"Ever since I was small I've looked for the real thing and have lived all the time like a wood-shaving in a brook. I was swept about, now here, now there, and all round me everything was dull and dirty and restless. I didn't know where to catch hold; only misery and injustice and knavishness all round me, and all that disgusts me: and now fate brings me to you, for the first time in my life I see how people can live in peace and comfort and love."
He looked at them with a bright smile and bowed to them.
"I thank you. With you I've found relief for my soul, by God! You've helped me for my whole life, now I can step out boldly, now I know how a man should live! It will go well with me and no other shall suffer for me. How many unlucky ones there are in the world! how many go under. I've seen it all, I know it all."
Tatiana Vlassyevna regarded him with the look of the cat who lies in wait for the bird, ravished by his own song. A greenish fire gleamed in her eyes and her lips twitched; Kirik was busy with the bottle, he had it between his knees and bent over it. The veins of his neck swelled and his ears moved.
"My friends," continued Ilya, "for I have two friends——"
The cork popped, hit the ceiling and fell on the table; a glass that it fell against rang, quivering.
Kirik smacked his lips, filled the glasses and commanded:
"Ready."
Then when his wife and Lunev had taken their glasses, he held his high over his head and cried:
"To the firm of Tatiana Avtonomov and Lunev; may it bloom and flourish! Hurrah!"