He himself resembled a little school-boy,
eager to tell some one of his trouble. Tears filled his eyes.
"If you only knew how sad at heart I am," he murmured, striving to
conquer his emotion.
"My dear fellow, I know all about it--everything," said Sanine kindly.
"No! You can't know all!" said Novikoff, as he sat down beside the
other. He thought that no one could possibly feel such sorrow as his.
"Yes, yes, I do," replied Sanine, "I swear that I do; and if you'll
promise not to attack me with your old boot, I will prove what I say.
Promise?"
"Yes, yes! Forgive me, Volodja!" said Novikoff, calling Sanine by his
first name which he had never done before. This touched Sanine, and he
felt the more anxious to help his friend.
"Well, then, listen," he began, as he placed his hand in confidential
fashion on the other's knee. "Let us be quite frank. You are going
away, because Lida refused you, and because, at Sarudine's the other
day, you had an idea that it was she who came to see him in private."
Novikoff bent forward, too distressed to speak. It was as if Sanine had
re-opened an agonizing wound.
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