“To this end each one of us had to give his hand to his neighbor, so as to complete the circuit.
“As now Big L, who was sitting next to Long K, held out his hand to him, the lubber made a grimace as if he were about to touch a toad and drew back his hand.
“Big L quietly shrank into himself and sat there as if covered with shame. But at the same instant Little L is up and out of his place, over to his brother’s side, at whose place, next to Long K, he seats himself, whose hand he grips and smashes with all the force of his body against the wooden form, so that the long gawk cries out with pain.
“Then he grabbed Little L by the neck and the two now began regularly to fight in the middle of class.
“The teacher, who had been tinkering all this time at his machine, now rushed up with coat-tails flying.
“‘Now! Now! Now!’ he cried.
“He was, you must know, an old man for whom we had not exactly a great respect.
“The two were so interlocked that they did not break away, even though the professor was standing directly in front of them.
“‘What disgraceful conduct!’ cried the professor. ‘What disgraceful conduct! Will you separate at once!’
“Long K made a face as if he were about to cry.