\"Well，itisforyoutodeal，\"heremarkedtoDubkoff。InaninstantIdivinedthathedidnotaltogetherrelishmybecomingacquaintedwiththefactthathegambled。Yethisexpressionhadnothinginitofconfusion——onlyalookwhichseemedtometosay：
\"Yes，Iplaycards，andifyouaresurprisedatthat，itisonlybecauseyouaresoyoung。Thereisnothingwrongaboutit——itisanecessityatourage。\"Yes，Iatoncedivinedandunderstoodthat。
Insteadofdealing，however，Dubkoffroseandshookhandswithus；afterwhichhebadeusbothbeseated，andthenoffereduspipes，whichwedeclined。
\"HereisourDIPLOMAT，then——theherooftheday！\"hesaidtome，\"GoodLord！howyoulooklikeacolonel！\"
\"H-m！\"Imutteredinreply，thoughoncemorefeelingacomplacentsmileoverspreadmycountenance。