When I saw him I reined in Zorka and gave him my hand as if I wanted to cleanse myself by the touch of his honest, horny palm.… He raised his small sagacious eyes on me and smiled.
“How do you do, good master!” he said, giving me his hand awkwardly. “So you've ridden over again? Or has that old rake come back?”
“Yes, he's back.”
“I thought so.… I can see it by your face.… Here I stand and look.… The world's the world. Vanity of vanities.… Look there! That German ought to die, and he only thinks of vanities.… Do you see?”
The old man pointed with a stick at the Count's bathing-house. A boat was being rowed away quickly from the bathing-house. A man in a jockey cap and a blue jacket was sitting in the boat. It was Franz, the gardener.
“Every morning he takes money to the island and hides it there. The stupid fellow can't understand that for him sand and money have much the same value. When he dies he can't take it with him. Barin,[5] give me a cigar!”
I offered him my cigar case. He took three cigarettes and put them into his breast pocket.…
“That's for my nephew.… He can smoke them.”
Zorka moved impatiently, and galloped off. I bowed to the old man in gratitude for having been allowed to rest my eyes on his face. For a long time he stood looking after me.
At home I was met by Polycarp. With a contemptuous, a crushing glance, he measured my noble body as if he wanted to know whether this time I had bathed again in all my clothes, or not.