Two friends — one a fat man and the other a thin man — met at the train station. The fat man had just finished eating and his red mouth shone. The thin man had just gotten out of the train. A thin woman with a long face and a tall schoolboy came behind his back.
"Porfiry," cried the fat man on seeing the thin man. "Is it you? My dear fellow!"
"Misha!" cried the thin man in surprise. "The friend of my childhood!"
The friends kissed three times, and looked at each other in tears. "My dear boy! How are you?" began the thin man. "I am married as you see. This is my wife Luise. And this is my son Nafanail. Nafanail, we were boys at school together!"
Nafanail thought a little and took off his hat.
The thin man continued. "Don't be shy, Nafanail. Go nearer." Nafanail thought a little and hid behind his father's back.
"Well, how are you doing my friend?" the fat man asked his friend excitedly, "Are you in the service?"
"I am, dear boy! I have been an eighth-rank official for the last two years. I get the poor pay. My wife gives music lessons, and I sell something in a private way. We get along well. I worked as a clerk, you know, and now I will work here as a head clerk. And I bet you are a fifth-rank official by now?"
"No, dear boy. Go higher than that," said the fat man." I have risen to three-rank official already."
The thin man turned pale at once- but soon his face changed into the biggest smile. He was shaking. His wife's long face grew longer. Nafanail dressed up his clothes.
"Your Excellency, I... pleased! The friend of childhood has turned into such a great man! He — He!"
"Come, come!" the fat man was a little unhappy. "You and I were friends as boys. There is no need to be so official!"
"Your Excellency!" the thin man laughed quietly, "Thank you for your Excellency's day kind attention...!"
The fat man was about to say something, but the look on the thin man's face made him uncomfortable. He turned away from him, waving goodbye.
The thin man pressed three fingers, bowed his whole body and laughed, "He - He - He!" His wife smiled. Nafanail saluted and dropped his hat.
