"For permitting those cigar ashes to go over all my person."
"In the first place, your precious person had no right to be there; in the second, appeal to the wind, and fight with it."
"I shall not fight with it!" thundered the German; "and I demand an instant apology."
"Absurd!" replied Volhonski, coolly; "I have no apology to make, fellow. Apologise to another I might; but certainly not to such as you."
"You dare to jest--to--to--to trifle with me?" spluttered the German, gasping and swelling with rage.
"I never jest or trifle with strangers; do you wish to quarrel?"
"No, Herr Graf," sneered the German; "do you?"
"Then how am I to construe your conduct and words?"
"As you please. But know this, Herr Graf: that though I ever avoid quarrelling, I instantly crush or repel the slightest appearance of insult, and you have insulted me."
"Ja, ja!" muttered the German officers, in blue surtouts and brass shoulder-scales, who now crowded about us.