Page:World Fiction 1922–1923.djvu/116

114 “Oh, thank you! ... What an agreeable exception!”

He took off one boot, placed it under his arm and assumed an attitude of deep thought. Then with a smile he turned to me.

“I remember a case which occurred to me when I was young. A friend of mine, a student called Orloff, and I took a room together. All went on well. I was silent. One day—two days—always silent. At first he laughed at me and said that I had a bad conscience, then he became nervous and finally he began to abuse me. ‘Look here!’ he said, ‘have you taken an oath that you will never speak? Why are you silent like a corpse?’”

“Don’t worry,’ I replied. ‘No,’ said he, ‘but say something.’ ‘Why? What’s the matter?’ said I... Silence again. One day—two days ... Then once he got hold of a bottle and said, ‘I would like to smash this on your head if only I could extract a human sound from you!’ I replied ‘ That wouldn't be fair.’ Then we both remained silent for another three days.

“Once, one night, we were undressing to go to our beds, just as you and I are now, when he threw his boots at me. ‘Curse you!’ he cried, ‘now and forever more! No human being could bear this life. I don’t know,’ he said, ‘whether I am in a coffin or in an isolation cell or where I am. Tomorrow I leave this place altogether!’ ... And what do you think happened?” Maxim Semionovitch laughed quietly. “He fled! ...On my word of honour he fled!”

“Nervous? Then, indeed, all are nervous... If a girl of twenty is cheerful and healthy is she also nervous? . . . I once had a fiancée like that. First she said to me. ‘I like you because you are so serious and thoughtful and not a chatterbox.’ But later, when I used to call round at her house to see her, she started to say, ‘Why are you always silent?’ ‘What should I talk about?’ I asked. ‘Have you really nothing to say? What have you been doing today, for instance ?’ she asked. ‘I was at the office,’ I told her, ‘had my lunch and now I have come to see you.’ ‘I feel frightened when I am with you,’ she said. ‘You are always silent.’ ‘Well, that’s my way,’ I replied. ‘Love me as I am.’

“Nothing doing! ... When I went to see her one afternoon there was another fellow with her. There he was sitting at her side and talking on and on as if he would never stop. ‘I have seen this and that’ he was saying. ‘I have been here and there... And have you seen the latest play? Do you like dancing? ... What is the meaning of that yellow flower you gave me? Has it a meaning or does it mean nothing at all?’ ... Really, it was astounding the amount of words he was producing, and there she was, listening to him, and bending over towards him! ... I didn’t mind. I sat there and never said a word. The other fellow squinted at me and then the pair of them began to whisper together and to smile.

“I remained silent, and after a time I left. And would you believe it? ... After two days I went to see her again and who should appear but this very same young fellow. ‘What are you doing here?’ he cried. ‘ Why,’ said I... ‘I have come to see Maria Petrovna.’ ‘Get out at once,’ shouted this damned little scoundrel, ‘or else,’ said he, ‘I’ll kick your soul out of you!’

“I was just about to argue and to put this ridiculous boy in his place when I heard laughter behind a