Paklin was in high spirits and delighted Golushkin with his sharp, ready wit.The latter had not the slightest suspicion that the "little cripple" every now and again whispered to Nejdanov, who happened to be sitting beside him, the most unflattering remarks at his, Golushkin's, expense.He thought him "a simple sort of fellow" who might be patronised; that was probably why he liked him.Had Paklin been sitting next him he would no doubt have poked him in the ribs or slapped him on the shoulder, but as it was, he merely contented himself by nodding and winking in his direction.Between him and Nejdanov sat Markelov, like a dark cloud, and then Solomin.Golushkin went into convulsions at every word Paklin said, laughed on trust in advance, holding his sides and showing his bluish gums.Paklin soon saw what was expected of him and began abusing everything (it being an easy thing for him), everything and everybody; conservatives, liberals, officials, lawyers, administrators, landlords, county councils and district councils, Moscow and St.Petersburg."Yes, yes, yes," Golushkin put in, "that's just how it is! For instance, our mayor here is a perfect ass! A hopeless blockhead! I tell him one thing after another, but he doesn't understand a single word;just like our governor!"
"Is your governor a fool then?" Paklin asked.
"I told you he was an ass!"
"By the way, does he speak in a hoarse voice or through his nose?""What do you mean?" Golushkin asked somewhat bewildered.
"Why, don't you know? In Russia all our important civilians speak in a hoarse voice and our great army men speak through the nose.
Only our very highest dignitaries do both at the same time."Golushkin roared with laughter till the tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Yes, yes," he spluttered, "if he talks through his nose..then he's an army man!""You idiot!" Paklin thought to himself.
"Everything is rotten in this country, wherever you may turn!" he bawled out after a pause."Everything is rotten, everything!
"My dear Kapiton Andraitch," Paklin began suggestively (he had just asked Nejdanov in an undertone, "Why does he throw his arms about as if his coat were too tight for him?"), "my dear Kapiton Andraitch, believe me, half measures are of no use!""Who talks of half measures!" Golushkin shouted furiously (he had suddenly ceased laughing), "there's only one thing to be done; it must all be pulled up by the roots: Vasia, drink!""I am drinking, Kapiton Andraitch," the clerk observed, emptying a glass down his throat.
Golushkin followed his suit.
"I wonder he doesn't burst!" Paklin whispered to Nejdanov.
"He's used to it!" the latter replied.
But the clerk was not the only one who drank.Little by little the wine affected them all.Nejdanov, Markelov, and even Solomin began taking part in the conversation.
At first disdainfully, as if annoyed with himself for doing so, for not keeping up his character, Nejdanov began to hold forth.
He maintained that the time had now come to leave off playing with words; that the time had con e for "action," that they were now on sure ground! And then, quite unconscious of the fact that he was contradicting himself, he began to demand of them to show him what real existing elements they had to rely on, saying that as far as he could see society was utterly unsympathetic towards them, and the people were as ignorant as could be.Nobody made any objection to what he said, not because there was nothing to object to, but because everyone was talking on his own account.
Markelov hammered out obstinately in his hoarse, angry, monotonous voice ("just as if he were chopping cabbage," Paklin remarked).Precisely what he was talking about no one could make out, but the word "artillery" could be heard in a momentary hush.
He was no doubt referring to the defects he had discovered in its organisation.Germans and adjutants were also brought in.Solomin remarked that there were two ways of waiting, waiting and doing nothing and waiting while pushing things ahead at the same time.
"We don't want moderates," Markelov said angrily.
"The moderates have so far been working among the upper classes,"Solomin remarked, "and we must go for the lower.""We don't want it! damnation! We don't want it!" Golushkin bawled out furiously."We must do everything with one blow! With one blow, I say!""What is the use of extreme measures? It's like jumping out of the window.""And I'll jump too, if necessary!" Golushkin shouted."I'll jump!
