Part 17 (2/2)

Of course, as he had never seen that sort of thing, it seemed strange to him: he laughs.

”Go ahead,” says he.

”Very well,” says I, ”only you must give me odds.”

”What!” says he, ”are you a worse player than I am?”

”Most likely,” says I. ”We have few players who can be compared with you.”

We began to play. He certainly had the idea that he was a crack shot. It was a caution to see him shoot; but the Pole sat there, and kept shouting out every time,--

”Ah, what a chance! ah, what a shot!”

But what a man he was! His ideas were good enough, but he didn't know how to carry them out. Well, as usual I lost the first game, crawled under the table, and grunted.

Thereupon Oliver and the Pole jumped down from their seats, and applauded, thumping with their cues.

”Splendid! Do it again,” they cried, ”once more.”

Well enough to cry ”once more,” especially for the Pole. That fellow would have been glad enough to crawl under the billiard-table, or even under the Blue bridge, for a half-ruble! Yet he was the first to cry, ”Splendid! but you haven't wiped off all the dust yet.”

I, Petrushka the marker, was pretty well known to everybody.

Only, of course, I did not care to show my hand yet. I lost my second game.

”It does not become me at all to play with you, sir,” says I.

He laughs. Then, as I was playing the third game, he stood forty-nine and I nothing. I laid the cue on the billiard-table, and said, ”Barin, shall we play off?”

”What do you mean by playing off?” says he. ”How would you have it?”

”You make it three rubles or nothing,” says I.

”Why,” says he, ”have I been playing with you for money?” The fool!

He turned rather red.

Very good. He lost the game. He took out his pocket-book,--quite a new one, evidently just from the English shop,--opened it: I see he wanted to make a little splurge. It is stuffed full of bills,--nothing but hundred-ruble notes.

”No,” says he, ”there's no small stuff here.”

He took three rubles from his purse. ”There,” says he, ”there's your two rubles; the other pays for the games, and you keep the rest for vodka.”

”Thank you, sir, most kindly.” I see that he is a splendid fellow. For such a one I would crawl under any thing. For one thing, it's a pity that he won't play for money. For then, thinks I, I should know how to work him for twenty rubles, and maybe I could stretch it out to forty.

As soon as the Pole saw the young man's money, he says, ”Wouldn't you like to try a little game with me? You play so admirably.” Such sharpers prowl around.

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