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DIAMONDS TO SIT ON

in an hour’s time by the goods train, and you, my darling, please go to your relation and ask him for the fifty roubles (he owes them to me and promised to pay me back) and send them poste restante. General Post Office, Rostov. ‘ What is going on at home ? Has anything ex­ citing been happening ? Did Kondratievna come to see you ? Tell Father Cyril that I shall soon be home again, and tell him that I have gone to see a dying aunt in Voronezh. Do be economical. Does Evstigneyev still come in for dinner ? Remember me to him and tell him I have gone to see my aunt. ' What sort of weather are you having ? It is just like June in Kharkov. It is a busy town, a great centre in the Ukranian Repubhc. After the provinces this feels hke being abroad. Please do this for me : (i) Send my summer cassock to be cleaned (better pay three roubles to have it cleaned than spend money on a new one), (2) take care of your health, and (3) when you write to Gulenka, mention casually that I have gone to visit an aunt in Voronezh. ‘ Give everybody my love. Tell them I shall be home soon. I kiss you tenderly and send you my blessing. ‘ Your husband

' Theodore’ Nota Bene: Where is Hippolyte Vorobianinov chasing about now I wonder ? ’

But Hippolyte was not doing what Father Theodore thought. ■ He had fallen in love and was beginning to lose his appetite. He left Bender and the student Ivanopulo eating their dinner in a cheap restaurant while he found his way back to the hostel and took up his position by the safe in the corridor. His heart was thumping wildly, and it was very cold in the corridor.