Yourii hurriedly laid aside his palette, and approached Ivanoff.

"You're not joking?"

"No, indeed."

As usual, he put on an air of philosophic indifference, yet evidently
he was much shocked at what had happened.

"Why did he shoot himself? Because Sanine struck him?"

"Does Sanine know?" asked Lialia anxiously.

"Yes. Sanine heard about it last night," replied Ivanoff.

"And what does he say?" exclaimed Yourii.

Ivanoff shrugged his shoulders. He was in no mood to discuss Sanine
with Yourii, and he answered, not without irritation.

"Nothing. What has it to do with him?"

"Anyhow, he was the cause of it," said Lialia.

"Yes, but what business had that fool to attack him? It is not Sanine's
fault. The whole affair is deplorable, but it is entirely due to
Sarudine's stupidity."

"Oh! I think that the real reason lies deeper," said Yourii sadly.
"Sarudine lived in a certain set that..."

Ivanoff shrugged his shoulders.

"Yes, and the very fact that he lived in, and was influenced by, such
an idiotic set is only proof positive that he was a fool."

Yourii rubbed his hands and said nothing. It pained him to hear the
dead man spoken of thus.

"Well I can understand why Sarudine did it," said Lialia, "but
Soloveitchik? I never would have thought it possible! What was the
reason?"