“If you make any more trouble about appointing seconds, and delay the gentlemen who have consented to act for me, I shall wait for you at the door and try some further means of rousing you to honourable action.”
A little man sitting next to Soltyk with an eloquent, sleek lawyer’s face took the letter as though it had been a public document and read it. He bent towards his friend and said:
“What is really the matter with this gentleman?”
Soltyk shrugged his shoulders.
“He’s a brute, and he is a little crazy as well. He wants to pick a quarrel with me, I don’t know why.”
“He means trouble. Doesn’t he want to be taken seriously, only? Let his shaggy friend here have a chat with a friend of yours. He may be a nuisance—”
“What rot! Why should one, Stephen? If he comes for me at the door, let him! I wish that little man there would go away. He has annoyed us quite enough.”
“Louis, will you give me permission to speak to him on your behalf?”
“If that will give you any satisfaction.”
Stephen (Staretsky) got up and put himself at Bitzenko’s disposition. The whole party became tumultuous at this.