Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 01.djvu/275

 XXV.

VOLÓDYA'S FRIENDS

I played in the company of Volódya's acquaintances a part which offended my vanity, I liked to sit in his room, when he bad guests, and in silence to observe everything that took place there. His most frequent visitors were Adjutant Dubkóv and Prince Nekhlyúdov, a student. Dubkóv, who had passed his first youth, was a small, muscular fellow, of dark complexion. He had rather short legs, but was not bad-looking, and was always jolly. He was one of those narrow-minded men who please on account of their very narrow-mindedness, who are not able to see objects from various sides, and who are eternally carried away by something. The reasoning of such people is one-sided and faulty, but always open-hearted and persuasive. Even their narrow egotism somehow appears pardonable and attractive. In addition, Dubkóv had a double charm for Volódya and me, that of his military appearance and, chiefly, of age, which young people are in the habit of mistaking for decency (comme il faut), which is highly valued in these years. And, indeed, Dubkóv was what one calls "un homme comme il faut." One thing displeased me, and that was that Volódya seemed to be ashamed before him for all my innocent acts, but more especially for my youth.

Nekhlyúdov was not good-looking: his small, gray eyes, low, straight forehead, disproportionate arms and legs