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 CHAPTER XXXVin

UNDER THE CLOUDS

hree days after Mechnikov had disposed of the two chairs the Columbus Theatre company left Pyatigorsk and went by train to Tiflis. Not satisfied with the contents of the two chairs which they had taken to the summit of Mashuk, the two friends had been waiting for the promised third chair, but Mechnikov had exchanged the twenty roubles for vodka and had got himself into such a state that he could not come out of his room at the back of the stage. ‘ What a beast! ’ said Bender when he discovered that the company had left the town. However, he was undismayed and was more active than ever, for he considered that the chances of discovering the treasure had been enormously increased. ‘ We’ve no time to lose,’ he said. ‘ We need money for our fare to Vladikavkaz, and from there we shall travel to Tiflis by car along the Georgian military road. What views ! What landscapes we shall see ! What beautiful mountain air we shall breathe ! And in the end ? One hundred and fifty thousand roubles, nought nought copecks! Yes, there’s good sense in letting the good work go on.’ But it was not so easy to leave Pyatigorsk. Hippolyte had absolutely no talent for travelling without a ticket, and as all his efforts to get into a train had failed, he had to go on begging in order to collect some more money. But that too was not very successful, for after twelve hours of weary and humiliating work he had managed to collect only two roubles. This was sufficient, however, for the fare to Vladikavkaz. Just as they were approaching Beslan, Bender, who had been travelling without a ticket, was turned out

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