iness.

Lezhnyov's servant, a curly-headed, rosy-cheeked youth in a grey cloak,
with a blue sash round the waist, and soft felt shoes, came into the
room.

'Well, my boy, here we are,' Lezhnyov said, 'and you were afraid all the
while that a wheel would come off.'

'We are here,' replied the boy, trying to smile above the high collar of
his cloak, 'but the reason why the wheel did not come off----'

'Is there no one in here?' sounded a voice in the corridor.

Lezhnyov started and listened.

'Eh? who is there?' repeated the voice.

Lezhnyov got up, walked to the door, and quickly threw it open.

Before him stood a tall man, bent and almost completely grey, in an old
frieze coat with bronze buttons.

'Rudin!' he cried in an excited voice.

Rudin turned round. He could not distinguish Lezhnyov's features, as he
stood with his back to the light, and he looked at him in bewilderment.

'You don't know me?' said Lezhnyov.

'Mihailo Mihailitch!' cried Rudin, and held out his hand, but drew it
back again in confusion. Lezhnyov made haste to snatch it in both of
his.

'Come, come in!' he said to Rudin, and drew him into the room.

'How you have changed!' exclaimed Lezhnyov after a brief silence,
involuntarily dropping his voice.

'Yes, they say so!' replied Rudin, his eyes straying about the room.
'The years... and you not much. How is Alexandra--your wife?'

'She is very well, thank you. But what fate brought you here?'

'It is too long a story. Strictly speaking, I came here by chance. I was
looking for a friend. But I am very glad...'

'Where are you going to dine?'

'Oh, I don't know. At some restaurant. I must go away from here to-day.'

'You must.'

Rudin smiled significantly.

'Yes, I must. They are sending me off to my own place, to my home.'

'Dine with me.'

Rudin for the first time looked Lezhnyov straight in the face.

'You invite me to dine with you?' he said.

'Yes, Rudin, for the sake of old times and old comradeship. Will you?
I did not expect to meet you, and God only knows when we shall see each
other again. I cannot part from you like this!'

'Very well, I agree!'

Lezhnyov pressed Rudin's hand, and calling his servant, ordered dinner,
and told him to have a bottle of champagne put in ice.

In the course of dinner, Lezhnyov and Rudin, as though by agreement,
kept talking of their student days, recalling many things and many
friends--dead and living. At first Rudin spoke with