" "Why, is he losing?" "He keeps losing, and I'm the only friend that can restrain him.

" "Well, what do you say to pyramids? Levin, will you play? Capital!" said Stepan Arkadyevitch.

" Get the table ready," he said to the marker.

"It has been ready a long while," answered the marker, who had already set the balls in a triangle, and was knocking the red one about for his own diversion.

"Well, let us begin.