made up his mind to restrain himself from drinking； and so went to dinner in one of the most expensive hotels in town； hoping to find there none of his familiar drinking…companions； who always selected the cheaper and less respectable places for their drinking bouts。 But his calculation proved to be wrong； he at once came into the friendly joyous embrace of the brandy… distiller's son； who had taken Sasha as mistress。
He ran up to Foma； embraced him and burst into merry laughter。
〃Here's a meeting！ This is the third day I have eaten here； and I am wearied by this terrible lonesomeness。 There is not a decent man in the whole town； so I have had to strike up an acquaintance with newspaper men。 They're a gay lot； although at first they played the aristocrat and kept sneering at me。 After awhile we all got dead drunk。 They'll be here again todayI swear by the fortune of my father！ I'll introduce you to them。 There is one writer of feuilletons here； you know； that some one who always lauded you； what's his name？ An amusing fellow； the devil take him！ Do you know it would be a good thing to hire one like that for personal use！ Give him a certain sum of money and order him to amuse！ How's that？ I had a certain coupletist in my employ； it was rather entertaining to be with him。 I used to say to him sometimes： 'Rimsky！ give us some couplets！' He would start； I tell you； and he'd make you split your sides with laughter。 It's a pity； he ran off somewhere。 Have you had dinner？〃
〃Not yet。 And how's Aleksandra？〃 asked Foma； somewhat deafened by the loud speech of this tall； frank； red…faced fellow clad in a motley costume。
〃Well； do you know；〃 said the latter with a frown； 〃that Aleksandra of yours is a nasty woman！ She's so obscure； it's tiresome to be with her； the devil take her！ She's as cold as a frog；brrr！ I guess I'll send her away。〃
〃Coldthat's true；〃 said Foma and became pensive。 〃Every person must do his work in a first class manner；〃 said the distiller's son； instructively。 〃And if you become some one's s mistress you must perform your duty in the best way possible； if you are a decent woman。 Well； shall we have a drink？〃
They had a drink。 And naturally they got drunk。 A large and noisy company gathered in the hotel toward evening。 And Foma； intoxicated； but sad and calm； spoke to them with heavy voice：
〃That's the way I understand it： some people are worms； others sparrows。 The sparrows are the merchants。 They peck the worms。 Such is their destined lot。 They are necessary But I and youall of youare to no purpose。 We live so that we cannot be compared to anythingwithout justification； merely at random。 And we are utterly unnecessary。 But even these here； and everybody else； to what purpose are they？ You must understand that。 Brethren！ We shall all burst！ By God！ And why shall we burst？ Because there is always something superfluous in us； there is something superfluous in our souls。 And all our life is superfluous！ Comrades！ I weep。 To what purpose am I？ I am unnecessary！ Kill me； that I may die； I want to die。〃
And he wept； shedding many drunken tears。 A drunken； small…sized； swarthy man sat down close to him； began to remind him of something； tried to kiss him； and striking a knife against the table； shouted：
〃True！ Silence！ These are powerful words！ Let the elephants and the mammoths of the disorder of life speak！ The raw Russian conscience speaks holy words！ Roar on； Gordyeeff！ Roar at everything！〃 And again he clutched at Foma's shoulders； flung himself on his breast； raising to Foma's face his round； black； closely…cropped head； which was ceaselessly turning about on his shoulders on all sides； so that Foma was unable to see his face； and he was angry at him for this； and kept on pushing him aside； crying excitedly：
〃Get away！ Where is your face？ Go on！〃
A deafening； drunken laughter smote the air about them； and choking with laughter； the son of the brandy…distiller roared to someone hoarsely：
〃Come to me！ A hundred roubles a month with board and lodging！ Throw the paper to the dogs。 I'll give you more！〃
And everything rocked from side to side in rhythmic； wave…like movement。 Now the people moved farther away from Foma； now they came nearer to him； the ceiling descended； the floor rose； and it seemed to Foma that he would soon be flattened and crushed。 Then he began to feel that he was floating somewhere over an immensely wide and stormy river； and； staggering； he cried out in fright：
〃Where are we floating？ Where is the captain？〃
He was answered by the loud； senseless laughter of the drunken crowd； and by the shrill； repulsive shout of the swarthy little man：
〃True！ we are all without helm and sails。 Where is the captain？ What？ Ha； ha； ha！〃
Foma awakened from this nightmare in a small room with two windows； and the first thing his eyes fell upon was a withered tree。 It stood near the window； its thick trunk； barkless； with a rotten heart； prevented the light from entering the room； the bent； black branches； devoid of leaves； stretched themselves mournfully and helplessly in the air； and shaking to and fro； they creaked softly； plaintively。 A rain was falling； streams of water were beating against the window…panes； and one could hear how the water was falling to the ground from the roof； sobbing there。 This sobbing sound was joined by another sounda shrill； often interrupted； hasty scratching of a pen over paper； and then by a certain spasmodic grumbling。
When he turned with difficulty his aching； heavy head on the pillow； Foma noticed a small； swarthy man； who sat by the table hastily scratching with his pen over the paper； shaking his round head approvingly； wagging it from side to side； shrugging his shoulders； and； with all his small body clothed in night garments only； constantly moving about in his chair； as though he were sitting on fire； and could not get up for some reason or other。 His left hand； lean and thin； was now firmly rubbing his forehead； now making certain incomprehensible signs in the air； his bare feet scraped along the floor； a certain vein quivered on his neck； and even his ears were moving。 When he turned toward Foma； Foma saw his thin lips whispering something； his sharp… pointed nose turned down to his thin moustache； which twitched upward each time the little man smiled。 His face was yellow； bloated； wrinkled； and his black； vivacious small sparkling eyes did not seem to belong to him。
Having grown tired of looking at him； Foma slowly began to examine the room with his eyes。 On the large nails； driven into the walls； hung piles of newspapers； which made the walls look as though covered with swellings。 The ceiling was pasted with paper which had been white once upon a time； now it was puffed up like bladders； torn here and there； peeled off and hanging in dirty scraps； clothing； boots； books； torn pieces of paper lay scattered on the floor。 Altogether the room gave one the impression that it had been scalded with boiling water。
The little man dropped the pen； bent over the table； drummed briskly on its edge with his fingers and began to sing softly in a faint voice：
〃Take the drum and fear not； And kiss the sutler girl aloud That's the sense of learning And that's philosophy。〃
Foma heaved a deed sigh and said：
〃May I have some seltzer？〃
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed the little man； and jumping up from his chair； appeared at the wide oilcloth…covered lounge； where Foma lay。 〃How do you do； comrade！ Seltzer？ Of course！ With cognac or plain？〃
〃Better with cognac；〃 said Foma； shaking the lean； burning hand which was outstretched to him； and staring fixedly into the face of the little man。
〃Yegorovna！〃 cried the latter at the door； and turning to Foma； asked： 〃Don't you recognise me； Foma Ignatyevich？〃
〃I remember something。 It seems to me we had met somewhere before。〃
〃That meeting lasted for four years； but that was long ago！ Yozhov。〃
〃0h Lord！〃 exclaimed Foma； in astonishment； slightly rising from the lounge。 〃Is it possible that it is you？〃
〃There are times； dear； when I don't believe it myself； but a real fact is something from which doubt jumps back as a rubber ball from iron。〃
Yozhov's face was comically distorted； and for some reason or other his hands began to feel his breast。
〃Well； well！〃 drawled out Foma。 〃But how old you have grown！ Ah… ah！ How old are you？〃
〃Thirty。〃
〃And you look as though you were fifty； lean； yellow。 Life isn't sweet to you； it seems？ And you are drinking； too； I see。〃
Foma felt sorry to see his jolly and brisk schoolmate so worn out； and living in this dog…hole； which seemed to be swollen from burns。 He looked at him； winked his eyes mournfully and saw that Yozhov's face was for ever twitching； and his small eyes were burning with irritation。 Yozhov was trying to uncork the bottle of water； and thus occupied； was silent； he pressed the bottle between his knees and made vain efforts to take out the cork。 And his impotence moved Foma。
〃Yes； life has sucked you dry。 And you have studied。 Even science seems to help man but little；〃 said Gordyeeff plaintively。
〃Drink！〃 said Yozhov； turning pale with fatigue； and handing him the glass。 Then he wiped his forehead； seated himself on the lounge beside Foma； and said：
〃Leave science alone！ Science is a drink of the gods； but it has not yet fermented sufficiently； and； therefore is not fit for use； like vodka which has not yet been purified from empyreumatic oil。 Science is not ready for man's happiness； my friend。 And those living people that use it get nothing but headaches。 Like those you and I have at present。 Why do you drink so rashly？〃
〃I？ What else am I to do？〃 asked Foma； laughing。 Yozhov looked at Foma searchingly with his eyes half closed； and he said：
〃Connecting your question with everything you jabbered last night； I feel within my troubled soul that you； too； my friend； do not amuse yourself because life is cheerful to you。〃
〃Eh！〃 sighed Foma； heavily； rising from the lounge。 〃What is my life？ It is something meaningless。 I live alone。 I understand nothing。 And yet there is something I long for。 I yearn to spit on all and then disappear somewhere！ I would like to run away from everything。 I am so weary！〃
〃That's intere