THE CHAIRS AND A HOSTEL
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glum. Such young women are never any good when there is any business about. Their eyes are far too blue and their necks are too clean. Either they are mistresses or adored wives. This beauty was called ' Liza and Nicky seemed to be devoted to her. Hippolyte took off his felt hat and Bender called Nicky out into the corridor, where they whispered together for some time. ‘ A fine morning, madam,’ said Hippolyte shyly. The blue-eyed damsel laughed, and quite irrelevantly began to teU Hippolyte what fools the people were in the next pencil-box. ' They light that “ Primus ” stove on purpose so that their kissing should not be heard. It’s absurd, isn’t it ? You see, we can all hear them, but of course they can’t hear anything because of their wretched “ Primus.” Just listen ! ’ And Nicky’s wife, who had fathomed all the secrets of a " Primus ” stove, said in a loud voice ; ‘ The Zverevs are fools ! ’ There was a fiendish hissing from the ‘ Primus ’ and more kissing. ‘ You see ? They can’t hear anything.’ And again she said loudly : ‘ The Zverevs are fools, idiots, and neurotics ! You see ? ’ ‘ Yes,’ agreed Hippolyte. ‘Now we don’t keep a “ Primus ”,’ she went on. ' Why should we ? We dine in a vegetarian restaurant. I don’t believe in vegetarian cooking, but before we got married Nicky was always dreaming about our going to this vegetarian place together, and so we go. I’m very fond of meat, but the cutlets there are made of macaroni. Please don’t say anything about this to Nicky.’ Nicky came into the room again with Bender. ‘ Well, if it’s impossible for us to stay here, we must go to Panteley,’ said Bender after a pause. ‘ Splendid ! ’ shouted Nicky. ‘ You go to Ivanopulo He’s a fine lad.’
