"There! That is business and not a joke."
Toward Petr and Grigori he behaved with good-natured derision, like a grown-up person towards children, and he said to Osip:
"Braggarts! Each shows the other his cleverness, as if they were playing at cards. One says: 'My cards are all such and such a color,' and the other says, 'And mine are trumps!'"
Osip observed hesitatingly:
"How could it be otherwise? Boasting is only human; all the girls walk about with their chests stuck out."
"All, yes, all. It is God, God all the time. But they hoard up money themselves!" said Ardalon impatiently.
"Well, Grisha does n't."
"I am speaking for myself. I would go with this God into the forest, the desert. I am weary of being here. In the spring I shall go to Siberia."
The workmen, envious of Ardalon, said:
"If we had such a chance in the shape of a brother-in-law, we should not be afraid of Siberia either."