In the course of time he treated him better; he began to associate him with various affairs of his own and the University, and finally with his own way of thinking. There is no need of saying that Augustinovich took all this to himself, that he repeated Yosef's words where he could preface them usually with, "I judge that, etc." Who would have recognized him? He, for whom nothing had been too cynical, said now in student gatherings when the conversation took too free a turn, "Gentlemen, above all, decency." The students laughed; Yosef himself smiled in silence, but so far he was content with his own work. We need not add that Yosef attending the same faculty with Augustinovich studied with him evenings. He had then the opportunity of estimating his capabilities to the full. For that mind there was no such thing as more difficult or easier; a certain wild intuition took the place of thought and deliberation. His memory, not so retentive as it was capacious, took the place of labor. Vasilkevich was a frequent visitor of theirs. At first he came with Karvovski, then he came alone daily at his own hour. His conversations with Yosef, circling about the most important questions of life and science, became more confidential. Those two men felt each other, and each divined in the other a powerful mind and will. A relation founded on mutual esteem seemed to herald a permanent future. Both seized in their hands the direction of youth in the University; the initiative of general activities started only with them, and since they agreed there was agreement in the University; comradeship and science gained most by that friendship. "Tell me," inquired Yosef on a time, "what do they say of my action with Augustinovich?" "Some pay thee homage," answered Vasilkevich; "others laugh. I visited one of thy opponents on behalf of our library; I found there no small crowd, and they were just speaking of thee and Augustinovich. But dost thou know who defended thee most warmly?" "Well, who was it?" "Guess." "Lolo Karvovski." "No, not he." "As God lives, I cannot imagine." "Gustav." "Gustav?" "Ah, he told those who were laughing at thee so many agreeable facts--they will not forget them soon, I guarantee that. Thou knowest how well he can do such things. I thought that the deuce would take them." "I should not have expected this of Gustav." "I had not seen him for a long time. Oh, he has sunk in that wretched love to the ears. But he is a strong fellow--and I am sorry for him. Tell me, thou art more skilled in this than I am: is he very sick?" "Oh, he is not well." "What is it? asthma?" Yosef nodded. "Excessive work, grief." "Too bad." All at once steps were heard on the stairs, the door opened, Gustav walked in.