The August sun seemed to set their tatters on fire as they sat with their backs and uncovered heads exposed to it ... a chaotic mixture of the vegetable, mineral, and animal kingdoms. In the corners of the yard the tall steppe grass grew luxuriantly.... Nothing else grew there but some dingy vegetables, not even attractive to those who nearly always felt the pangs of hunger. * * * * * The following was the scene that took place in Vaviloff's eating-house. Young Petunikoff entered slowly, took off his hat, looked around him, and said to the eating-house keeper: "Egor Terentievitch Vaviloff? Are you he?" "I am," answered the sergeant, leaning on the bar with both arms as if intending to jump over it. "I have some business with you," said Petunikoff. "Delighted. Please come this way to my private room." They went in and sat down, the guest on the couch and his host on the chair opposite to him. In one corner a lamp was burning before a gigantic icon, and on the wall at the other side there were several oil lamps. They were well kept and shone as if they were new. The room, which contained a number of boxes and a variety of furniture, smelt of tobacco, sour cabbage, and olive oil. Petunikoff looked around him and made a face. Vaviloff looked at the icon, and then they looked simultaneously at one another, and both seemed to be favourably impressed. Petunikoff liked Vaviloff's frankly thievish eyes, and Vaviloff was pleased with the open, cold, determined face of Petunikoff, with its large cheeks and white teeth. "Of course you already know me, and I presume you guess what I am going to say to you," began Petunikoff. "About the lawsuit? ... I presume?" remarked the ex-sergeant, respectfully. "Exactly! I am glad to see that you are not beating about the bush, but going straight to the point like a business man," said Petunikoff, encouragingly. "I am a soldier," answered Vaviloff, with a modest air. "That is easily seen, and I am sure we shall be able to finish this job without much trouble." "Just so." "Good! You have the law on your side, and will, of course, win your case. I want to tell you this at the very beginning." "I thank you most humbly," said the sergeant, rubbing his eyes in order to hide the smile in them. "But tell me, why did you make the acquaintance of your future neighbours like this through the law courts?" Vaviloff shrugged his shoulders and did not answer. "It would have been better to come straight to us and settle the matter peacefully, eh? What do you think?" "That would have been better, of course, but you see there is a difficulty ... I did not follow my own wishes, but those of others ... I learned afterwards that it would have been better if ... but it was too late." "Oh! I suppose some lawyer taught you this?" "Someone of that sort." "Aha! Do you wish to settle the affair peacefully?" "With all my heart!" cried the soldier.