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DIAMONDS TO SIT ON

betonged to Father Theodore before the revolution, and they had been a most precious possession of his wife, who at this moment was dying in Voronezh. He was merely fulfilling her wish in discovering where the chairs were. He was not asking engineer Bruns for charity. Dear me, no! He was sufficiently well provided for. He had a candle factory in Samara, but he wanted to sweeten the last moments of his dear wife s life by buying the chairs. He was no miser. He was ready to pay twenty roubles for the set of twelve chairs. ‘ What ? ’ shouted the engineer, going purple in the race. twenty roubles for that magnificent drawing­ room suite ? Do you hear what he says ? Whv he’s mad ! ’ ’ ' I am not mad,’ said Father Theodore. ' I’m onlv trying to fulfil my wife’s last wish.’ his knees again. ' Please state your price,’ groaned Father Theodore as he knocked his head against a palm-tree. ‘ Now then, don’t damage that tree,’ said the engi­ neer, and then turned to his wife : ' Of course the man IS mad. He s gone mad as the result of his wife’s illness. What do you think ? Shall we sell the chairs to him - At least we’ll get rid of him ; he’s a perfect menace 1 « what shall we sit on ? ’ asked the wife. Oh, we can buy others.’ ' For twenty roubles ? ’ ‘No, not for twenty. I don’t know that I’d sell i5’^ two hundred. But I might accept two hundred and fifty.’ There was no response from Father Theodore. He was banging his head against the tree. fip walked up to Father Theodore and theissued engineer, and­ he an ulti
 * Oh, the devil! He’s beginning to crawl round on

matum.

First of aU, come away from that palm-tree.