86
AN ORIGINAL
"Father, I love negresses very much. In them there is something exotic."
With his last efforts he gave to his emaciated face the semblance of a happy smile, and expired with it on his lips.
And the earth received him without emotion, not asking whether he loved negresses or no, brought his body to corruption, mingled his bones with those of other dead people, and annihilated every trace of the white paper-collar.
But the Second Department long cherished the memory of Semyon Vasilyevich, and when the waiting petitioners began to grow weary, the porter would take them to his room to smoke, and would tell them tales of the wonderful civil-servant who was so awfully fond of negresses. And all, narrator and listeners, were pleased.
