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Friday Quiz

Identify this fragment of a famous novel. (It landed in my mailbox embedded in a spam email in an apparent attempt to evade filters):

red hair . . . one wall eye, a fang protruding from his mouth … He appeared to be left-handed, as he fetched the house manager a shattering clout on his other ear. The sky rumbled again in reply and rain started to drench the wooden roof. ‘Look here, corn . . .’ whispered Varenukha, staggering. It at once occurred to him that the word ‘ comrades ‘ hardly fitted these bandits who went around assaulting people in public conveniences, so he groaned instead ‘. . . citizens . . . ‘, realised that they didn’t even deserve to be called that and got a third fearful punch. This time he could not see who had hit him, as blood was spurting from his nose and down his shirt. ‘What have you got in your briefcase, louse? ‘ shouted the cat-figure. ‘ Telegrams? Weren’t you warned by telephone not to take them anywhere? I’m asking you–weren’t you warned?’ ‘Yes … I was . . . warned,’ panted Varenukha. ‘And you still went? Gimme the briefcase, you skunk! ‘ said the other creature in the same nasal voice that had come through the telephone, and wrenched the briefcase out of Varenukha’s trembling hands.

Last updated on Thursday, March 30, 2006