I
finished
my day as foolishly as I had begun it.
Pushkin - Daughter of the Commandant
In short, you must go to the inn
and play billiards, and to play you must know how to play. "
These reasons completely convinced me, and with great ardour I began
taking my lesson. Zourine encouraged me loudly; he was surprised at my
rapid progress, and after a few lessons he proposed that we should play
for money, were it only for a "_groch_" (two kopeks),[12] not for the
profit, but that we might not play for nothing, which, according to him,
was a very bad habit.
I agreed to this, and Zourine called for punch; then he advised me to
taste it, always repeating that I must get accustomed to the service.
"And what," said he, "would the service be without punch? "
I followed his advice. We continued playing, and the more I sipped my
glass, the bolder I became. My balls flew beyond the cushions. I got
angry; I was impertinent to the marker who scored for us. I raised the
stake; in short, I behaved like a little boy just set free from school.
Thus the time passed very quickly. At last Zourine glanced at the clock,
put down his cue, and told me I had lost a hundred roubles. [13] This
disconcerted me very much; my money was in the hands of Saveliitch. I
was beginning to mumble excuses, when Zourine said--
"But don't trouble yourself; I can wait, and now let us go to
Arinushka's. "
What could you expect?
I finished my day as foolishly as I had begun it.
We supped with this Arinushka. Zourine always filled up my glass,
repeating that I must get accustomed to the service.
Upon leaving the table I could scarcely stand. At midnight Zourine took
me back to the inn.
Saveliitch came to meet us at the door.
"What has befallen you? " he said to me in a melancholy voice, when he
saw the undoubted signs of my zeal for the service. "Where did you thus
swill yourself? Oh! good heavens! such a misfortune never happened
before. "
"Hold your tongue, old owl," I replied, stammering; "I am sure you are
drunk. Go to bed, . . .
and play billiards, and to play you must know how to play. "
These reasons completely convinced me, and with great ardour I began
taking my lesson. Zourine encouraged me loudly; he was surprised at my
rapid progress, and after a few lessons he proposed that we should play
for money, were it only for a "_groch_" (two kopeks),[12] not for the
profit, but that we might not play for nothing, which, according to him,
was a very bad habit.
I agreed to this, and Zourine called for punch; then he advised me to
taste it, always repeating that I must get accustomed to the service.
"And what," said he, "would the service be without punch? "
I followed his advice. We continued playing, and the more I sipped my
glass, the bolder I became. My balls flew beyond the cushions. I got
angry; I was impertinent to the marker who scored for us. I raised the
stake; in short, I behaved like a little boy just set free from school.
Thus the time passed very quickly. At last Zourine glanced at the clock,
put down his cue, and told me I had lost a hundred roubles. [13] This
disconcerted me very much; my money was in the hands of Saveliitch. I
was beginning to mumble excuses, when Zourine said--
"But don't trouble yourself; I can wait, and now let us go to
Arinushka's. "
What could you expect?
I finished my day as foolishly as I had begun it.
We supped with this Arinushka. Zourine always filled up my glass,
repeating that I must get accustomed to the service.
Upon leaving the table I could scarcely stand. At midnight Zourine took
me back to the inn.
Saveliitch came to meet us at the door.
"What has befallen you? " he said to me in a melancholy voice, when he
saw the undoubted signs of my zeal for the service. "Where did you thus
swill yourself? Oh! good heavens! such a misfortune never happened
before. "
"Hold your tongue, old owl," I replied, stammering; "I am sure you are
drunk. Go to bed, . . .
