‘He’s saying that a man who has drunk vodka is like a child: what is in his heart comes straight to his lips.’ ‘Is that a traditional saying?’ ‘It may be,’ said Bernov, ‘I’ve never lived in a village and I’m not familiar with traditional sayings.’ ‘It doesn’t matter anyway,’ said Frank. ‘He doesn’t really want to adopt my children. It’s just a general expression of good-will, or more likely the opposite.’ ‘Surely, as a business man, he’ll be as good as his word!’ Charlie cried. ‘Surely he’s the soul of hospitality.’ ‘Of course he is.’ Suddenly bored, Kuriatin got off the sofa with a plunging
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