But on boarding the platform of the car, he stumbled, and a gendarme took him by the elbow to support him.

Vasily shuddered and screamed shrilly, drawing back his arm: "Ai!" "What is it, Vasya ?" Werner rushed over to him.

Vasily was silent, trembling in every limb.

The confused and even offended gendarme explained: "I wanted to keep him from falling, and he--" "Come, Vasya, let me hold you," said Werner, about to take him by the arm.

But Vasily drew back his arm again and cried more loudly than before: "Ai!" "Vasya, it is I, Werner." "I know.