"You--Jashka's darling!" and followed it with an ugly word, whose significance he understood already. Jakov, who was present, laughed at first, then seeing his little friend's face contract with pain at the insult, and her eyes shine with tears, he became pale and dumb. Suddenly he sprang from his chair, flung himself on Ilya, struck him on the nose with his fist, grasped him by the hair and threw him to the ground. It all happened so quickly that Ilya had no time to defend himself, then he picked himself up and rushed headlong at Jakov, blind with wrath and pain. "Wait, my boy, I'll teach you," he shouted furiously. But he saw Jakov with his elbow on the table, crying bitterly, and Masha beside him saying to him with a voice choked with tears: "Let him alone, the beast--the brute--they're a bad lot, his father's a convict, and his uncle's a hunchback--and a hump'll grow on you too, you beast," she cried, attacking Ilya quite furiously. "You beastly dirt-grabber--rag-picker! Come here--just you come here, and I'll scratch your face for you--you dare touch me!" Ilya did not stir. He was much distressed at the sight of Jakov crying, for he had not meant to hurt him, and he was ashamed to scuffle with a girl--though she was ready enough he could see. Without a word he left the cellar and paced the courtyard for a long time, his heart tortured with bitter feelings. At last he went to the window and looked carefully in from above. Jakov was playing cards again with his friend, Masha, the lower part of her face concealed with her cards held fanwise, seemed to be laughing, while Jakov looked at his cards and touched first one then the other. Ilya's heart was heavy. He walked up and down a while longer, then boldly and decidedly went back to the cellar. "Let me come in again," he said, going up to the table. His heart thumped, his face burned and his eyes were downcast. Jakov and Masha said nothing. "I'll never insult you so again, by God, I won't any more," he went on, and looked at them. "Well, sit down then--you!" said Masha, and Jakov added: "Silly! You're big enough now to know what you're saying." "No no, we're all little--just children," Masha put in, and struck the table with her fist, "and that's why we don't need any low words." "You gave me a jolly good licking, all the same," said Ilya to Jakov reproachfully. "You deserved it, don't complain!" said Masha, sententiously, and with a darkened face. "All right--all right I'm not angry, it was my fault," and Ilya smiled at Petrusha's son. "We'll make it up, shall we?" "All right, take your cards." "You wild devil!" said Masha. And with that peace was made. A moment later, Ilya was deep in the game, thoughtfully wrinkling his brow. He always arranged to play next to Masha; he disliked her to lose, and thought of little else all through the game. But the child played quite cleverly, and generally it was Jakov who lost.