“Of the male sex, or the other?”

“Both—male and female.”

The mariner’s face lighted up; then he assumed an air of mystery, and added—

“Did he merely purchase grown-up persons, or did he take children as well?”

“I have told you what he did: he bought souls. You ought to know what souls are.”³

“Yes—but just one word. Will you have the kindness to point out this Tchitchikoff to me, or to tell me where he is to be found at the present moment—in what part of the hall?”

“Stay, look yonder, there—there against the pillar at the corner of the gallery. You see that tall, thin, ugly man, with long, whitish, untidy hair, and tortoise-shell spectacles? He has a face easily noticed, and he’s Tchitchikoff.”

The naval officer gave a leap like a kid, and then he went off at so violent and ungovernable a pace that he flung two heavy gentlemen flat on the floor, overturned three arm-chairs, upset numerous benches, and at length reached the unkempt man with the tortoise-shell spectacles. Having seized him convulsively by the arms and dragged him to a deserted corner, the naval officer addressed him with a great many bows, accompanying each of his words with abrupt movements of his arms, eyelids, and head. However, the unkempt man smiled with a scornful air, surveved the eloquent ancient mariner from head to foot, thrust out his under lip, and shrugged his thin shoulders.

“Seriously, then, you are not Tchitchikoff?” urged the retired officer.

“Pray, do me the honour to tell me what you want of me. I have not the honour of knowing you. Excuse me.” And then the fellow with the tumbled hair made a movement as if about to depart.

“No, no, you shall not thus escape me, noble and generous Tchitchikoff!” exclaimed the ancient mariner. “You must purchase my one hundred and forty souls, of both sexes, who died of cholera: you must indemnify me, at least in part, for that cruel loss. Give an old mariner, his sons, and grandchildren due cause to bless your name for ever.”

“Will you please to leave me alone!” said the unkempt man. “What the deuce do you mean by all the ridiculous things that you are saying to me?”

“Everyone seeks his own advantage: that is quite natural. I have so much respect for the traffic which you have engaged in, and I regard it as so perfectly legitimate, that I am willing to deduct twenty-five copecks from the price which you usually give for each dead soul, simply so as to enjoy the pleasure of assisting in the success of your operations in the measure of my means.”

“Once more,” retoreted the unkempt gentleman, “I beg of you to cease your raillery. Do not force me to say harsh things to you.”

“I certainly have no occasion to expect the least coarse word from so wise a man as yourself. Let us strike the bargain here between ourselves; as for the contract and the money, I will go to your house with you.”

“Oh! you will, will you?”

“Yes; don’t feel at all uneasy about that. I shall have no difficulty in finding your house; I should even find it were it situated at the bottom of the sea. And so my honourable friend Pavel——”