That same day Bogdanov asked Machigin to come and see him. Before entering the inspector's house Machigin stood in the street with his back to the sun, took off his hat and combed his hair with his fingers, noticing from his shadow that his hair was unkempt.
"Explain yourself, young man. What are you thinking of, eh?" Bogdanov assailed Machigin with these words.
"What is the matter?" asked Machigin unconcernedly, playing with his straw hat and swinging his left foot.
Bogdanov did not ask him to sit down as he intended to reprimand him.
"How is it, young man, how is it that you've been wearing a badge, eh? What made you infringe the rule?" he asked, assuming an expression of sternness and shaking his Adam's apple. Machigin flushed but answered boldly:
"What of it? Haven't I a right to?"
"Are you an official, eh? An official?" said Bogdanov excitedly. "What sort of an official are you, eh? A copying clerk, eh?"
"It's a sign of a schoolmaster's calling," said Machigin, boldly, and suddenly smiled as he called to mind what the dignity of a schoolmaster's vocation was.
"Carry a stick in your hand, a stick. That's the sign of your schoolmaster's calling," said Bogdanov shaking his head.
"But please, Sergey Potapitch," said Machigin in an injured tone, "what's the good of a stick? Anyone can do that, but a badge gives a man prestige."