Peredonov thought that possibly Volodin had not enough money. Or he might think of economising and buy a simple black one. And that would be fatal, thought Peredonov: Adamenko is a fashionable girl and if he should come to propose to her in any kind of a tie she might be offended and reject him. Peredonov said:
"Only don't buy a cheap one. Pavloushka, you've won from me enough money to pay for a tie. How much do I owe you? I think it's one rouble forty kopecks, isn't it?"
"You're quite right about the forty kopecks," said Volodin with a wry smile, "only it's not one rouble but two."
Peredonov knew himself that it was two roubles, but it was more pleasant to pay only one. He said:
"You're a liar! What two roubles?"
"Varvara Dmitrievna's my witness," said Volodin.
"You'd better pay, Ardalyon Borisitch," said Varvara, "since you lost—and I remember that it was two forty."
Peredonov thought that as Varvara was interceding for Volodin, that meant that she was going over to his side. He frowned, produced the money from his purse and said:
"All right, let it be two forty—it won't ruin me. You're a poor man, Pavloushka. Well, here it is."
Volodin took the money, counted it, then assumed an offended expression and bent down his thick forehead, stuck out his lower lip and said in a bleating, cracked voice: