“Only on this shelf nearly everything is ruined by that accursed Mark! The other books are all right. See, I drew up a catalogue, which took a whole year to do,” and he pointed self-consciously to a thick bound volume of manuscript. “I wrote it all with my own hand,” he continued. “Sit down, Boris, and read out the names. I will get on the ladder, and show you the books; they are arranged according to their numbers.”
“What an idea!”
“Or better wait till after dinner; we shall not be able to finish before.”
“Listen, should you like to have a library like that?” asked Raisky.
“I!—a library like that?”
Sunshine blazed from Leonti’s eyes, he smiled so broadly that even the hair on his brow stirred with the dislocation caused. “A library like that?” He shook his head. “You must be mad.”
“Tell me, do you love me as you used to do?”
“Why do you ask? Of course.”
“Then the books shall be yours for good and all, under one condition.”
“I—take these books!”