"don’t interrupt, we are not such fools as you think, mr. lawyer," cried lebedeff’s nephew angrily. "of course there is a difference between a hundred roubles and two hundred and fifty, but in this case the principle is the main point, and that a hundred and fifty roubles are missing is only a side issue. the point to be emphasized is that burdovsky will not accept your highness’s charity; he flings it back in your face, and it scarcely matters if there are a hundred roubles or two hundred and fifty. burdovsky has refused ten thousand roubles; you heard him. he would not have returned even a hundred roubles if he was dishonest! the hundred and fifty roubles were paid to tchebaroff for his travelling expenses. you may jeer at our stupidity and at our inexperience in business matters; you have done all you could already to make us look ridiculous; but do not dare to call us dishonest. the four of us will club together every day to repay the hundred and fifty roubles to the prince, if we have to pay it in instalments of a rouble at a time, but we will repay it, with interest. burdovsky is poor, he has no millions. after his journey to see the prince tchebaroff sent in his bill. we counted on winning... who would not have done the same in such a case?"