But there
were only few of these; high silk hats, shoes and stylish coats
reigned supreme. They were all crowded on the bow of the steamer,
and little by little, yielding to Kononov's requests, moved
towards the stern covered with sailcloth, where stood tables
spread with lunch. Lup Reznikov walked arm in arm with Yakov
Mayakin, and, bending over to his ear, whispered something to
him, while the latter listened and smiled. Foma, who had been
brought to the festival by his godfather, after long admonitions,
found no companion for himself among these people who were
repulsive to him, and, pale and gloomy, held himself apart from
them. During the past two days he had been drinking heavily with
Yozhov, and now he had a terrible headache. He felt ill at ease
in the sedate and yet jolly company; the humming of the voices,
the thundering of the music and the clamour of the steamer, all
these irritated him.
He felt a pressing need to doze off, and he could find no rest
from the thought as to why his godfather was so kind to him
today, and why he brought him hither into the company of the
foremost merchants of the town.
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