Arkady Timofeevich Averchenko

“ As a kindly satirist and portrayer of the lighter side of Russian nature, Arcadie Avertchenko stands alone today. His genial spirit wells entirely from within, because there is nothing in his circumstances to foster or produce it. He is one of the group of Russian refugees in Constantinople. He was the editor of a political weekly in Petrograd, “Satirikon,” which the Bolshevists tried time after time to suppress. ”

“ What have you been doing today, for instance ?’ she asked. ‘I was at the office,’ I told her, ‘had my lunch and now I have come to see you.’ ‘I feel frightened when I am with you,’ she said. ‘You are always silent.’ ‘Well, that’s my way,’ I replied. ‘Love me as I am.’
“Nothing doing! ... When I went to see her one afternoon there was another fellow with her. There he was sitting at her side and talking on and on as if he would never stop. ‘I have seen this and that’ he was saying. ‘I have been here and there... And have you seen the latest play? Do you like dancing? ... ”

“ A friend of mine, a student called Orloff, and I took a room together. All went on well. I was silent. One day—two days—always silent. At first he laughed at me and said that I had a bad conscience, then he became nervous and finally he began to abuse me. ‘Look here!’ he said, ‘have you taken an oath that you will never speak? Why are you silent like a corpse?’”
“Don’t worry,’ I replied. ‘No,’ said he, ‘but say something.’ ‘Why? What’s the matter?’ said I... Silence again. One day—two days ... ”