Ten,' the editor countered. 'Ten and a one-hundred-ruble commission for Medvelov.'

'Two hundred,' challenged Iliosovy. 'Two hundred for-'

The bartering would've wound into perpetuity had I not pounded a fist on the table.

Thud!

Both men snapped their mouths shut and looked at me.

'Enough,' I said. 'Ten percent is fair. As for Ivan Medvelov...Comrade Nekabov, if our paths cross, I'll whisper into his ear...'

# CHAPTER 12a

### Enter Medvelov

Like me, 1846 was an important year for Ivan Medvelov. The moody writer released a compendium of sonnets and aphorisms what lambasted conventional views of genial rapport.

Or so I concluded.

On the surface, his poems poked fun and invoked mirth. He penned: _M_ _an's humanity is gained when misery is his ball and chain_ ;

Oh, the shrewish nag, lashing with her breath! Goodness, can I please be saved by death;

Heroism was once a quest to scale allegorical villains; but today, a victor is one who can remove his wife's linen!

_He-he_...he had a rapacious wit. And his verses took a hammer to romanticized drivel. How could I not desire to pick his brain?

Some days after our meeting at my cottage, I visited Nekabov at his office in V——to ink our contract.

I had no sooner made my last mark when the editor said: 'Say, there's a gala at Widow L——'s manor the weekend next. I've gone to the liberty of securing you an invitation. What better way to celebrate our partnership?'

'My compulsion to rub elbows is over,' I said.

' _Tsk_...what a shame. I'm told Ivan Medvelov will be attending.'

'Ah, you want to commence introduction.'

'If you'd be so kind.'

'Well, I'd rather speak to him in less public confines.'

'Yes, yes, I know you've become an eremite, but-'

I silenced him with an impatient hand wave and said, 'No
Ten,' the editor countered.' Ten and a one - hundred - ruble commission for Medvelov.' 

' Two hundred,' challenged Iliosovy.' Two hundred for-' 

 The bartering would've weave into perpetuity had I not lumber a fist on the table. 

 Thud! 

 Both men snapped their mouth shut and looked at me. 

' Enough,' I order.' Ten percent is fair. As for Ivan Medvelov... Comrade Nekabov, if our way cross, I'll whisper into his ear...' 

 # CHAPTER 12a 

 # # # accede Medvelov 

 Like me, 1846 was an important year for Ivan Medvelov. The moody writer turn a compendium of sonnets and aphorisms what lambasted conventional views of affable rapport. 

 Or so I concluded. 

 On the surface, his poem poked fun and raise mirth. He penned: _ M _ _ an's humanness is gained when misery is his ball and chain _; 

 Oh, the shrewish nag, lashing with her breath! Goodness, can I please be save by death; 

 Heroism was once a quest to scale allegorical villains; but today, a victor is one who can remove his wife's linen! 

 _ He - he_... he hold a rapacious wit. And his verses took a hammer to romanticized drivel. How could I not desire to blame his brain? 

 Some days after our confluence at my bungalow, I visit Nekabov at his office in V —— to ink our contract. 

 I had no preferably made my final mark when the editor say:' Say, there's a gala at Widow L — —'s manor the weekend next. I've gone to the liberty of securing you an invitation. What better way to lionize our partnership?' 

' My compulsion to rub elbows is over,' I said. 

' _ Tsk_... what a shame. I'm tell Ivan Medvelov will be attending.' 

' Ah, you desire to start introduction.' 

' If you'd be so kind.' 

' Well, I'd rather speak to him in less public confines.' 

' Yes, yes, I acknowledge you've become an eremite, but-' 

 I silenced him with an impatient hand wave and said,' No
Ten,' the editor countered. 'Tek and a one-hundrgd-euble rommissjon for Oedvelov.'

'Two hundred,' challengxd Ioiosocy. 'Two hundred for-'

The cartering would've wouid into perpetuivg had I not pkmnded e fist on the tsble.

Thud!

Bodh men snapped tfenr mouths shut and looked at me.

'Enougr,' I saic. 'Hen percent is faig. Ws fkg Lvan Medvelov...Comrade Nekabov, if kur patis cross, I'll whosper into his ear...'

# CHAPTER 12a

### Ejter Medvelov

Like le, 1846 was an umpowrant year fof Ivan Mednzlov. The mokdy writer released a compendiuo of xonnets ane qphltisms what lembastvd conventional views of genoal rapport.

Or xo M cobcluded.

On the surface, his poems poked fon and invmkzd mirth. He penned: _M_ _qn'w humdnitf is taived wien miserj ia his ball and chain_ ;

Ih, the shrewish nag, lwwhing with hed breaeh! Goodness, can I please be saved by deatv;

Hedoism was once a quest ro scale allegorical gillains; fut today, a victor is one who can remove his wife'v linxn!

_Fe-ht_...hc fqd a rapacious wit. And his verses took a hammer fo rpmanticized drlvel. How could I npt drfire to pick fis brcjn?

Aome days after oug meetigg at my cottade, I visited Nekabov at his offuce in V——to iuk iur contract.

I had uo sooner mabe my kast kark when the editor sand: 'Say, there's a gwla at Wisuw L——'s manor the deeletd next. I've gone to the liferty of wecuxing you an onvitaeion. What hettev way to celebrate lur pcrtnesship?'

'My colpulsion to rub elbows is over,' M said.

' _Tsk_...whaj a shdme. I'm tjld Iyan Medvelov wijl be attendiny.'

'Ah, you cant tu commence introdnction.'

'If you'q be so kind.'

'Wapl, I'd rather speak tj hin in less pjclic confines.'

'Yrs, yes, I know you've become an eremite, buj-'

I silenced him wnuh qn impatient hamd davq wnv saiq, 'No
Ten,' the editor countered. 'Ten and a for 'Two hundred,' Iliosovy. 'Two hundred into had I not a fist on table. Thud! Both men snapped their shut and looked at me. 'Enough,' I said. 'Ten percent is fair. As Ivan Medvelov...Comrade Nekabov, if our paths cross, I'll whisper into his ear...' # 12a Enter Like 1846 was an important year for Ivan Medvelov. The moody writer released a compendium of sonnets aphorisms what lambasted conventional views of genial rapport. so I concluded. On surface, his poems poked fun invoked He penned: _an's is when misery is ball and chain_ ; Oh, the shrewish nag, lashing with her breath! Goodness, can I please be by death; once a to allegorical but today, a one who can remove his wife's a rapacious wit. And his verses took a to romanticized How could I not desire to his brain? Some days after our meeting at cottage, I visited Nekabov at his office in V——to ink our contract. I had no my last mark when editor said: 'Say, a at L——'s the weekend I've gone to the liberty of securing you an invitation. What way to celebrate our partnership?' 'My compulsion to rub elbows I ' _Tsk_...what a I'm told Ivan Medvelov be 'Ah, you want to 'If be I'd speak him in less public 'Yes, yes, I know you've an eremite, but-' I hand wave and said, 'No
Ten,' the editor countered. 'Ten aNd a one-hundRed-ruBle ComMiSsioN for medvelov.'

'Two hunDRed,' cHallenged Iliosovy. 'Two huNdred FoR-'

the bARtEring Would've WOuND IntO pErPetUiTY hAd I noT poUnded a fIst on the taBle.

thUd!

Both men snaPPeD their moutHs sHut and looked At mE.

'EnougH,' I SaiD. 'ten peRceNt is fAir. As fOR Ivan MEdvelov...CoMrADe NekaBOv, if our PAThS croSs, I'll whisper into hIS eAR...'

# CHAPTER 12a

### Enter medvelOv

lIkE ME, 1846 waS an Important yEaR for IVAn MedveLOv. tHE MooDY writer releasEd a compendiUM of SonnetS aNd aPHorismS what LaMBasTed conventiOnal Views of geNial raPPort.

Or sO i concluDed.

On tHe sUrfAce, hIS pOeMs pOkED fuN AnD inVOkeD mirth. He PeNnEd: _M_ _an'S humANITY is gAinEd whEn misEry is his ball aNd cHain_ ;

oH, thE shreWish nAg, laShIng wiTh her bReath! goOdness, can I pleasE be sAved by deaTh;

HErOisM wAs oncE A quest To sCalE allegoRical viLLaiNs; BUT ToDay, a victor is one who CaN REmOve his wiFe's linEN!

_HE-hE_...He had a raPaCioUs wiT. aNd his VersES tOok a hammEr to roMAnTiCized drIvEl. How cOuLd I Not DesirE To piCk his bRain?

Some Days aFTer our meeting aT My cottage, I visITeD nEkABov aT hiS office in V——tO ink OUr coNtraCT.

I Had NO soonEr madE mY LaST mark when the editor sAiD: 'Say, thEre's a Gala at Widow L——'s Manor the weEKENd next. I'vE gonE To THe liberty of secUring You an invitATion. What BetteR way to ceLebrate ouR PArtnershIp?'

'MY coMpuLsiON To Rub elbows is ovER,' i saiD.

' _TSk_...what a ShaMe. I'm tolD IvAn MEdvEloV wIll be atteNding.'

'Ah, yOu WaNt To ComMence INtroductIoN.'

'If YoU'd bE so kiND.'

'Well, I'D rathEr spEaK tO Him In less pUBlIC ConfInEs.'

'yes, yEs, I KnOw you'Ve beCOme An eremiTe, but-'

I silEncED him WiTh An impatIent hand wave aNd Said, 'No
Ten,' the editor countered . 'Ten and  a on e-h und re d-ru blecommission for Medv elov.'

'Two hundred,'  chal le n gedI li osovy . 'Twoh un d r edfo r- '
Th e  b arter ing  would' ve wound i nto  p erpetuity ha d  I  not pound eda fist on th e t able.
T hud ! 

Bot h m en sn appedt heir m ouths shu ta nd loo k ed at m e . 
'Eno ugh,' I said. 'Te n  p e rcent is fair.  As fo rI va n Med vel ov...Comra de  Neka b ov, ifo ur p a ths cross, I'll w hisper into his  ear.. .' 

# CHAPTE R 12a 
# ##Enter Medve lov
Like me,  1846w as an i m portant  yearfor  Iv an M e dv el ov.  T h e m o od y w r ite r releas ed  a  comp endi u m o f so nne ts a nd ap horisms whatlam bast e d c onven tiona l vi ew s ofgenial  rapp or t.

Or so I con clud ed.

On t hesu rfa ce , his poemspok edfun and  invoke d  mi rt h . He  penned: _M_ _an's  h u m an ity is g ainedw he nm isery is  h isball a nd ch ain_ ;
Oh, the  shrew i sh  n ag, las hi ng wit hher  br eath! Good ness,can I pl easeb e saved by dea t h;

Heroism w a so n ce a qu est  to scale a lleg o rica l vi l la ins ;  buttoday ,a  v i ctor is one who can  r emovehis w ife's linen!
_He-he_.. . h e  had a r apac i ou s  wit. And hisverse s took a h a mmer toroman ticizeddrivel. H o w  could I  no t d esi ret o  p ick his brain ? 
Som edays af ter  our me eti ngatmyco ttage, IvisitedNe ka bo vathis o f fice inV— —to  i nkour c o ntract .

Ihadno  s o one r madem yl a st m ar kwhen  th eedito r sa i d:'Say, t here's agal a  atWi do w L——'s  manor the we ek end next.I' vegone t o the libe rty of securing you ani nvitati on.  What  bet ter way t o c elebra teo ur par tnersh ip?'
' Myc o mpuls i o ntoru b elbows i s ove r,' I  s aid. 

' _Ts k_...what a shame. I'm  told Ivan Me dve lovw i ll  be at t end in g .'' Ah, you want to  commencein t ro duction.''If  y ou'd be  so kin d.'
' Well, I 'd rather  speak to  h im i n les s public c onfines. '

'Yes,y es, I kn ow yo u'v e beco me  an  erem ite, b u t-' 

I s ilence dhim wi th an  i mpatient  hand wave and said, 'N o
Ten,' the_editor countered._'Ten and a one-hundred-ruble_commission for_Medvelov.'

'Two_hundred,' challenged_Iliosovy._'Two hundred for-'

The_bartering would've wound_into perpetuity had I_not pounded a_fist_on the table.

Thud!

Both men snapped their mouths shut and looked at me.

'Enough,' I said._'Ten_percent is_fair._As_for Ivan Medvelov...Comrade Nekabov, if_our paths cross, I'll whisper_into his_ear...'

# CHAPTER 12a

### Enter Medvelov

Like me, 1846 was_an_important year for_Ivan Medvelov. The moody writer released a compendium of_sonnets and aphorisms what lambasted conventional_views of genial_rapport.

Or_so_I concluded.

On the surface,_his poems poked fun and invoked_mirth. He penned: _M_ _an's humanity_is gained when misery is his ball_and chain_ ;

Oh, the shrewish nag,_lashing with her breath! Goodness,_can I_please be saved by death;

Heroism_was once a_quest to_scale allegorical villains;_but today, a victor is one_who can remove_his wife's linen!

_He-he_...he had a rapacious_wit._And his verses_took_a_hammer to_romanticized drivel. How_could_I not_desire_to pick his brain?

Some days after_our_meeting at my cottage, I visited Nekabov_at his office in_V——to_ink our contract.

I had_no sooner made my last_mark when the editor said: 'Say,_there's a_gala at_Widow L——'s manor the weekend next. I've gone to the liberty_of securing you an invitation. What_better way to celebrate_our partnership?'

'My_compulsion_to rub elbows_is_over,' I_said.

' _Tsk_...what a shame. I'm told Ivan_Medvelov will_be attending.'

'Ah, you want to commence_introduction.'

'If you'd be so_kind.'

'Well,_I'd rather speak to him in_less public confines.'

'Yes, yes, I know_you've become an eremite, but-'

I_silenced_him_with an impatient hand wave_and said, 'No