headwarned
Tarr
definitely
where
he
was
.
He
got
up
.
The
absurdity
in
the
situation
he
had
got
himself
into
chiefly
worried
him
.
He
stood
a
moment
in
a
discouraged
way
,
as
though
trying
to
remember
something
.
His
desire
for
a
row
had
vanished
with
the
arrival
of
it
.
It
had
come
at
such
an
angle
that
it
was
difficult
to
say
anything
,
and
he
had
a
superstition
of
the
vanity
about
the
marks
left
by
hands
,
or
rather
his
hands
.
“
Will
you
tell
me
what
on
earth’s
the
matter
with
you
to-night
?
”
he
asked
.
“
Yes
!
I
don’t
want
to
be
followed
about
by
an
underhand
swine
like
you
any
longer
!
By
what
devil’s
impudence
did
you
come
here
to-night
?
For
a
week
I’ve
had
you
in
the
café
.
What
did
you
want
with
me
?
If
you
wanted
your
girl
back
,
why
hadn’t
you
the
courage
to
say
so
?
I
saw
you
with
another
lady
to-night
.
I’m
not
going
to
have
you
hovering
and
slavering
around
me
.
Be
careful
I
don’t
come
and
pull
your
nose
when
I
see
you
with
that
other
lady
!
You’re
welcome
,
besides
,
to
your
girl
—
—
”
“
I
recommend
you
to
hold
your
mouth
!
Don’t
talk
about
my
girl
.
I’ve
had
enough
of
it
.
Where
her
sense
was
when
she
alighted
on
a
specimen
like
you
—
”
Tarr’s
German
hesitated
and
suddenly
struck
,
as
though
for
the
rest
of
the
night
.
He
had
stepped
forward
with
a
suggestion
of
readiness
for
drama
:
“
Heraus
,
schwein
!
”
shouted
Kreisler
,
in
a
sort
of
incredulous
drawling
crescendo
,
shooting
his
hand
towards
the
door
and
urging
his
body
like
the
cox
of
a
boat
.
Like
a
sheep-dog
he
appeared
to
be
collecting
Tarr
together
and
urging
him
out
.
Tarr
stood
staring
doubtfully
at
him
.
“
What
—
”
“
Heraus
!
Out
!
Quicker
!
Quicker
!
!
Quick
!
”
His
last
word
,
“
Schnell
!
”
dropped
like
a
plummet
to
the
deepest
tone
his
throat
was
capable
of
.
It
was
short
and
so
absolutely
final
that
the
grace
given
,
even
after
it
had
been
uttered
,
for
this
hateful
visitor
to
remove
himself
,
was
a
source
of
astonishment
to
Tarr
.
For
a
man
to
be
ordered
out
of
a
room
that
does
not
belong
to
him
always
puts
him
at
a
disadvantage
.
Should
he
insist
,
forcibly
and
successfully
,
to
remain
,
it
can
only
be
for
a
limited
time
.
He
will
have
to
go
sooner
or
later
,
and
make
his
exit
,
unless
he
establish
himself
there
and
make
it
his
home
henceforth
;
a
change
of
lodging
most
people
are
not
,
on
the
spur
of
the
moment
,
prepared
to
decide
on
.
The
room
,
somehow
,
too
,
seems
on
its
owner’s
side
,
and
to
be
vomiting
forth
the
intruder
.
The
civilized
man’s
instinct
of
ownership
makes
it
impossible
for
any
but
the
most
indelicate
to
resist
a
feeling
of
hesitation
before
the
idea
of
resistance
in
another
man’s
shell
!
All
Tarr’s
attitude
to
this
man
had
been
made
up
of
a
sort
of
comic
hypocrisy
.
Neither
comedy
nor
hypocrisy
were
usable
for
the
moment
.
Had
Tarr
foreseen
this
possible
termination
of
his
rôle
of
“
obstacle
?
”
And
ought
he
,
he
would
ask
himself
,
to
have
gone
on
with
this
half-farce
if
he
were
not
prepared
to
meet
the
ultimate
consequences
?
Kreisler
was
quite
unworthy
to
stand
there
,
with
perfect
reason
,
and
to
be
telling
him
to
“
get
out
.
”
It
was
absurd
to
exalt
Kreisler
in
that
way
!
But
Tarr
had
probably
counted
on
being
equal
to
any
emergency
,
and
baffling
or
turning
Kreisler’s
violence
in
some
genial
manner
.
He
stood
for
a
few
seconds
in
a
tumultuous
hesitation
,
when
he
saw
Kreisler
run
across
the
room
,
bend
forward
and
dive
his
arm
down
behind
his
box
.
He
watched
with
uncomfortable
curiosity
this
new
move
,
as
one
might
watch
a
surgeon’s
haste
at
the
crisis
of
an
operation
,
searching
for
some
necessary
implement
,
mislaid
for
the
moment
.
He
felt
schoolboy-like
,
left
waiting
there
at
Kreisler’s
disposition
.
It
was
as
a
reaction
against
this
unpleasant
feeling
that
he
stepped
towards
the
door
.
The
wish
not
to
“
obey
”
or
to
seem
to
turn
tail
either
had
alone
kept
him
where
he
was
.
He
had
just
found
the
door
when
Kreisler
,
with
a
bound
,
was
back
from
his
box
,
flourishing
an
old
dog-whip
in
his
hand
.
“
Ah
,
you
go
?
Look
at
this
!
”
He
cracked
the
whip
once
or
twice
.
“
This
is
what
I
keep
for
hounds
like
you
!
”
Crack
!
He
cracked
it
again
in
rather
an
inexperienced
way
with
a
certain
difficulty
.
He
frowned
and
stopped
in
his
discourse
,
as
though
it
had
been
some
invention
he
were
showing
off
,
that
would
not
quite
work
at
the
proper
moment
,
necessitating
concentration
.
.
“
If
you
wish
to
see
me
again
,
you
can
always
find
me
here
.
You
won’t
get
off
so
easily
next
time
!
”
He
cracked
the
whip
smartly
and
then
slammed
the
door
.
Tarr
could
imagine
him
throwing
it
down
in
a
corner
of
the
room
,
and
then
going
on
with
his
undressing
.
When
Kreisler
had
jumped
to
the
doorway
Tarr
had
stepped
out
with
a
half-defensive
,
half-threatening
gesture
and
then
gone
on
with
strained
slowness
,
lighting
a
match
at
the
head
of
the
stairs
.
He
felt
like
a
discomfited
pub-loafer
as
he
raised
the
match
to
an
imaginary
clay
pipe
rising
in
his
mind
.
There
was
the
ostentatious
coolness
of
the
music-hall
comedian
.
The
thing
that
had
chiefly
struck
him
in
Kreisler
under
this
new
aspect
was
a
kind
of
nimbleness
,
a
pettiness
in
his
behaviour
and
movements
,
where
perhaps
he
had
expected
more
stiffness
and
heroics
;
the
clown-like
gibing
form
his
anger
took
,
a
frigid
disagreeable
slyness
and
irony
,
a
juvenile
quickness
and
coldness
.
Tarr
was
extremely
dissatisfied
with
the
part
he
had
played
in
this
scene
.
First
of
all
he
felt
he
had
withdrawn
too
quickly
at
the
appearance
of
the
whip
,
although
he
had
in
fact
got
under
way
before
it
had
appeared
.
Then
,
he
argued
,
he
should
have
stopped
at
the
appearance
of
this
instrument
of
disgrace
.
To
stop
and
fight
with
Kreisler
,
what
objection
was
there
to
that
,
he
asked
himself
?
A
taking
Kreisler
too
seriously
?
But
what
less
serious
than
fighting
?
He
had
saved
himself
an
unpleasantness
,
something
ridiculous
,
merely
to
find
himself
outside
Kreisler’s
door
,
a
feeling
of
primitive
dissatisfaction
in
him
.
Had
he
definitely
been
guilty
of
a
lack
of
pluck
or
pride
,
it
would
have
been
better
.
There
was
something
mean
and
improper
in
all
this
that
he
could
not
reason
away
or
mistake
.
He
had
undoubtedly
insulted
this
man
by
his
attitude
,
s'en
était
fiché
de
lui
;
and
when
the
other
turned
,
whip
in
hand
,
he
had
walked
away
.
What
really
should
he
have
done
?
He
should
,
no
doubt
,
he
thought
,
having
humorously
instituted
himself
Kreisler’s
keeper
,
have
humorously
struggled
with
him
,
when
the
idiot
became
obstreperous
.
At
that
point
his
humour
had
stopped
.
Then
his
humour
had
limitations
?
Once
and
for
all
and
certainly
:
he
had
no
right
to
treat
a
man
as
he
had
treated
Kreisler
and
yet
claim
,
when
he
turned
and
resented
this
treatment
,
immunity
.from
action
on
the
score
of
Kreisler’s
idiocy
.
In
allowing
the
physical
struggle
any
importance
he
allowed
Kreisler
an
importance
,
too
,
that
made
his
former
treatment
of
him
unreal
and
unjustified
.
In
Kreisler’s
eyes
he
was
a
blagueur
,
without
resistance
at
a
pinch
,
who
walks
away
when
turned
on
.
This
opinion
was
of
no
importance
,
since
he
had
not
a
shadow
'
of
respect
for
Kreisler
.
Again
he
turned
on
himself
.
If
he
was
so
weak-minded
as
to
care
what
trash
like
Kreisler
thought
or
felt
!
He
wandered
in
the
direction
of
the
Café
de
l’Aigle
,
gripped
in
this
ratiocination
.
His
unreadiness
,
his
dislike
for
action
,
his
fear
of
ridicule
,
he
treated
severely
in
turn
.
He
thought
of
everything
he
could
against
himself
.
And
he
laughed
at
himself
.
But
it
was
no
good
.
At
last
he
gave
way
to
the
urgency
of
his
vanity
and
determined
not
to
leave
the
matter
where
it
was
.
At
once
plans
for
retrieving
this
discomfort
came
crowding
on
him
.
He
would
go
to
the
café
as
usual
on
the
following
evening
,
sit
down
smilingly
at
Kreisler’s
table
as
though
nothing
had
happened
.
In
short
,
he
would
altogether
endorse
the
opinion
that
Kreisler
had
formed
of
him
.
And
yet
why
this
meanness
,
even
assumed
,
Tarr
asked
himself
,
even
while
arranging
realistically
his
to-morrow
evening’s
purification
?
Always
in
a
contemptuous
spirit
,
some
belittlement
or
unsavoury
rôle
was
suggesting
itself
.
His
contempt
for
everybody
degraded
him
.
Still
,
for
a
final
occasion
and
since
he
was
going
this
time
to
accept
any
consequences
,
he
would
follow
his
idea
.
He
would
be
,
to
Kreisler’s
mind
for
a
little
,
the
strange
“
slaverer
and
hoverer
”
who
had
been
kicked
out
on
the
previous
night
.
He
would
even
have
to
“
pile
it
on
thick
”
to
be
accepted
at
all
,
exaggerate
in
the
direction
of
Kreisler’s
unflattering
notion
of
him
.
Then
he
would
gradually
aggravate
Kreisler
,
and
with
the
same
bonhomie
attack
him
with
resolution
.
He
laughed
as
he
came
to
this
point
,
as
a
sensible
old
man
might
laugh
at
himself
on
arriving
at
a
similar
decision
.
Soothed
by
the
prospect
of
this
rectification
of
the
evening’s
blunder
,
Tarr
once
more
turned
to
reflect
on
it
,
and
saw
more
clearly
than
ever
the
parallel
morals
of
his
Bertha
affair
and
his
Kreisler
affair
.
His
sardonic
dream
of
life
got
him
,
as
a
sort
of
Quixotic
dreamer
of
inverse
illusions
,
blows
from
the
swift
arms
of
windmills
and
attacks
from
indignant
and
perplexed
mankind
.
He
,
instead
of
having
conceived
the
world
as
more
chivalrous
and
marvellous
than
it
was
,
had
conceived
it
as
emptied
of
all
dignity
,
sense
,
and
generousness
.
The
drovers
and
publicans
were
angry
at
not
being
mistaken
for
legendary
chivalry
or
chatelaines
.
The
very
windmills
resented
not
being
taken
for
giants
!
The
curse
of
humour
was
in
him
,
anchoring
him
at
one
end
of
the
see-saw
whose
movement
and
contradiction
was
life
.
Reminded
of
Bertha
,
he
did
not
,
however
,
hold
her
responsible
.
But
his
protectorate
would
be
wound
up
.
Acquaintance
with
Anastasya
would
be
left
where
it
was
,
despite
the
threatened
aggression
against
his
nose
.
PART
VI
.
HOLOCAUSTS
CHAPTER
I
Tarr’s
character
at
this
time
performed
repeatedly
the
following
manoeuvre
:
his
best
energies
would
,
once
a
farce
was
started
,
gradually
take
over
the
business
from
the
play
department
and
continue
it
as
a
serious
line
of
its
own
.
It
was
as
though
it
had
not
the
go
to
initiate
anything
of
its
own
accord
.
It
was
content
to
exploit
the
clown’s
discoveries
.
The
bellicose
visit
to
Kreisler
now
projected
was
launched
to
a
slow
blast
of
Humour
,
ready
,
when
the
time
came
,
to
turn
into
a
storm
.
His
contempt
for
the
German
would
not
allow
him
to
enter
into
anything
seriously
against
him
.
Kreisler
was
a
joke
.
Jokes
,
it
had
to
be
admitted
(
and
in
that
they
became
more
effective
than
ever
)
,
were
able
to
make
you
sweat
.
That
Kreisler
could
be
anywhere
but
at
the
café
de
l’Aigle
on
the
following
evening
never
entered
Tarr’s
head
.
As
he
was
on
an
unpleasant
errand
,
he
took
it
for
granted
that
Fate
would
on
this
occasion
put
everything
punctually
at
his
disposal
.
Had
it
been
an
errand
of
pleasure
,
he
would
have
instinctively
supposed
the
reverse
.
At
ten
,
and
at
half-past
,
his
rival
had
not
yet
arrived
.
Tarr
set
out
to
make
rapidly
a
tour
of
the
other
cafés
.
But
Kreisler
might
be
turning
over
a
new
leaf
.
He
might
be
going
to
bed
,
as
on
the
previous
evening
.
He
must
not
be
again
sought
,
though
,
on
his
own
territory
.
The
moral
disadvantage
of
this
position
,
on
a
man’s
few
feet
of
most
intimate
floor
space
,
Tarr
had
clearly
realized
.
The
Cafe
Souchet
,
the
most
frequented
café
of
the
Quarter
,
entered
merely
in
a
spirit
of
German
thoroughness
,
was
,
however
,
the
one
.
More
alert
,
and
brushed
up
a
little
,
Tarr
thought
,
Kreisler
was
sitting
with
another
man
,
with
a
bearded
,
naif
,
and
rather
pleasant
face
,
over
his
coffee
.
No
pile
of
saucers
this
time
attended
him
.
The
stranger
was
a
complication
.
Perhaps
the
night’s
affair
should
be
put
off
until
the
conditions
were
more
favourable
.
But
Tarr’s
vanity
was
impatient
.
His
wait
in
the
original
cafe
had
made
him
nervous
and
hardly
capable
of
acting
with
circumspection
.
On
the
other
hand
,
it
might
come
at
once
.
This
was
an
opposite
complication
.
Kreisler
might
open
hostilities
on
the
spot
.
This
would
rob
him
of
the
subtle
benefits
to
be
derived
from
his
gradual
strategy
.
This
must
be
risked
.
He
was
not
very
calm
.
He
crudely
went
up
to
Kreisler’s
table
and
sat
down
.
The
feeling
of
the
lack
of
aplomb
in
this
action
,
and
his
disappointment
at
the
presence
of
the
other
man
,
chased
the
necessary
good
humour
out
of
his
face
.
He
had
carefully
preserved
this
expression
for
some
time
,
even
walking
lazily
and
quietly
as
if
he
were
carrying
a
jug
of
milk
.
Now
it
vanished
in
a
moment
.
Despite
himself
,
he
sat
down
opposite
Kreisler
as
solemn
as
a
judge
,
pale
,
his
eyes
fixed
on
the
object
of
his
activity
with
something
like
a
scowl
.
But
,
his
first
absorption
in
his
own
sensations
lifted
and
eased
a
little
,
he
recognized
that
something
very
unusual
was
in
the
air
.
Kreisler
and
his
friend
were
not
speaking
or
doing
anything
visibly
.
They
were
just
sitting
still
,
two
self-possessed
malefactors
.
Nevertheless
,
Tarr’s
arrival
to
all
appearance
disturbed
and
even
startled
them
,
as
if
they
had
been
completely
wrapped
up
in
some
engrossing
game
or
conspiracy
.
Kreisler
had
his
eyes
trained
across
the
room
.
The
other
man
,
too
,
was
turned
slightly
in
that
direction
,
although
his
eyes
followed
the
tapping
of
his
boot
against
the
ironwork
of
the
table
,
and
he
only
looked
up
occasionally
.
Kreisler
turned
round
,
stared
at
Tarr
without
at
once
taking
in
who
it
was
;
then
,
as
though
saying
to
himself
,
“
It’s
only
Bertha’s
Englishman
,
”
he
took
up
his
former
wilful
and
patient
attitude
,
his
eyes
fixed
.
Tarr
had
grinned
a
little
as
Kreisler
turned
his
way
,
rescued
from
his
solemnity
.
There
was
just
a
perceptible
twist
in
the
German’s
neck
and
shade
of
expression
that
would
have
said
“
Ah
,
there
you
are
?
Well
,
be
quiet
,
we’re
having
some
fun
.
Just
you
wait
!
”
But
Tarr
was
so
busy
with
his
own
feelings
that
he
didn’t
understand
this
message
.
He
wondered
if
he
had
been
seen
by
Kreisler
in
the
distance
,
and
if
this
reception
had
been
concerted
between
him
and
his
friend
.
If
so
,
why
?
Sitting
,
as
he
was
,
with
his
back
to
the
room
,
he
stared
at
his
neighbour
.
His
late
boon
companion
distinctly
was
waiting
,
with
absurd
patience
,
for
something
.
The
poise
of
his
head
,
the
set
of
his
yellow
Prussian
jaw
,
were
truculent
,
although
otherwise
he
was
peaceful
and
attentive
.
His
collar
looked
new
rather
than
clean
.
His
necktie
was
one
not
familiar
to
Tarr
.
Boots
shone
impassibly
under
the
table
.
Tarr
screwed
his
chair
sideways
,
and
faced
the
room
.
It
was
full
of
people
—
very
athletically
dressed
American
men
,
all
the
varieties
of
the
provincial
in
American
women
,
powdering
their
noses
and
ogling
Turks
,
or
sitting
,
the
younger
ones
,
with
blameless
interest
and
fine
complexions
.
And
there
were
plenty
of
Turks
,
Mexicans
,
Russians
and
other
“
types
”
for
the
American
ladies
!
In
the
wide
passage-way
into
the
further
rooms
sat
the
orchestra
,
playing
the
“
Moonlight
Sonata
,
”
Dvorak
and
the
“
Machiche
.
”
In
the
middle
of
the
room
,
at
Tarr’s
back
,
he
now
saw
a
group
of
eight
or
ten
young
men
whom
he
had
seen
occasionally
in
the
café
Berne
.
They
looked
rather
German
,
but
smoother
and
more
vivacious
.
Poles
or
Austrians
,
then
?
Two
or
three
of
them
appeared
to
be
amusing
themselves
at
his
expense
.
Had
they
noticed
the
little
drama
that
he
was
conducting
at
his
table
?
Were
they
friends
of
Kreisler’s
,
too
?
—
He
was
incapable
of
working
anything
out
.
He
flushed
and
felt
far
more
like
beginning
on
them
than
on
his
complicated
idiot
of
a
neighbour
,
who
had
become
a
cold
task
.
This
genuine
feeling
illuminated
for
him
the
tired
frigidity
of
his
present
employment
.
He
had
moved
his
chair
a
little
to
the
right
,
towards
the
group
at
his
back
,
and
more
in
front
of
Kreisler
,
so
that
he
could
look
into
his
face
.
On
turning
back
now
,
and
comparing
the
directions
of
the
various
pairs
of
eyes
engaged
,
he
at
length
concluded
that
he
was
without
the
sphere
of
interest
;
just
without
it
.
At
this
moment
Kreisler
sprang
up
.
His
head
was
thrust
forward
,
his
hands
were
in
rear
,
partly
clenched
and
partly
facilitating
his
passage
between
the
tables
by
hemming
in
his
coat
tails
.
The
smooth
round
cloth
at
the
top
of
his
back
,
his
smooth
head
above
that
with
no
back
to
it
,
struck
Tarr
in
the
way
a
momentary
smell
of
sweat
would
.
Germans
had
no
backs
to
them
,
or
were
like
polished
pebbles
behind
.
Tarr
mechanically
moved
his
hand
upwards
from
his
lap
to
the
edge
of
the
table
on
the
way
to
ward
off
a
blow
.
He
was
dazed
by
all
the
details
of
this
meeting
,
and
the
peculiar
miscarriage
of
his
plan
.
But
Kreisler
brushed
past
him
with
the
swift
deftness
of
a
person
absorbed
with
some
strong
movement
of
the
will
.
The
next
moment
Tarr
saw
the
party
of
young
men
he
had
been
observing
in
a
sort
of
noisy
blur
of
commotion
.
Kreisler
was
in
among
them
,
working
on
something
in
their
midst
.
There
were
two
blows
—
smack
—
smack
;
an
interval
between
them
.
He
could
not
see
who
had
received
them
.
Tarr
then
heard
Kreisler
shout
in
German
:
“
For
the
second
time
to-day
!
Is
your
courage
so
slow
that
I
must
do
it
a
third
time
?
”
Conversation
had
stopped
in
the
café
and
everybody
was
standing
.
The
companions
of
the
man
smacked
,
too
,
had
risen
in
their
seats
.
They
were
expostulating
in
three
languages
.
Several
were
mixed
up
with
the
garçons
,
who
had
rushed
up
to
do
their
usual
police
work
on
such
occasions
.
Over
Kreisler’s
shoulder
,
his
eyes
carbonized
to
a
black
sweetness
,
his
cheeks
a
sweet
sallow-white
,
with
a
red
mark
where
Kreisler’s
hand
had
been
,
Tarr
saw
the
man
his
German
friend
had
singled
out
.
He
had
sprung
towards
the
aggressor
,
but
by
that
time
Kreisler
had
been
seized
from
behind
and
was
being
hustled
towards
the
door
.
The
blow
seemed
to
hurt
his
vanity
so
much
that
he
was
standing
half-conscious
till
the
pain
abated
.
He
seemed
to
wish
to
brush
the
blow
off
,
but
was
too
vain
to
raise
his
hands
to
his
cheek
.
It
was
left
there
like
a
scorching
compress
.
His
friends
,
Kreisler
wrenched
away
from
them
,
were
left
standing
in
a
group
,
in
attitudes
more
or
less
of
violent
expostulation
and
excitement
.
Kreisler
receded
in
the
midst
of
a
band
of
waiters
towards
the
door
.
He
was
resisting
and
protesting
,
but
not
too
much
to
retard
his
quick
exit
.
The
garçons
had
the
self-conscious
unconcern
of
civilian
braves
.
The
young
man
attacked
and
his
friends
were
explaining
what
had
happened
,
next
,
to
the
manager
of
the
cafe
.
A
garçon
brought
in
a
card
on
a
plate
.
There
was
a
new
outburst
of
protest
and
contempt
from
the
others
.
The
plate
was
presented
to
the
individual
chiefly
concerned
,
who
brushed
it
away
,
as
though
he
had
been
refusing
a
dish
that
a
waiter
was
,
for
some
reason
,
pressing
upon
him
.
Then
suddenly
he
took
up
the
card
,
tore
it
in
half
,
and
again
waived
away
the
persistent
platter
.
The
garçon
looked
at
the
manager
of
the
café
and
then
returned
to
the
door
.
So
this
was
what
Kreisler
and
the
little
bearded
man
had
been
so
busy
about
!
Kreisler
had
laid
his
plans
for
the
evening
as
well
!
Tarr’s
scheme
was
destined
not
to
be
realized
;
unless
he
followed
Kreisler
at
once
,
and
got
up
a
second
row
,
a
more
good-natured
one
,
just
outside
the
cafe
?
Should
he
go
out
now
and
punch
Kreisler’s
head
,
fight
about
a
little
bit
,
and
then
depart
,
his
business
done
,
and
leave
Kreisler
to
go
on
with
his
other
row
?
For
he
felt
that
Kreisler
intended
making
an
evening
of
it
.
His
companion
bad
not
taken
part
in
the
fracas
,
but
had
followed
on
his
heels
in
his
ejection
,
protesting
with
a
vehemence
that
was
intended
to
hypnotize
.
Just
at
the
moment
when
he
had
felt
that
he
was
going
to
be
one
of
the
principal
parties
to
a
violent
scene
,
Tarr
had
witnessed
,
not
himself
at
all
,
but
another
man
snatched
up
into
his
role
.
He
felt
relieved
.
As
he
watched
the
man
Kreisler
had
struck
,
he
seemed
to
be
watching
himself
.
And
yet
he
felt
rather
on
the
side
of
Kreisler
.
With
a
mortified
chuckle
he
prepared
to
pay
for
his
drink
and
be
off
,
leaving
Kreisler
for
ever
to
his
very
complicated
,
mysterious
and
turbulent
existence
.
He
noticed
just
then
that
Kreisler’s
friend
had
come
back
again
,
and
was
talking
to
the
man
who
had
been
struck
.
He
could
hear
that
they
were
speaking
Russian
or
Polish
.
With
great
collectedness
,
Kreisler’s
emissary
,
evidently
,
was
meeting
their
noisy
expostulations
.
He
could
not
at
least
,
like
a
card
,
be
torn
in
half
!
On
the
other
hand
,
in
his
person
he
embodied
the
respectability
of
a
visiting
card
.
He
was
dressed
with
perfect
“
correctness
”
suitable
to
such
occasions
and
such
missions
as
his
appeared
to
be
.
By
his
gestures
(
one
of
which
was
the
taking
an
imaginary
card
between
his
thumb
and
forefinger
and
tearing
it
)
Tarr
could
follow
a
little
what
he
was
saying
.
“
That
,
sir
,
”
he
seemed
to
assert
,
“
is
not
the
way
to
treat
a
gentleman
.
That
,
too
,
is
an
insult
no
gentleman
will
support
.
”
He
pointed
towards
the
door
.
“
Herr
Kreisler
,
as
you
know
,
cannot
enter
the
café
;
he
is
waiting
there
for
your
reply
.
He
has
been
turned
out
like
a
drunken
workman
.
”
The
Russian
was
as
grave
as
he
was
collected
,
and
stood
in
front
of
the
other
principal
in
this
affair
,
who
had
sat
down
again
now
,
with
the
evident
determination
to
get
a
different
reply
.
The
talking
went
on
for
some
time
.
Then
he
turned
towards
Tarr
,
and
,
seeing
him
watching
the
discussion
,
came
towards
him
,
raising
his
hat
.
He
said
in
French
:
“
You
know
Herr
Kreisler
,
I
believe
.
Will
you
consent
to
act
for
him
with
me
,
in
an
affair
that
unfortunately
—
—
?
If
you
would
step
over
here
,
I
will
put
you
‘
au
courant.’
”
“
I’m
afraid
I
cannot
act
for
Herr
Kreisler
,
as
I
am
leaving
Paris
early
to-morrow
morning
,
”
Tarr
replied
.
But
the
Russian
displayed
the
same
persistence
with
him
as
he
had
observed
him
already
capable
of
with
the
other
people
.
At
last
Tarr
said
,
“
I
don’t
mind
acting
temporarily
for
a
few
minutes
,
now
,
until
you
can
find
somebody
else
.
But
you
must
understand
that
I
cannot
delay
my
journey
—
you
must
find
a
substitute
at
once
.
”
The
Russian
explained
with
business-like
gusto
and
precision
,
having
drawn
him
towards
the
door
(
seemingly
to
cut
off
a
possible
retreat
of
the
enemy
)
,
that
it
was
a
grave
affair
.
Kreisler’s
honour
was
compromised
.
His
friend
Otto
Kreisler
had
been
provoked
in
an
extraordinary
fashion
.
Stories
had
been
put
about
concerning
him
,
affecting
seriously
the
sentiments
of
a
girl
he
knew
regarding
him
;
put
about
with
that
object
by
another
gentleman
,
also
acquainted
with
this
girl
.
The
Russian
luxuriated
emphatically
on
this
point
.
Tarr
suggested
that
they
should
settle
the
matter
at
once
,
as
he
had
not
very
much
time
.
He
was
puzzled
.
Surely
the
girl
mentioned
must
be
Bertha
?
If
so
,
had
Bertha
been
telling
more
fibs
?
Was
the
Kreisler
mystery
after
all
to
her
discredit
?
Perhaps
he
was
now
in
the
presence
of
another
rival
,
existing
,
unknown
to
him
,
even
during
his
friendship
with
her
.
In
this
heroic
,
very
solemnly
official
atmosphere
of
ladies’
“
honour
”
and
the
“
honour
”
of
gentlemen
,
that
the
little
Russian
was
creating
,
Tarr
unwillingly
remained
for
some
time
.
Noisy
bursts
of
protest
from
other
members
of
the
opposing
party
met
the
Russian’s
points
.
“
It
was
all
nonsense
;
”
they
shouted
;
“
there
could
be
no
question
of
honour
here
.
Kreisler
was
a
quarrelsome
German
.
He
was
drunk
.
”
Tarr
liked
his
own
farces
.
But
to
be
drawn
into
the
service
of
one
of
Kreisler’s
was
a
humiliation
.
Kreisler
,
without
taking
any
notice
of
him
,
had
turned
the
tables
.
The
discussion
was
interminable
.
They
were
now
speaking
French
.
The
entire
café
appeared
to
be
participating
.
Several
times
the
principal
on
the
other
side
attempted
to
go
,
evidently
very
cross
at
the
noisy
scene
.
Then
Anastasya’s
name
was
mentioned
.
Tarr
found
new
interest
in
the
scene
.
“
You
and
Herr
Kreisler
,
”
the
Russian
was
saying
patiently
and
distinctly
,
“
exchanged
blows
,
I
understand
,
this
afternoon
,
before
this
lady
.
This
was
as
a
result
of
my
friend
Herr
Kreisler
demanding
certain
explanations
from
you
which
you
refused
to
give
.
These
explanations
had
reference
to
certain
stories
you
are
supposed
to
have
circulated
as
regards
him
.
”
“
Circulated
—
as
regards
—
that
chimpanzee
you
are
conducting
about
?
”
“
If
you
please
!
By
being
abusive
you
cannot
escape
.
You
are
accused
by
my
friend
of
having
at
'
his
expense
“
Expense
?
Does
he
want
money
?
”
‘
‘
If
you
please
!
You
cannot
buy
off
Herr
Kreisler
;
but
he
might
be
willing
for
you
to
pay
a
substitute
if
you
find
it
—
inconvenient
“
I
find
you
,
bearded
idiot
!
“
We
can
settle
all
that
afterwards
.
You
understand
me
?
I
shall
be
quite
ready
!
But
at
present
it
is
the
affair
between
you
and
Herr
Kreisler
In
brief
,
it
was
the
hapless
Soltyk
that
Kreisler
had
eventually
got
hold
of
,
and
had
just
now
publicly
smacked
,
having
some
hours
before
smacked
him
privately
.
CHAPTER
II
Kreisler’s
afternoon
encounter
with
Anastasya
and
Soltyk
had
resembled
Tarr’s
meeting
with
him
and
Bertha
.
Kreisler
had
seen
Anastasya
and
his
new
cafe
friend
one
day
from
his
window
.
His
reference
to
possible
nose-pulling
was
accounted
for
by
this
.
The
next
day
he
had
felt
rather
like
seeing
Anastasya
again
somewhere
.
With
this
object
,
he
had
patrolled
the
neighbourhood
.
About
four
o’clock
,
having
just
bought
some
cigarettes
at
the
“
Berne
,
”
he
was
standing
outside
considering
a
walk
in
the
Luxemburg
,
when
Fraulein
Vasek
appeared
in
this
unshunnable
circus
of
the
Quartier
du
Paradis
.
Soltyk
was
with
her
.
He
went
over
at
once
.
With
urbane
timidity
,
as
though
they
had
been
alone
,
he
offered
his
hand
.
She
looked
at
Soltyk
,
smiling
.
But
she
showed
no
particular
signs
of
wanting
to
escape
.
They
began
strolling
along
the
Boulevard
,
Soltyk
showing
every
sign
of
impatience
.
She
then
stopped
.
“
Mr.
Soltyk
and
I
were
just
going
to
have
the
‘
five
o’clock
’
somewhere
,
”
she
said
.
Soltyk
looked
pointedly
down
the
Boulevard
,
as
though
that
had
been
an
improper
piece
of
information
to
communicate
to
Kreisler
.
“
If
you
consent
to
my
accompanying
you
,
Fraulein
,
it
would
give
me
the
greatest
pleasure
to
remain
in
your
company
a
little
longer
.
”
She
laughed
.
“
Where
were
we
going
,
Louis
?
Didn’t
you
say
there
was
a
place
near
here
?
”
“
There
is
one
over
there
.
But
I’m
afraid
,
Fraulein
Vasek
,
I
must
leave
you
.
—
I
have
—
—
”
“
Oh
,
must
you
?
I’m
sorry
.
”
Soltyk
was
astonished
and
mortified
.
He
did
not
go
,
looking
at
her
doubtfully
.
At
this
point
Kreisler
had
addressed
him
.
“
I
said
nothing
,
sir
,
when
a
moment
ago
,
you
failed
to
return
my
salute
.
I
understand
you
were
going
to
have
tea
with
Fraulein
Vasek
.
Now
you
deprive
her
suddenly
of
the
pleasure
of
your
company
.
So
there
is
no
further
doubt
on
a
certain
point
.
Will
you
tell
me
at
once
and
clearly
what
objection
you
have
to
me
?
”
“
I
don’t
wish
to
discuss
things
of
that
sort
before
this
lady
.
”
“
Will
you
then
name
a
place
where
they
may
be
discussed
?
I
will
then
take
my
leave
?
”
“
I
see
no
necessity
to
discuss
anything
with
you
.
”
“
Ah
,
you
see
none
.
I
do
.
And
perhaps
it
is
as
well
that
Fraulein
Vasek
should
hear
.
Will
you
explain
to
me
,
sir
,
how
it
is
that
you
have
been
putting
stories
about
having
reference
to
me
,
and
to
my
discredit
,
calculated
to
prejudice
people
against
me
?
Since
this
lady
no
doubt
has
heard
some
of
your
lies
,
it
would
be
of
advantage
that
you
take
them
back
at
once
,
or
else
explain
yourself
.
”
Before
Kreisler
had
finished
,
Soltyk
said
to
Anastasya
,
“
I
had
better
go
at
once
,
to
save
you
this
—
”
Then
he
turned
to
Kreisler
,
“
I
should
have
thought
you
would
have
had
sufficient
decency
left
—
—
”
“
Decency
,
liar
?
Decency
,
lying
swine
?
Decency
—
!
What
do
you
mean
?
”
said
Kreisler
,
loudly
,
in
crescendo
.
Then
he
crossed
quickly
over
in
front
of
Anastasya
and
smacked
Soltyk
first
smartly
on
one
cheek
and
.then
on
the
other
.
“
There
is
liar
branded
on
both
your
cheeks
!
And
if
you
should
not
wish
to
have
coward
added
to
your
other
epithets
,
you
or
your
friends
will
find
me
at
the
following
address
before
the
day
is
out
.
”
Kreisler
produced
a
card
and
handed
it
to
Soltyk
.
Soltyk
stared
at
him
,
paralysed
for
the
moment
at
this
outrage
,
his
eyes
burning
with
the
sweet
intensity
Tarr
noticed
that
evening
,
taking
in
the
incredible
fact
.
He
got
the
fact
at
last
.
He
lifted
his
cane
and
brought
it
down
on
Kreisler’s
shoulders
.
Kreisler
snatched
it
from
him
,
broke
it
in
three
and
flung
it
in
his
face
,
one
of
the
splinters
making
a
little
gash
in
his
under
lip
.
Anastasya
had
turned
round
and
begun
walking
away
,
leaving
them
alone
.
Kreisler
also
waited
no
longer
,
but
marched
rapidly
off
in
the
other
direction
.
Soltyk
caught
Anastasya
up
,
and
apologized
for
what
had
occurred
,
dabbing
his
lip
with
a
handkerchief
.
Kreisler
after
this
felt
himself
fairly
launched
on
a
satisfactory
little
affair
.
Many
an
old
talent
would
come
in
useful
.
He
acted
for
the
rest
of
the
day
with
a
gusto
of
professional
interest
.
For
an
hour
or
two
he
stayed
at
home
.
No
one
came
,
however
,
to
call
him
to
account
.
Leaving
word
that
he
would
soon
be
back
,
he
left
in
search
of
a
man
to
act
for
him
.
He
remembered
a
Russian
he
had
had
some
talk
with
at
the
Studio
,
and
whom
he
had
once
visited
.
He
was
celebrated
for
having
had
a
duel
and
blinded
his
opponent
.
His
instinct
now
led
him
to
this
individual
,
who
has
already
been
seen
in
action
.
His
qualifications
for
a
second
were
quite
unique
.
Kreisler
found
him
just
finishing
work
.
He
had
soon
explained
what
he
required
of
him
.
With
great
gravity
he
set
forth
his
attachment
for
a
“
beautiful
girl
,
”
the
discreditable
behaviour
of
the
Russian
in
seeking
to
prejudice
her
against
him
.
In
fact
,
he
gave
an
entirely
false
picture
of
the
whole
situation
.
His
honour
must
now
be
satisfied
.
He
would
accept
nothing
less
than
reparation
by
arms
.
Such
was
Kreisler
,
but
he
was
himself
very
cynically
.
He
had
explained
this
to
Volker
after
the
following
manner
:
“
I
am
a
hundred
different
things
;
I
am
as
many
people
as
the
different
types
of
people
I
have
lived
amongst
.
I
am
a
‘
Boulevardier
’
(
he
believed
that
on
occasion
he
answered
fully
to
that
description
)
,
I
am
a
‘
Rapin
’
;
I
am
also
a
‘
Korps-student.’
”
In
his
account
of
how
things
stood
he
had
,
besides
,
led
the
Russian
to
understand
that
there
was
more
in
it
all
than
it
was
necessary
to
say
,
and
,
in
fact
,
than
he
could
say
.
Whatever
attitude
Soltyk
might
take
up
,
this
gentleman
too
knew
,
he
hinted
,
that
they
had
come
to
the
point
in
their
respective
relations
towards
this
“
beautiful
girl
”
at
which
one
of
them
must
disappear
.
In
addition
,
he
,
Kreisler
,
had
been
grossly
insulted
in
the
very
presence
of
the
“
beautiful
girl
”
that
afternoon
.
The
Russian’s
compatriot
had
used
his
cane
.
These
latter
were
facts
that
would
be
confirmed
later
,
for
the
physical
facts
at
least
could
not
be
got
round
by
Soltyk
.
The
Russian
,
Bitzenko
by
name
,
a
solemnly
excitable
bourgeois
of
Petrograd
,
recognized
a
situation
after
his
own
heart
.
Excitement
was
a
food
he
seldom
got
in
such
quantities
,
and
pretending
to
listen
to
Kreisler
a
little
abstractedly
and
uncertainly
to
start
with
,
he
was
really
from
the
first
very
much
his
man
.
So
Kreisler
and
his
newly
found
henchman
,
silently
and
intently
engaged
on
their
evening’s
business
,
have
been
accounted
for
.
Soltyk
had
been
discovered
some
quarter
of
an
hour
before
Tarr’s
appearance
,
and
stared
out
of
countenance
for
the
whole
of
the
time
by
Kreisler
.
CHAPTER
III
The
indignation
and
flurry
subsided
;
but
the
child
of
this
eruption
remained
.
The
Polish
party
found
the
legacy
of
the
uproar
as
cold
as
its
cause
had
been
hot
.
Bitzenko
inspired
respect
as
he
scratched
his
beard
,
which
smelt
of
Turkish
tobacco
,
and
wrinkled
up
imperturbably
small
grey
eyes
.
Then
,
the
excitement
over
,
the
red
mark
on
Soltyk’s
cheek
became
merely
a
fact
.
One
or
two
of
his
friends
found
themselves
examining
it
obliquely
,
as
a
relic
,
with
curiosity
.
He
had
had
his
face
smacked
earlier
in
the
day
,
as
well
.
How
much
longer
was
his
face
going
to
go
on
being
smacked
?
Here
was
this
Russian
still
there
.
There
was
the
chance
of
an
affair
.
A
duel
—
a
duel
,
for
a
change
,
in
our
civilized
life
;
c'était
une
idée
.
Who
was
the
girl
the
Russian
kept
mentioning
?
Was
she
that
girl
he
had
been
telling
them
about
who
had
a
man-servant
?
Kreisler
was
a
Frei-Herr
?
The
Russian
had
referred
to
him
as
“
my
friend
the
Frei-Herr
.
”
“
Herr
Kreisler
does
not
wish
to
take
further
measures
to
ensure
himself
some
form
of
satisfaction
,
”
the
Russian
said
monotonously
.
“
There
is
always
the
police
for
drunken
blackguards
,
”
Soltyk
answered
.
“
If
you
please
!
That
is
not
the
way
!
It
is
not
usually
so
difficult
to
obtain
satisfaction
from
a
gentleman
.
”
“
But
then
I
am
not
a
gentleman
in
the
sense
that
your
friend
Kreisler
is
.
”
“
Perhaps
not
,
but
a
blow
on
the
face
—
—
”
The
little
Russian
said
“
blow
on
the
face
”
in
a
soft
inviting
way
,
as
though
it
were
a
titbit
with
powers
of
fascination
of
its
own
.
“
But
it
is
most
improper
to
ask
me
to
stand
here
wrangling
with
you
,
”
he
next
said
.
“
You
please
yourself
.
”
“
I
am
merely
serving
my
friend
Herr
Kreisler
.
Will
you
oblige
me
by
indicating
a
friend
of
yours
with
whom
I
can
discuss
this
matter
?
”
The
waiter
who
had
brought
in
the
card
again
approached
their
table
.
This
time
he
presented
Soltyk
with
a
note
,
written
on
the
café
paper
and
folded
in
four
.
Tarr
had
been
watching
what
was
going
on
with
as
much
interest
as
his
ruffled
personal
dignity
would
allow
him
to
take
.
He
did
not
believe
in
a
duel
.
But
he
wondered
what
would
happen
,
for
he
was
certain
that
Kreisler
would
not
let
this
man
alone
until
something
had
happened
.
What
would
he
have
done
,
he
asked
himself
,
in
Soltyk’s
place
?
He
would
have
naturally
refused
to
consider
the
idea
of
a
duel
as
a
possibility
.
If
you
had
to
fight
a
duel
with
any
man
who
liked
to
hit
you
on
the
head
—
Kreisler
,
moreover
,
was
not
a
man
with
whom
a
duel
need
be
fought
.
He
was
in
a
weak
position
in
that
way
,
in
spite
of
the
additional
blacking
on
his
boots
.
Tarr
himself
,
of
course
,
could
have
taken
refuge
in
the
fact
that
Englishmen
do
not
duel
.
But
what
would
have
been
the
next
step
,
this
settled
,
had
he
been
in
Soltyk’s
shoes
?
Kreisler
was
waiting
at
the
door
of
the
café
.
If
his
enemy
got
up
and
went
out
,
at
the
door
he
would
once
more
have
his
face
smacked
.
His
knowledge
of
Kreisler
convinced
him
that
that
face
would
be
smacked
all
over
the
quartier
,
at
all
hours
of
the
day
,
for
many
days
to
come
.
Kreisler
,
unless
physically
overwhelmed
,
would
smack
it
in
public
and
in
private
until
further
notice
.
He
would
probably
spit
in
it
,
after
having
smacked
it
,
occasionally
.
So
Kreisler
must
be
henceforth
fought
by
his
victim
wherever
met
.
Would
this
state
of
things
justify
the
use
of
a
revolver
?
No.
Kreisler
should
be
maimed
.
It
all
should
be
prepared
with
great
thoroughness
;
exactly
the
weight
of
stick
,
etc.
The
French
laws
would
allow
quite
a
bad
wound
.
But
Tarr
felt
that
the
sympathetic
young
Prussian-Pole
would
soon
have
Bitzenko
on
his
hands
as
well
.
Bitzenko
was
very
alarming
.
Kreisler
,
although
evicted
from
the
cafe
,
had
been
allowed
by
the
waiters
to
take
up
his
position
on
a
distant
portion
of
the
terrace
.
There
he
sat
with
his
legs
crossed
and
his
eye
fixed
on
the
door
with
a
Scottish
solemnity
.
He
was
an
object
of
considerable
admiration
to
the
garçons
.
His
coolness
and
persistence
appeared
to
them
amusing
and
typical
.
His
solemnity
aroused
their
wonder
and
respect
.
He
meant
business
.
He
was
behaving
correctly
.
Soltyk
opened
the
note
at
once
.
On
it
was
written
in
German
:
“
To
the
cad
Soltyk
“
If
you
make
any
more
trouble
about
appointing
seconds
,
and
delay
the
gentlemen
who
have
consented
to
act
for
me
,
I
shall
wait
for
you
at
the
door
and
try
some
further
means
of
rousing
you
to
honourable
action
.
”
A
little
man
sitting
next
to
Soltyk
with
an
eloquent
,
sleek
lawyer’s
face
took
the
letter
as
though
it
had
been
a
public
document
and
read
it
.
He
bent
towards
his
friend
and
said
:
“
What
is
really
the
matter
with
this
gentleman
?
”
Soltyk
shrugged
his
shoulders
.
“
He’s
a
brute
,
and
he
is
a
little
crazy
as
well
.
He
wants
to
pick
a
quarrel
with
me
,
I
don’t
know
why
.
”
“
He
means
trouble
.
Doesn’t
he
want
to
be
taken
seriously
,
only
?
Let
his
shaggy
friend
here
have
a
chat
with
a
friend
of
yours
.
He
may
be
a
nuisance
—
”
“
What
rot
!
Why
should
one
,
Stephen
?
If
he
comes
for
me
at
the
door
,
let
him
!
I
wish
that
little
man
there
would
go
away
.
He
has
annoyed
us
quite
enough
.
”
“
Louis
,
will
you
give
me
permission
to
speak
to
him
on
your
behalf
?
”
“
If
that
will
give
you
any
satisfaction
.
”
Stephen
(
Staretsky
)
got
up
and
put
himself
at
Bitzenko’s
disposition
.
The
whole
party
became
tumultuous
at
this
.
“
What
the
devil
are
you
up
to
,
Stephen
?
Let
them
alone
.
”
“
You’re
not
going
—
—
?
”
“
Tell
them
to
go
to
hell
!
”
“
Stephen
,
come
back
,
you
silly
fool
!
”
Stephen
Staretsky
smiled
at
this
with
a
sort
of
worldly
indulgence
.
“
You
don’t
understand
.
This
is
the
best
thing
to
do
,
”
he
seemed
to
say
.
“
Do
you
want
this
to
last
the
whole
evening
?
”
he
asked
the
man
nearest
him
.
He
followed
Bitzenko
out
,
and
Tarr
followed
Bitzenko
.
CHAPTER
IV
They
went
over
to
a
small
,
gaudy
,
quiet
café
opposite
,
Kreisler
watching
them
,
but
still
with
his
eye
on
the
door
near
at
hand
.
Tarr
was
amused
now
at
his
position
of
dummy
.
He
enjoyed
crossing
the
road
under
Kreisler’s
eye
,
in
his
service
.
The
evening’s
twists
were
very
comic
.
Imaginative
people
are
easy
to
convince
of
the
naturalness
of
anything
;
and
the
Russian
was
the
prophet
of
the
necessity
of
this
affair
.
Stephen
was
not
convinced
;
but
he
soon
made
up
his
mind
that
Bitzenko
was
either
Kreisler’s
accomplice
in
some
scheme
or
at
least
had
made
up
his
mind
that
there
could
only
be
one
ending
to
the
matter
.
He
went
back
to
the
café
and
,
sitting
down
beside
Soltyk
again
,
said
:
“
I’m
afraid
I
was
mistaken
,
Louis
.
Your
German
means
to
fight
you
or
else
he
has
some
little
game
.
If
you’re
sure
there’s
nothing
in
it
,
you
must
tell
him
and
his
little
Russian
to
go
to
the
devil
.
”
While
Stephen
Staretsky
had
been
away
one
of
Soltyk’s
friends
told
them
about
Bitzenko
.
“
Don’t
you
know
him
,
Louis
?
Maiewski
used
to
know
him
.
He
lives
in
one
of
those
big
studios
,
Rue
Ulm
,
near
the
Invalides
.
Il
a
du
pognon
,
il
parait
.
”
Soltyk
began
patting
his
cheek
gently
.
But
his
vanity
ached
steadily
inside
.
“
What
is
his
name
?
”
asked
another
.
“
Bitzenko
.
He
once
had
a
duel
and
blinded
a
man
.
”
Soltyk
looked
up
and
stopped
patting
his
cheek
.
“
How
?
Blinded
him
?
”
somebody
asked
.
“
Yes
,
blinded
him
.
”
-
The
blows
began
to
take
effect
,
the
atmosphere
becoming
somehow
congenial
to
them
.
When
Stephen
Staretsky
delivered
his
message
Soltyk
was
losing
his
self-control
.
The
opportunity
of
killing
this
obnoxious
figure
offered
him
so
obstinately
by
Bitzenko
—
whom
he
disliked
even
more
—
began
to
recommend
itself
to
him
.
This
commis
voyageur
sent
to
press
the
attractions
of
destruction
had
won
his
point
.
Soltyk
had
been
silent
.
He
had
been
twisting
up
the
comers
of
a
newspaper
on
the
table
before
him
,
and
appeared
struck
lazy
,
into
a
kind
of
sullen
sleepiness
and
detachment
resembling
despair
.
“
Ask
him
,
”
he
said
suddenly
to
Staretsky
,
“
what
he
wants
.
”
“
What
do
you
mean
?
”
Soltyk
answered
irritably
,
“
Why
,
what
they
want
:
what
sort
of
a
duel
he
wants
and
when
.
”
“
Duel
”
was
said
as
though
it
were
a
common
object
.
“
Settle
it
quickly
and
let’s
get
all
this
nonsense
over
,
since
you
have
begun
negotiations
.
”
Stephen
Staretsky
stared
at
him
.
“
You
don’t
mean
—
?
I
have
not
been
negotiating
.
I
simply
—
—
”
The
others
once
more
clamoured
,
after
a
moment
of
astonishment
.
“
You
don’t
mean
to
say
,
Louis
,
you’re
going
—
—
?
”
“
What
nonsense
,
what
utter
nonsense
!
What
can
you
be
thinking
of
?
”
“
If
Bitzenko
comes
in
again
,
pay
no
attention
to
him
!
What
possesses
you
,
Louis
!
Whatever
possesses
you
,
Louis
!
”
,
Soltyk
looked
angrily
at
his
friends
without
replying
.
“
Staretsky
,
arrange
that
,
do
you
mind
?
”
he
said
when
the
exclamations
stopped
.
“
But
for
Heaven’s
sake
get
it
finished
quickly
.
This
is
becoming
boring
.
”
Staretsky
said
,
leaning
on
the
back
of
Soltyk’s
chair
,
with
authority
:
“
Don’t
be
absurd
,
Louis
:
don’t
be
absurd
.
You
must
refuse
to
listen
to
him
.
All
that
rot
about
libelling
and
the
‘
beautiful
girl
’
:
my
God
,
man
,
you’re
not
going
to
take
that
seriously
?
”
“
Of
course
not
.
But
I
shall
fight
the
German
clown
.
I
want
to
.
This
is
becoming
ridiculous
.
”
Soltyk
had
made
up
his
mind
.
He
would
never
have
armed
himself
and
shot
Kreisler
in
the
street
.
That
would
have
been
too
ridiculous
.
It
would
have
had
the
touch
of
passion
and
intimacy
of
a
crime
passionel
.
It
would
only
have
been
dignified
for
an
inhabitant
of
Nevada
.
He
did
not
regard
this
as
a
duel
,
but
a
brawl
,
ordered
by
the
rules
of
“
affairs
of
honour
.
”
If
a
drunken
man
or
an
apache
attacked
you
the
best
thing
to
do
would
be
to
fight
.
If
he
offered
to
“
fight
you
fair
”
—
putting
it
in
that
way
—
then
that
would
,
be
the
best
thing
,
too
,
no
doubt
.
But
Bitzenko
really
had
brought
him
to
this
.
Kreisler
alone
could
never
have
hoped
to
compass
anything
approaching
a
duel
with
him
.
Stephen
Staretsky
overwhelmed
him
with
expostulation
—
even
reproaches
.
His
voice
rose
and
fell
in
a
microscopic
stream
of
close-packed
sound
.
His
face
became
shiny
and
the
veins
appeared
in
it
.
He
begged
Soltyk
to
think
of
his
friends
!
He
gathered
his
arguments
up
in
the
tips
of
his
fingers
in
little
nervous
bunches
and
held
them
under
his
friend’s
nose
,
as
though
asking
him
to
smell
them
.
And
then
,
with
a
spasm
of
the
body
,
a
vibrating
twang
on
some
deep
chord
in
his
throat
,
he
dashed
his
gathered
fingers
towards
the
floor
.
In
face
of
this
attack
it
was
impossible
,
even
had
he
wished
to
do
so
,
for
Soltyk
to
reconsider
his
decision
.
The
others
,
too
,
sat
for
the
most
part
watching
him
.
Bitzenko
appeared
again
.
Soltyk
became
pale
at
the
sight
of
this
sinister
figure
,
so
bourgeois
,
prepossessing
,
and
bearded
,
with
its
legend
of
blindings
and
blood
and
uncanny
tenacity
as
a
second
.
He
turned
to
a
good-looking
,
sleek
,
sallow
companion
at
his
elbow
.
“
Khudin
,
will
you
act
for
me
,
as
Stephen
won’t
?
”
Stephen
Staretsky
rose
.
A
superfine
sweat
moistened
his
skin
.
His
extraordinary
volubility
was
tucked
away
somewhere
in
him
in
a
flash
,
in
a
satisfied
and
polished
acrobatic
,
and
he
faced
the
Russian
.
Khudin
rose
at
the
same
time
.
Bitzenko
had
won
.
Tarr
was
astonished
at
the
rapid
tragic
trend
of
these
farcical
negotiations
.
“
How
angry
that
man
must
be
to
do
that
,
”
he
thought
.
But
he
had
not
been
smacked
the
evening
before
;
yet
he
remembered
he
had
been
passably
angry
.
CHAPTER
V
Otto
Kreisler
,
when
he
had
entered
the
café
Souchet
,
had
been
anxious
.
His
eyes
had
picked
out
Soltyk
in
a
delicate
flurry
.
He
had
been
afraid
that
he
might
escape
him
.
Soltyk
looked
so
securely
bedded
in
life
,
and
he
wanted
to
wrench
him
out
.
He
was
not
at
all
bad-tempered
at
the
moment
.
He
would
have
extracted
him
quite
“
painlessly
”
if
required
.
But
bleeding
and
from
the
roots
,
he
must
come
out
!
(
Br-r-rr
.
The
Bersaker
rage
!
)
He
was
quite
quiet
and
well-behaved
;
above
all
things
,
well-behaved
!
The
mood
he
had
happened
on
for
this
particular
phase
of
his
action
was
a
virulent
snobbery
.
He
was
a
painful
and
blushing
snob
!
He
had
,
at
his
last
public
appearance
,
taken
the
rôle
of
a
tramp-comedian
.
He
had
invited
every
description
of
slight
and
indignity
.
The
world
seemed
to
wish
to
perpetuate
this
part
for
him
.
But
he
would
not
play
!
He
refused
!
A
hundred
times
,
he
refused
!
He
remembered
with
eagerness
that
he
was
a
German
gentleman
,
with
a
university
education
;
who
had
never
worked
;
a
member
of
an
honourable
family
!
He
remembered
each
detail
socially
to
his
advantage
,
realizing
methodically
things
he
had
from
childhood
accepted
and
never
thought
of
examining
.
But
he
had
gone
a
step
further
.
He
had
arbitrarily
revived
the
title
of
Frei-Herr
that
,
it
was
rumoured
in
his
family
,
his
ancestors
had
borne
.
With
Bitzenko
he
had
referred
to
himself
as
the
Frei-Herr
Otto
Kreisler
.
Had
the
occasion
allowed
,
he
would
have
been
very
courteous
and
gentle
with
Soltyk
,
merely
to
prove
what
a
gentleman
he
was
!
But
,
alas
,
nothing
but
brutality
(
against
the
grain
—
the
noble
grain
—
as
this
went
!
)
would
achieve
his
end
.
And
the
end
was
still
paramount
.
His
snobbery
was
the
outcome
of
this
end
,
of
his
end
.
It
was
,
in
this
obsession
of
disused
and
disappearing
life
,
the
wild
assertion
of
vitality
,
the
clamour
for
recognition
that
life
and
the
beloved
self
were
still
there
,
that
brought
out
the
reeking
and
brand-new
snob
.
He
was
almost
dead
(
he
had
promised
his
father
his
body
for
next
month
,
and
must
be
punctual
)
,
but
people
already
had
begun
treading
on
him
and
striking
matches
on
his
boots
.
As
to
fighting
with
a
man
who
was
practically
dead
,
to
all
intents
and
purposes
,
one
mass
of
worms
—
a
worm
,
in
short
—
that
was
not
to
be
expected
of
anybody
.
So
he
became
a
violent
snob
.
It
was
Soltyk’s
rude
behaviour
on
the
day
before
in
the
presence
of
Anastasya
that
had
set
him
raving
on
this
subject
.
The
Russian
Pole
was
up
against
a
raving
snob
whose
social
dignity
he
had
wounded
.
Bitzenko
and
Kreisler
came
out
to
get
Louis
Soltyk
like
two
madmen
,
full
of
solemn
method
and
with
miraculous
solidarity
.
Their
schemes
and
energies
flew
direct
from
mind
to
mind
,
without
the
need
for
words
.
Bitzenko
with
his
own
hand
had
brushed
the
back
of
Kreisler’s
coat
;
on
tiptoe
doing
this
he
looked
particularly
childlike
.
They
were
together
there
in
Kreisler’s
room
before
they
started
like
two
little
boys
dressing
up
in
preparation
for
some
mischief
.
Kreisler
had
fixed
his
eyes
on
Soltyk
from
his
table
with
alert
offensiveness
.
The
prosperous
appearance
of
the
Poles
annoyed
him
deeply
.
Their
watches
were
all
there
,
silk
handkerchiefs
slipped
up
their
sleeves
;
they
looked
sleek
and
new
.
A
gentle
flame
of
social
security
and
ease
danced
in
their
eyes
and
gestures
.
He
was
out
in
the
dark
,
they
were
in
a
lighted
room
!
He
wished
their
fathers’
affairs
might
deteriorate
and
their
fortunes
fall
to
pieces
;
that
their
watches
could
be
stolen
,
and
their
restaurant
tick
attacked
by
insidious
reports
!
And
as
he
watched
them
he
felt
more
and
more
an
outcast
,
shabbier
and
shabbier
.
He
saw
himself
the
little
official
in
a
German
provincial
town
that
his
father’s
letter
foreshadowed
.
One
or
two
of
them
pointed
him
out
to
Soltyk
,
and
it
was
a
wounding
laugh
of
the
latter’s
that
brought
him
to
his
feet
.
As
he
was
slapping
his
enemy
he
woke
up
out
of
his
nightmare
.
He
was
like
a
sleeper
having
the
first
inkling
of
his
solitude
when
he
is
woken
by
the
climax
of
his
dream
,
still
surrounded
by
tenacious
influences
.
But
had
any
one
struck
him
then
,
the
blow
would
have
had
as
little
effect
as
a
blow
aimed
at
a
waking
man
by
a
phantom
of
his
sleep
.
The
noise
around
him
was
a
receding
accompaniment
.
Then
he
felt
hypnotized
by
Soltyk’s
quietness
.
The
sweet
white
of
the
face
made
him
sick
.
To
.
overcome
this
he
stepped
forward
again
to
strike
the
dummy
once
more
,
and
then
it
moved
suddenly
.
As
he
raised
his
hand
his
glasses
almost
slipped
off
,
and
at
that
point
he
was
seized
by
the
garçons
.
Hurried
out
on
to
the
pavement
,
he
could
still
see
,
at
the
bottom
of
a
huge
placid
mirror
just
inside
the
cafe
,
the
wriggling
backs
of
the
band
of
Poles
.
Drawing
out
his
card-case
,
he
had
handed
the
waiter
a
visiting-card
.
The
waiter
at
first
refused
it
.
He
turned
his
head
aside
vaguely
,
as
a
dog
does
when
doubtful
about
some
morsel
offered
him
;
then
he
took
it
.
Kreisler
saw
in
the
mirror
'
the
tearing
up
of
his
card
.
Fury
once
more
—
not
so
much
because
it
was
a
new
slight
as
that
he
feared
his
only
hope
,
Soltyk
,
might
escape
him
.
The
worry
of
this
hour
or
so
in
which
Bitzenko
was
negotiating
told
on
him
so
much
that
when
at
last
his
emissary
announced
that
an
arrangement
,
had
been
come
to
in
the
sense
he
wished
,
he
questioned
him
incredulously
.
He
felt
hardly
any
satisfaction
,
reaction
setting
in
immediately
.
Bitzenko
went
back
to
Kreisler’s
door
with
him
and
,
promising
to
return
within
half
an
hour
,
left
him
.
Tarr
having
,
as
he
had
stipulated
,
left
when
the
talking
was
over
,
Bitzenko
first
went
in
search
of
a
friend
to
serve
as
second
.
The
man
he
decided
on
was
already
in
bed
,
and
at
once
,
half
asleep
,
without
preparation
of
any
sort
,
consented
to
do
what
was
asked
of
him
.
“
Will
you
be
a
second
in
a
duel
to-morrow
morning
at
half-past
six
?
”
“
Yes
.
”
“
At
half-past
six
?
”
“
Yes
.
”
And
after
a
minute
or
two
,
“
Is
it
you
?
”
“
No
,
a
German
friend
of
mine
.
”
“
All
right
.
”
“
You
will
have
to
get
up
at
five
.
”
Bitzenko’s
friend
was
a
tall
,
powerfully
built
young
Russian
painter
,
who
,
with
his
great
bow-legs
,
would
take
up
some
straggling
and
extravagantly
twisted
pose
of
the
body
and
remain
immobile
for
minutes
together
,
with
an
air
of
ridiculous
detachment
.
This
combination
of
a
tortured
,
restless
attitude
,
and
at
the
same
time
statuesque
tendency
,
suggested
something
like
a
contemplative
acrobat
or
contortionist
.
A
mouth
of
almost
anguished
attention
and
little
calm
indifferent
eyes
,
produced
similar
results
in
the
face
