“Yes.  I’m thinking of stopping there for two or three days.  I’m travelling to Moscow, really.  I have received a two months’ leave, but it would be interesting to look over the city on the way.  It’s very beautiful, they say.”

“Oh, what are you trying to tell me?  A remarkable city!  Well, absolutely a European city.  If you only knew, what streets, electricity, trolleys, theatres!  And if you only knew what cabarets!  You’ll lick your own fingers.  Positively, positively, I advise you, young man, to pay a visit to the chateau des FLEURS, to the Tivoli, and also to ride out to the island.  That’s something special.  What women, wha-a-at women!”

The lieutenant turned red, took his eyes away, and asked in a voice that quavered: 

“Yes, I’ve happened to hear that.  Is it possible that they’re really so handsome?”

“Oi!  Strike me God!  Believe me, there are no handsome women there at all.”

“But—­how’s that?”

“Why, this way:  there are only raving beauties there.  You understand—­what a happy blending of bloods!  Polish, Little Russian, and Hebrew.  How I envy you, young man, that you’re free and alone.  In my time I sure would have shown myself!  And what’s most remarkable of all, they’re unusually passionate women!  Well, just like fire!  And do you know something else?” he asked in a whisper of great significance.

“What?” asked the sub-lieutenant in a fright.

“It’s remarkable, that nowheres, neither in Paris, nor in London—­ believe me, this was told me by people who had seen the whole wide world—­never, nowhere, will you meet with such exquisite ways of making love as in this town.  That’s something especial, as us little Jews say.  They think up such things that no imagination can picture to itself.  It’s enough to drive you crazy!”

“But is that possible?” quietly spoke the sub-lieutenant, whose breath had been cut off.

“Well, strike me God!  But permit me, young man, by the way!  You understand yourself.  I was single, and of course, every man is liable to sin ...  It’s different now, of course.  I’ve had myself written in with the invalids.  But from the former days a remarkable collection has remained to me.  Just wait, I’ll show it to you right away.  Only, please, be as careful as possible in looking at it.”

Horizon with trepidation looked around to the right and left and extracted from his pocket a long, narrow little box of morocco, in the style of those in which playing cards are usually kept, and extended it to the sub-lieutenant.

“Here you are, have a look.  Only, I beg of you, be very careful.”

The sub-lieutenant applied himself to picking out, one after the other, the cards of plain and coloured photography, in which in all possible aspects was depicted in the most beastly ways, in the most impossible positions, the external side of love which at times makes man immeasurably lower and viler than a baboon.  Horizon would look over his shoulder, nudge him with his elbow, and whisper: