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DIAMONDS TO SIT ON

' But it’s for life ! What a sacrifice ! ’ ' Life ? ’ said Bender. ‘ A sacrifice ? What d’you know about life and sacrifices ? Simply because you’ve been pushed out of your own home you think you know what life is. And because one of your Chinese vases was confiscated you think that is a sacrifice. Life is a complicated affair, but, my dear sir, it opens as simply as a box. AU you want is the key to it. If you haven’t got the key^ then you’re lost.’ Bender then polished his new boots with his sleeve and left Hippolyte. Towards morning he came back, took off his boots, put them on to his night-table, feU on to his bed, and stroked his boots : ‘ My dear little friends ! ’ he said to them tenderly. ‘ Where have you been ? ’ said Hippolyte half asleep. ‘ With the widow, of course,’ said Bender. ‘ WeU,’ asked Hippolyte, as he raised himself on his elbow, ‘ and are you going to marry her ? ’ Bender’s eyes shone. ‘ Being an honest man, I must marry her now.’ Hippolyte grinned stupidly. ' A passionate woman,’ said Bender, ‘ is a poet’s dream. Provincial simplicity. Such women are scarce nowadays.’ ‘ When is the wedding ? ’ ‘ The day after to-morrow. To-morrow is out of the question. It is the first of May and everything win be closed.’ ‘ Then what about our plans ? You’re getting married- And we may have to go to Moscow.’ ‘ WeU ? What are you so worried about ? That’s no obstacle. Let the good work go on ! ’ ‘ But your wife ? ’ ‘ My wife ? The diamond widow ? Oh, that’s nothing. Business in Moscow. A tender fareweU and a chicken for the journey. We’U travel in comfort. You go to sleep. We’U take a holiday to-morrow.’