He added,
with his submissive smile and nervous rubbing of the hands, that the
Heir Doctor might be quite easy about the priority of his
discoveries, as he was quite prepared to write an explanation that
he stood in the position of pupil to the Heir Doctor, and had only a
share in his discoveries in common with others. Wilhelm contented
himself by replying that priority was nothing to him, and that he
did not work for fame, but because he was ignorant and sought for
knowledge.
Thereupon Barinskoi said he was very happy to have found some one
with the same views as himself, he also thought that fame was
nonsense, that knowledge was the only essential thing, that it gave
power over things and men, that the ideal was to proceed unknown and
unnoticed through life, making the others dance without knowing who
played on the instrument. That was not what Wilhelm meant, but he
let it go without denying it. Barinskoi also tried to claim him for
a fellow-countryman, but Wilhelm stopped him, explaining that he was
a German, although born beyond the frontier of his fatherland. This
slight did not disconcert Barinskoi; he endeavored to produce an
impression on Wilhelm, and if one shut one's eyes to his ugliness
and fawning ways he was a well-informed man; harshness was not in
Wilhelm's nature, so he held out no longer against Barinskoi's
importunity--who very soon accompanied him home from the laboratory,
visited him uninvited in his rooms, invited him to supper at his
restaurant, which Wilhelm twice declined, the third time, however,
he had not the courage to refuse.
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