So you heard about him. I bought him just as he was, without pedigree, without proof; but then I knew Voyéïkof, and I traced him. He was sired by Liubeznuï I. He was called Kholstomír.[21] He'd measure linen for you! On account of his spotting, he was given to the equerry at the Khrenovski stud; and he had him gelded, and sold him to the dealer. Aren't any horses like him anymore, friend! _Akh!_ "What a time that was! _Akh!_ vanished youth!" he said, quoting the words of a gypsy song. He began to get wild. "_Ekh!_ that was a golden time! I was twenty-five. I had eighty thousand a year income; then I hadn't a gray hair; all my teeth like pearls.... Whatever I undertook prospered. And yet all came to an end." ... "Well, you didn't have such lively times then," said the host, taking advantage of the interruption. "I tell you that my first horses began to run without" ... "Your horses! Horses were more mettlesome then" ... "How more mettlesome?" "Yes, more mettlesome. I remember how one time I was at Moscow at the races. None of my horses were in it. I did not care for racing; but I had blooded horses, General Chaulet, Mahomet. I had my piebald with me. My coachman was a splendid young fellow. I liked him. But he was rather given to drink, so I drove.--'Sierpukhovskoï,' said they, 'when are you going to get some trotters?'--'I don't care for your low-bred beasts,[22] the devil take 'em! I have a hackdriver's piebald that's worth all of yours.'--Yes, but he doesn't race.'--'Bet you a thousand rubles.' They took me up. He went round in five seconds, won the wager of a thousand rubles. But that was nothing. With my blooded horses I went in a troïka a hundred versts in three hours. All Moscow knew about it." And Sierpukhovskoï began to brag so fluently and steadily that the host could not get in a word, and sat facing him with dejected countenance. Only, by way of diversion, he would fill up his glass and that of his companion. It began already to grow light, but still they sat there. It became painfully tiresome to the host. He got up. "Sleep,--let's go to sleep, then," said Sierpukhovskoï, as he got up, and went staggering and puffing to the room that had been assigned to him. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. The master of the house rejoined his mistress. "Oh, he's unendurable. He got drunk, and lied faster than he could talk." "And he made love to me too." "I fear that he's going to borrow of me." Sierpukhovskoï threw himself on the bed without undressing, and drew a long breath.