"You've got some way or other," said Peredonov, "perhaps you breathed through your mouth instead of your nose, or you may have recited a charm. For my part, I don't know at all how to act against witchcraft. I don't know much about black magic. Until I recited the counter-charm I was quite _durmanised_." Routilov laughed. "Well, and how did you make the exorcism?" he asked. But Peredonov did not reply. "Why do you tie yourself up with Varvara?" asked Routilov. "Do you think that you'll be happier if she gets the inspectorship for you? She'll rule the roost then!" This was incomprehensible to Peredonov. After all, he thought, she was really acting in her own interests. She herself would have an easier time if he became an important official, and she would have more money. That meant that she would be grateful to him and not he to her. And in any case she was more congenial to him than anyone else. Peredonov was accustomed to Varvara. Something drew him to her--perhaps it was his habit, which was very pleasant to him, of bullying her. He would not find another like her however much he sought. It was already late. The lamps were lit at Peredonov's house; the lighted windows were conspicuous in the dark street. The tea-table was surrounded with visitors: Grushina--who now visited Varvara every day--Volodin, Prepolovenskaya, and her husband Konstantin Petrovitch, a tall man, under forty, with a dull, pale face and black hair, a person of an amazing taciturnity. Varvara was in a white party dress. They were drinking tea, and talking. Varvara, as usual, was distressed because Peredonov had not yet returned home. Volodin, with his cheerful bleat, was telling her that Peredonov had gone off somewhere with Routilov. This only increased her distress. At last Peredonov appeared with Routilov. They were met with outcries, laughter, stupid coarse jokes. "Varvara, where's the vodka?" exclaimed Peredonov gruffly. Varvara quickly left the table, smiling guiltily, and brought the vodka in a decanter of rudely cut glass. "Let's have a drink," was Peredonov's surly invitation. "Just wait," said Varvara; "Klavdiushka will bring the _zakouska._[3] You great lump," she shouted into the kitchen, "hurry up!" But Peredonov was already pouring the liquor into the vodka glasses. He growled: "Why should we wait? Time doesn't wait!" They drank their vodka and helped it down with tarts filled with black currant jam. Peredonov had always two stock entertainments for visitors--cards and vodka. But as they could not sit down to cards before the tea was served, only vodka remained. In the meantime the _zakouska_ also were brought in so that they could drink some more vodka. Klavdia did not shut the door when she went out, which put Peredonov into a bad humour. "That door is never shut!" he growled. He was afraid of the draught--he might catch cold. This was why his house was always stuffy and malodorous. Prepolovenskaya picked up an egg.