After several days of a sort of even indistinct life without impressions and excitement, Yevsey was summoned to the presence of Filip Filippovich, who shouted shrilly a long time.
"You, idiot, you ought to set other people an example of good conduct. You ought not to make scandals. Please remember that. If I learn anything of the same kind about you, I'll place you under arrest for a month. Do you hear?"
Klimkov was frightened. He shrank within himself, and began to live quietly, silently, unobserved, trying to exhaust himself as much as possible, in order to escape thought.
When he met Yakov Zarubin, he saw a small red scar over his right eye; which new feature on the mobile face was pleasant to him. The consciousness that he had found the courage and the power to strike a person raised him in his own eyes.
"Why did you do it to me?" asked Yakov.
"So," said Yevsey. "I was drunk."
"Oh, you devil! You know what a face means in our service. We can't afford to spoil it."
Zarubin demanded a treat for a good dinner from Yevsey.
CHAPTER XXIV
Klimkov did not succeed in hiding himself from the power of hostile thoughts. They appeared again.