He had taken a good deal to drink and his face was flushed; his motionlessly smiling face and awkward figure made him look like a doll. And he kept continually rhyming.
Valeria looked on at Sasha's success, and felt envious and annoyed; she now wanted to be recognised and to have her costume and slender, graceful figure please the crowd, and be awarded the prize. And now she sadly thought that this was not possible, as all the three sisters had agreed to get cards only for the Geisha, and even to give their own to her.
They were dancing in the hall. Volodin got tipsy very soon and began to dance the "squat" dance. The police stopped him.
He said cheerfully and obediently:
"Well, if I mustn't, then I mustn't."
But two other men who had followed his example and were dancing the "squat" dance refused to obey the order.
"What right have you to stop us? Haven't we paid our half-rouble?" they exclaimed and were escorted out. Volodin went with them to the door, cutting capers, smiling and dancing.
The Routilov girls made haste to find Peredonov to make a fool of him. He sat alone at the window and looked at the crowd with wandering eyes. All people and objects seemed to him senseless, inharmonious, and equally hostile. Liudmilla, in her gipsy dress, went up to him and said in a guttural voice:
"Shall I tell your fortune, pretty gentleman?"
"Go to the devil!" shouted Peredonov.