| Two friends -- one a fat man and the other a thin man -- met at the Nikolaevsky station. The fat man had just dined in the station and his greasy lips shone like ripe cherries. He smelt of sherry and fleur d'orange. The thin man had just slipped out of the train and was laden with portmanteaus, bundles, and bandboxes. He smelt of ham and coffee grounds. A thin woman with a long chin, his wife, and a tall schoolboy with one eye screwed up came into view behind his back. |
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 | "Holy saints! Misha! The friend of my childhood! Where have you dropped from?" | |
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| "Porfiry, is it you? My dear fellow! How many summers, how many winters!" | |
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| The friends kissed each other three times, and gazed at each other with eyes full of tears. Both were agreeably astounded. |
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| "My dear boy! This is unexpected! This is a surprise! Come have a good look at me! Just as handsome as I used to be! Just as great a darling and a dandy! Good gracious me! Well, and how are you? Made your fortune? Married? I am married as you see. This is my wife Luise, her maiden name was Vantsenbach of the Lutheran persuasion. And this is my son Nafanail, a schoolboy in the third class. This is the friend of my childhood, Nafanya. We were boys at school together!" | |
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| "We were boys at school together, do you remember how they used to tease you? You were nicknamed Herostratus because you burned a hole in a schoolbook with a cigarette, and I was nicknamed Ephialtes because I was fond of telling tales. Ho--ho! We were children! Don't be shy, Nafanya. Go nearer to him. And this is my wife, her maiden name was Vantsenbach, of the Lutheran persuasion." | |
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