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DIAMONDS TO SIT ON
like two dignified swans on a pond in the middle of the bedroom. A number of cigarette ends had been washed into one of the corners and Hippolyte’s chair was in the deepest part of the water in the dining-room. It was swaying slightly and looked as though it were getting ready to float away at any minute from its pursuer. Bender sat down on it and tucked his legs up under him. The engineer soon recovered himself, and with shouts of, ‘ Excuse me a minute ran to turn off the taps, washed himself, and then came out again stripped to the waist and in a pair of trousers rolled up to the knees. ‘ You’ve saved my life ! ’ he shouted excitedly. ‘ You must excuse me, but my hands are wet. You know, I almost went mad.’ ‘ Yes, I saw that. Pretty obvious.’ And the engineer told Bender all that had happened to him. ' I don’t know what would have happened if it hadn’t been for you,’ he added gratefully. Yes, said Bender, ‘ the same thing once happened to me, only it was much worse. I was once locked out hke that in the street when there were twenty degrees Reaumur of frost. And I went on knocking for hours. Do you think they would open the door ? No ! They were certain it was some one who had come to search their rotten place and they were far too busy sewing up their money in their pillows. When they did open the door I almost killed them.’ ' How awful! ’ said the engineer as he stopped baling the water out of the dining-room. , So you are the engineer Shchukin ? ’ said Bender. I am, said Shchukin ; ‘ but please don’t tell any would be very awkward for me.’ Oh ! of course not,’ said Bender. ' It will be absolutely between ourselves. • I’ve come to see you on a matter of business.’
