Page:Soseki - Botchan (1918).djvu/222

 “Is that so? But they simply come a-running. Repeat that again for me.”

“As many times as you like. Listen,–a high-collared guy, swindler, bastard, super-swanker…”

While I was repeating this, two shaky fellows came out of the room hammering the floor.

“Hey, you two gents, if won’t do to run away. Won’t let you off while I’m here. Come and have a drink. Bastard? That’s fine. Bastardly fine. Now, come on.”

And they pulled Porcupine and me away. These two fellows really had come to the lavatory, but soaked as they were, in booze bubbles, they apparently forgot to proceed to their original destination, and were pulling us hard. All booze fighters seem to be attracted by whatever comes directly under their eyes for the moment and forget what they had been proposing to do.

“Say, fellows, we’ve got bastards. Make them drink. Get them loaded. You gents got to stay here.”