CHAPTER VI.
The elderly guest in the uniform of the Department of Charity
walked in with slow, undecided steps, at each step bending his
body a little forward and rubbing his palms with a circular
motion, as though washing them. Since all the women were pompously
silent, as though not noticing him, he traversed the drawing room
and let himself down on a chair alongside of Liuba, who, in
accordance with etiquette, only gathered up her skirt a little,
preserving the abstracted and independent air of a girl from a
respectable house.
"How do you do, miss?" he said.
"How do you do?" answered Liuba abruptly.
"How are you getting along?"
"Thanks--thank you. Treat me to a smoke."
"Pardon me--I don't smoke."
"So that's how. A man--and he doesn't smoke, just like that. Well,
then, treat me to some Lafitte with lemonade. I am terribly fond
of Lafitte with lemonade."
He let that pass in silence.
"Ooh, what a stingy daddy! Where do you work, now? Are you one of
the government clerks?"
"No, I'm a teacher. I teach the German language.
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