Page 22 (1/1)

"What do you mean?" said I, with forced calan to criticize without pity, every verse, every word, tearing me up in the most malicious fashion It was too ain would I show him any of my compositions

"We shall see," said he, "if you can keep your word; poets need a listener as Ivan Mironoff needs a decanter of brandy before dinner Who is this Marie to whoht it not be Marie Mironoff?"

"That is none of your business," said I, frowning "I want neither your advice nor supposition"

"Oh! oh! vain poet; discreet lover," continued Alexis, irritating me more and more, "listen to friendly counsel: if you want to succeed do not confine yourself to songs"

"What do you mean, sir? Explain!"

"With pleasure," he replied "I mean that if you wish to forive her a pair of earrings instead of your lackadaisical verses"

All my blood boiled "Why have you this opinion of her?" I asked, with er

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

"You lie, wretch," I cried, with furry, "you lie, shaed

"That shall not pass so," he said, grasping ive me satisfaction"

"When ever you like," I replied, joyfully, for at that moment I was ready to tear hinatius, who to orders fro 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 feords I told hinatius, to be reat 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?"

"Precisely"

"Ah! what folly; you have had so up by the neck He gives you iive you a slap, return the blow; he a second, you a third; in the end ill coht--well, if you should kill him, God be with him! for I do not like him much; but if he should perforate you, what a nice piece of business! Then ill pay for the broken pots?"