straightened up, played a few scales upon the brass buttons of his uniform, and said: “It pains me to have to say it, Alexandre Alexandrovich, but these are queer times and the passions of youth should be moderated, held in check, suppressed, not aroused. The imagination of one’s pupils is not to be trifled with, Alexandre Alexandrovich.” He paused mournfully. The little old man, who had not the least idea what he was driving at, waited in consternation. The room was overheated, and the pause had[17] an overpowering effect on him. He felt on the verge of fainting. [17] “The point is,” Novikoff resumed, with a sudden spurt in his voice, “that in your class work you sometimes suffer yourself to say things that cannot but be regarded as dangerous. Dangerous particularly in view of the evil influences at work among the young of our generation; in view of the very sad fact that college students will disguise themselves as peasants——” “What do you mean, sir?” Pievakin burst out, reddening violently. “How dare you liken me to those fellows? I was serving the Czar while you were still a whippersnapper. I’m a councillor of state, sir. How dare you make these insinuations?” “I expected as much,” Novikoff answered, nervously polishing his buttons. “Defying one’s superior is of a piece with the views you’re trying to instill into the minds of your scholars.” “What is of a piece with what? Speak out, sir,” Pievakin shrieked. “Bridle your temper, sir. I can’t allow that.” “Then tell me what it’s all about,” the teacher of history and geography said in a queer, half-beseeching, half-threatening voice. “Well, this morning you were expatiating upon the blessings of a constitutional government. Yes, sir. There are no spies to eavesdrop on one in this building, but it seems you never speak so loud nor with so much gusto as when you get to the subject of constitutions and parliaments and things of that kind.” “It isn’t true. I merely said a word or two on the various forms of government. It’s practically all in Smirnoff’s Geography.” [18] [18] “‘Practically’! It’s against the law. I am very sorry, but it
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