o be mended. If
I am asked, I can say I have been to Kuznetsky bridge.' She held the
door-handle. 'By-the-way, I forgot to tell you, Monsieur Kurnatovsky
will certainly make me an offer in a day or two. But the answer I shall
make him--will be this----' She put the thumb of her left hand to the
tip of her nose and flourished the other fingers in the air. 'Good-bye
till we see each other again. Now, I know the way... And don't lose any
time.'

Elena opened the door a little, listened, turned round to Insarov,
nodded her head, and glided out of the room.

For a minute Insarov stood before the closed door, and he too listened.
The door downstairs into the court slammed. He went up to the sofa, sat
down, and covered his eyes with his hands. Never before had anything
like this happened to him. 'What have I done to deserve such love?' he
thought. 'Is it a dream?'

But the delicate scent of mignonette left by Elena in his poor dark
little room told of her visit. And with it, it seemed that the air was
still full of the notes of a young voice, and the sound of a light young
tread, and the warmth and freshness of a young girlish body.

XXIV

Insarov decided to await more positive news, and began to make
preparations for departure. The difficulty was a serious one. For
him personally there were no obstacles. He had only to ask for a
passport--but how would it be with Elena? To get her a passport in the
legal way was impossible. Should he marry her secretly, and should they
then go and present themselves to the parents?... 'They would let us go
then,' he thought 'But if they did not? We would go all the same. But
suppose they were to make a complaint... if... No, better try to get a
passport somehow.'

He decided to consult (of course mentioning no names) one of his
acquaintances, an attorney, retired from practice, or perhaps struck
off the rolls, an old and experienced hand at all sorts of clandestine
business. This worthy person did not live near; Insarov was a whole hour
in getting to him in a very sorry droshky, and, to make matters worse,
he did not find him at home; and on his way back got soaked to the skin
by a sudden downpour of rain. The next morning, in spite of a rather
severe headache, Insarov set off a second time to call on the retired
attorney. The retired attorney listened to him attentively, taking snuff
from a snuff-box decorated with a picture of a full-bosomed nymph, and
glancing stealthily at