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DIAMONDS TO SIT ON

was wistful. The two louts stared devotedly at Bender’s blue waistcoat. The proprietor of ‘ Rapidpack ’ was delighted ; ' Very nicely put,’ he thought. ‘ I can give some money, and if we’re caught I can always say that I was helping the children.’ Charushnikov exchanged a knowing look with Dyadiev. Kislyarsky was in the seventh heaven of delight. He had never loved destitute children so much as he loved them that night. ‘ Comrades,’ continued Bender, ‘ we want immediate help. We must tear the children out of the clutches of the street. Let us remember that children are the. flowers of hfe. I invite you to give your contributions here and now. For the children, and no one but the. children, you understand.’ Bender took a receipt-book from his pocket. ' I must ask you to give me your donations. Hippolyte Matveyevich will confirm my authority.’ Hippolyte blew out his cheeks and nodded. ‘ In order of seniority, please, gentlemen. Let us begin with Maxim Petrovich.’ Maxim Petrovich wriggled in his chair and gave thirty roubles. ‘ In better days,’ he said, ‘ I should have given more.’ ‘ Better days wiU soon be here,’ said Bender ; ‘ but that has nothing to do with the destitute children.’ The two young men gave eight roubles between them. ‘ That’s not enough, my friends.’ The young men blushed. Polesov ran home and brought fifty roubles. ‘ Bravo, hussar ! ’ said Bender. ‘ That’s splendid for a hussar. But what do the merchants say ? ’ Dyadiev and Kislyarsky bargained for a long time and grumbled about business being bad. Bender was adamant. ‘ In the presence of a man like Hippolyte, I consider such wrangling is superfluous, and, to say the least of it, in bad taste.’