knees to get it.
l've come now
to buy you up!
Don't think that because
l wear these boots,
l have no money. l have!
Enough to buy up you
and all yours together!
l'll buy you up!
l will!
Nastasia Philipovna!
Don't turn me out!
Say, are you going
to marry this man, or not?
Certainly not.
What are you thinking of?
No?!
No?!
And they told me you had
promised to marry him.
Him!
As if you could do it!
l'd buy him for 100 roubles!
l'll give him 3 thousand,
he'd run before his wedding,
and leave his bride to me!
Wouldn't you, Gania, skunk?
Would you take 3 thousand?
Here they are! l've come
to pay you off!
Get out of this,
you drunken beast!
Nastasia Philipovna!
18 thousand.
And you shall have more.
Damn!
l lied.
Why l listened to you!
18 thousand roubles, for me?!