The last named looked at him calmly from under his heavy eyebrows,
while a slight smile curved his lips, and without releasing his hold of
the officer's hand, continued talking.
"Don't hurry me. When I'm through talking to you I'll go. Tell me how
you're getting on. Are your wife and children well?"
Accompanying his words with a terrible glance, and showing his teeth in
a mocking grin, he added:
"I'm always intending to make you a visit, but I never have the time:
I'm always drunk--"
"That'll do, that'll do, drop that--Stop joking, bony devil! If you
don't, comrade, I--Or do you really intend to rob houses and streets?"
"Why? There's enough here for both of us. My God, yes!--Semenitch!
You've stolen two boxes of goods again?--Look out, Semenitch, be
careful! Or you'll be caught one of these days!"
Semenitch trembled with anger at the impudence of Tchelkache; he spat
upon the ground in a vain effort to speak. Tchelkache let go his hand
and turned back quietly and deliberately at the entrance to the wharf.
The officer, swearing like a trooper, followed him.
Tchelkache had recovered his spirits; he whistled softly between his
teeth, and, thrusting his hands in his trousers' pockets, walked
slowly, like a man who has nothing to do, throwing to the right and
left scathing remarks and jests.
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