"No,--'pon my honor, I'm tired. Come," says Fedot; "let's go up-stairs; there you shall have your revanche."
Up-stairs with us meant the place where the gentlemen used to play cards. From that very day, Fedotka wound his net round him so that he began to come every day. He would play one or two games of billiards, and then proceed up-stairs,--every day up-stairs.
What they used to do there, God only knows; but it is a fact that from that time he began to be an entirely different kind of man, and seemed hand in glove with Fedotka. Formerly he used to be stylish, neat in his dress, with his hair slightly curled even; but now it would be only in the morning that he would be any thing like himself; but as soon as he had paid his visit up-stairs, he would not be at all like himself.
Once he came down from up-stairs with the prince, pale, his lips trembling, and talking excitedly.
"I cannot permit such a one as _he_ is," says he, "to say that I am not"--How did he express himself? I cannot recollect, something like "not refined enough," or what,--"and that he won't play with me any more. I tell you I have paid him ten thousand, and I should think that he might be a little more considerate, before others, at least."
"Oh, bother!" says the prince, "is it worth while to lose one's temper with Fedotka?"
"No," says the other, "I will not let it go so."
"Why, old fellow, how can you think of such a thing as lowering yourself to have a row with Fedotka?"
"That is all very well; but there were strangers there, mind you."
"Well, what of that?" says the prince; "strangers? Well, if you wish, I will go and make him ask your pardon."
And then they began to chatter in French, and I could not understand what it was they were talking about.
And what would you think of it? That very evening he and Fedotka ate supper together, and they became friends again.
Well and good. At other times again he would come alone.
It's our business, you know, to try to make everybody contented, and so I would say, "Yes, indeed;" and yet how could it be called good play, when he would poke about with his cue without any sense whatever?
And from that very evening when he took in with Fedotka, he began to play for money all the time. Formerly he didn't care to play for stakes, either for a dinner or for champagne. Sometimes the prince would say,--