he accuses himself of his end.'

'Now, that I don't approve of at all,' observed Bazarov. 'There's a
slight flavour of the French novel about it, something not very
plausible.'

'Perhaps. You will agree, however, that it would be unpleasant to incur
a suspicion of murder?'

'I agree as to that. But there is a means of avoiding that painful
reproach. We shall have no seconds, but we can have a witness.'

'And whom, allow me to inquire?'

'Why, Piotr.'

'What Piotr?'

'Your brother's valet. He's a man who has attained to the acme of
contemporary culture, and he will perform his part with all the
_comilfo_ (_comme il faut_) necessary in such cases.'

'I think you are joking, sir.'

'Not at all. If you think over my suggestion, you will be convinced
that it's full of common-sense and simplicity. You can't hide a candle
under a bushel; but I'll undertake to prepare Piotr in a fitting
manner, and bring him on to the field of battle.'

'You persist in jesting still,' Pavel Petrovitch declared, getting up
from his chair. 'But after the courteous readiness you have shown me, I
have no right to pretend to lay down.... And so, everything is
arranged.... By the way, perhaps you have no pistols?'

'How should I have pistols, Pavel Petrovitch? I'm not in the army.'

'In that case, I offer you mine. You may rest assured that it's five
years now since I shot with them.'

'That's a very consoling piece of news.'

Pavel Petrovitch took up his stick.... 'And now, my dear sir, it only
remains for me to thank you and to leave you to your studies. I have
the honour to take leave of you.'

'Till we have the pleasure of meeting again, my dear sir,' said
Bazarov, conducting his visitor to the door.

Pavel Petrovitch went out, while Bazarov remained standing a minute
before the door, and suddenly exclaimed, 'Pish, well, I'm dashed! how
fine, and how foolish! A pretty farce we've been through! Like trained
dogs dancing on their hind-paws. But to decline was out of the
question; why, I do believe he'd have struck me, and then ...' (Bazarov
turned white at the very thought; all his pride was up in arms at
once)--'then it might have come to my strangling him like a cat.' He
went back to his microscope, but his heart was beating, and the
composure necessary for taking observations had disappeared. 'He caught
sight of us to-day,' he thought; 'but would he really act like this on
his brother's account? And what a mighty matter is i