e sitting near the window!" said the
porter, indicating with the tray the furthest window. Voldyrev
coughed and went towards the window; there, at a green table spotted
like typhus, was sitting a young man with his hair standing up in
four tufts on his head, with a long pimply nose, and a long faded
uniform. He was writing, thrusting his long nose into the papers.
A fly was walking about near his right nostril, and he was continually
stretching out his lower lip and blowing under his nose, which gave
his face an extremely care-worn expression.

"May I make an inquiry about my case here . . . of you? My name is
Voldyrev. and, by the way, I have to take a copy of the resolution
of the Council of the second of March."

The clerk dipped his pen in the ink and looked to see if he had got
too much on it. Having satisfied himself that the pen would not
make a blot, he began scribbling away. His lip was thrust out, but
it was no longer necessary to blow: the fly had settled on his ear.

"Can I make an inquiry here?" Voldyrev repeated a minute later, "my
name is Voldyrev, I am a landowner. . . ."

"Ivan Alexeitch!" the clerk shouted into the air as though he had
not observed Voldyrev, "will you tell the merchant Yalikov when he
comes to sign the copy of the complaint lodged with the police!
I've told him a thousand times!"

"I have come in reference to my lawsuit with the heirs of Princess
Gugulin," muttered Voldyrev. "The case is well known. I earnestly
beg you to attend to me."

Still failing to observe Voldyrev, the clerk caught the fly on his
lip, looked at it attentively and flung it away. The country gentleman
coughed and blew his nose loudly on his checked pocket handkerchief.
But this was no use either. He was still unheard. The silence lasted
for two minutes. Voldyrev took a rouble note from his pocket and
laid it on an open book before the clerk. The clerk wrinkled up his
forehead, drew the book towards him with an anxious air and closed
it.

"A little inquiry. . . . I want only to find out on what grounds
the heirs of Princess Gugulin. . . . May I trouble you?"

The clerk, absorbed in his own thoughts, got up and, scratching his
elbow, went to a cupboard for something. Returning a minute later
to his table he became absorbed in the book again: another rouble
note was lying upon it.

"I will trouble you for one minute only. . . . I have only to make
an inquiry."

The clerk did not hear, he had begun copyi