Pagina 165 de 3800

Berg always spoke quietly, politely, and with great precision.

His conversation always related entirely to himself; he would

remain calm and silent when the talk related to any topic that

had no direct bearing on himself. He could remain silent for

hours without being at all put out of countenance himself or

making others uncomfortable, but as soon as the conversation

concerned himself he would begin to talk circumstantially and

with evident satisfaction.

"Consider my position, Peter Nikolaevich. Were I in the cavalry I

should get not more than two hundred rubles every four months,

even with the rank of lieutenant; but as it is I receive two

hundred and thirty," said he, looking at Shinshin and the count

with a joyful, pleasant smile, as if it were obvious to him that

his success must always be the chief desire of everyone else.