And
at the same time he would say to me in Russian:
"He is deeply convinced that America is the best country in the world,
Illinois is the best State in America, the street he lives on is the
best street in his city, and his house the best house on the street.
Now he is trying to persuade me that Chicago outgrew New York long ago
and is now the first city in the world. Wait a minute ... there comes
another one. That one is a New Yorker." He stopped the gentleman who
was passing by and proceeded to introduce them to each other:
"Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Carson of New York."
Then in the naive tone of a person, somewhat perplexed, he asked:
"You told me that New York is the first city in the world. And here is
Mr. Jackson who asserts that for the last ten years Chicago has
outstripped New York in population. According to him Chicago has so
many million inhabitants."
My companion leaned back slightly in his arm-chair and looked with
obvious curiosity at the two Americans.
"Presently we shall have a cock-fight," he said to me in Russian, and
a mocking twitch appeared beneath his moustache.
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