36
DIAMONDS TO SIT ON
on to all the railings he managed to drag himself down to his room. ‘ Welcome, O brother proletarian of intellectual work! Brother of the broom, welcome! ’ cried Bender as he caught sight of the drunken porter. The porter muttered something unintelligible. ‘ Your porter,’ said Bender, turning to Hippolyte, ‘ isn’t up to much. How can a fellow get so drunk on a rouble ? ’ ‘ He can,’ said the pbrter suddenly. ' Listen, my man,’ began Hippolyte. ‘ Have you any idea what happened to my furniture ? ’ Bender was carefully holding the porter up, so that they could hear what he would say. Hippolyte was eagerly waiting for his reply, but all that he said in a deafening roar was : ‘ Those were joUy-olly-oUy days.’ Then there was an uproar in the room. The porter began to bellow a song as he threw himself round the room—now diving under the table, now banging him self against the furniture, and finally falling down on his knees. He was very merry. ' We shall have to suspend the cross-examination of witnesses until the morning,’ said Bender. ' Let us go to bed.’ They carried the porter, who by now was sleeping like a log, on to the bench, and they decided to share the porter’s single bed. Bender was wearing a red and black check shirt under his coat, but he was naked under the shirt, whereas Hippolyte was wearing two waistcoats, a shirt, and an undervest. ‘ You should sell me one of those waistcoats,’ said Bender as he looked at the bright blue one enviously. It would suit me beautifully. Sell it to me. ’ Hippolyte did not like to refuse his new companion, and, although he frowned, he agreed to sell the waist coat for eight roubles. Payment,’ said Bender as he took hold of the waist coat, ‘ shall be made on reahzation of the treasure.’
