You do not act like a madman, except when you let the police catch you and lock you up for the night, instead of running away like a sensible man." The Count's face grew bright again all at once.

In the present state of his hopes no form of doubt seemed able to take a permanent hold of him.
"No, I am not mad," he said.

"But on the other hand, Dumnoff, it is my conviction that you are exceedingly drunk.

No other hypothesis can account for your very singular remarks about me." "Oh, I am drunk, am I ?" laughed the peasant.

"It is very likely, and in that case I had better go to sleep.