“Don’t get angry!” interposed Sanine. “I had no wish to offend you, and only expressed my candid opinion. It is the same opinion that you have of me, and that Von Deitz has of both of us, and so on. It is only natural.”
Sanine spoke in such a frank, friendly way that to show further displeasure would have been absurd. Yourii was silent, and Von Deitz, being still concerned on his behalf, again rattled his spurs and breathed hard.
“At any rate I don’t tell you my opinion to your face,” murmured Yourii.
“No; and that is where you are wrong. I was listening to your discussion just now, and the offensive spirit prompted every word you said. It is merely a question of form. I say what I think, but you don’t say what you think; and that is not in the least interesting. If we were all more sincere, it would be far more amusing for everybody.”
Von Deitz laughed loudly.
“What an original idea!” he exclaimed.
Yourii did not reply. His anger had subsided, and he felt almost pleased, though it irked him to think that he had got the worst of it, and would not admit this.
“Such a state of things might be somewhat too primitive,” added Von Deitz sententiously.
“Then, you had rather that it were complicated and obscure?” asked Sanine.
Von Deitz shrugged his shoulders, lost in thought.