"That is your affair," he said, in an unmistakably contemptuous tone,
"but I must warn you that ..."
Sanine laughed.
"Yes, yes, I know, but I advise Sarudine not to ..."
"Not to--what?" asked Tanaroff, as he picked up his cap from the
window-sill.
"I advise him not to touch me, or else I'll give him such a thrashing
that ..."
"Look here!" cried Von Deitz, in a fury. "I'm not going to stand
this... You ... you are simply laughing at us. Don't you understand
that to refuse to accept a challenge is ... is ..."
He was as red as a lobster, his eyes were starting from his head, and
there was foam on his lips.
Sanine looked curiously at his mouth, and said:
"And this is the man whose calls himself a disciple of Tolstoi!"
Von Deitz winced, and tossed his head.
"I must beg of you," he spluttered, ashamed all the while at thus
addressing a man with whom till now he had been on friendly terms. "I
must beg of you not to mention that. It has nothing whatever to do with
this matter."
"Hasn't it! though?" replied Sanine. "It has a great deal to do with
it.
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