They walked up and down the boulevard once or twice, meeting no one
they knew, and they listened to the band which was playing as usual in
the garden. It was a very poor performance; the music being harsh and
discordant, but at a distance it sounded languorous and sad. They only
met men and women joking and laughing, whose noisy merriment seemed at
variance with the mournful music and the dreary evening. It irritated
Yourii. At the end of the boulevard Sanine joined them, greeting them
effusively. Yourii did not like him, so conversation was scarcely
brisk. Sanine kept on laughing at everybody he saw. Later on they met
Ivanoff, and Sanine went off with him.

"Where are you going?" asked Novikoff.

"To treat my friend," replied Ivanoff, producing a bottle of vodka
which he showed to them in triumph.

Sanine laughed.

To Yourii this vodka and laughter seemed singularly coarse and vulgar.
He turned away in disgust. Sanine observed this, but said nothing.

"God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men," exclaimed Ivanoff
mockingly.

Yourii reddened, "A stale joke like that into the bargain!" he thought,
as, shrugging his shoulders contemptuously, he walked away.

"Novikoff, guileless Pharisee, come along with us!" cried Ivanoff.

"What for?" "To have a drink."

Novikoff glanced round him ruefully, but Lida was not to be seen.