y's women of the merchant class, although she was of official
rank; her husband had been a Collegiate Assessor.[64] Not without some
difficulty did Aratoff, after having preliminarily excused himself for
his boldness, and the strangeness of his visit, make the speech which he
had prepared, to the effect that he wished to collect all the necessary
information concerning the gifted actress who had perished at such an
early age; that he was actuated not by idle curiosity, but by a profound
sympathy for her talent, of which he was a worshipper (he said exactly
that--"a worshipper"); that, in conclusion, it would be a sin to leave
the public in ignorance of the loss it had sustained,--and why its hopes
had not been realized!

Madame Milovidoff did not interrupt Aratoff; it is hardly probable that
she understood very clearly what this strange visitor was saying to her,
and she merely swelled a little with pride, and opened her eyes widely
at him on perceiving that he had a peaceable aspect, and was decently
clad, and was not some sort of swindler ... and was not asking for any
money.

"Are you saying that about Katya?" she asked, as soon as Aratoff ceased
speaking.

"Exactly so ... about your daughter."

"And you have come from Moscow for that purpose?"

"Yes, from Moscow."

"Merely for that?"

"Merely for that."

Madame Milovidoff suddenly took fright.--"Why, you--are an author? Do
you write in the newspapers?"

"No, I am not an author,--and up to the present time, I have never
written for the newspapers."

The widow bent her head. She was perplexed.

"Consequently ... it is for your own pleasure?" she suddenly inquired.
Aratoff did not immediately hit upon the proper answer.

"Out of sympathy, out of reverence for talent," he said at last.

The word "reverence" pleased Madame Milovidoff. "Very well!" she
ejaculated with a sigh.... "Although I am her mother, and grieved very
greatly over her.... It was such a catastrophe, you know!... Still, I
must say, that she was always a crazy sort of girl, and ended up in the
same way! Such a disgrace.... Judge for yourself: what sort of a thing
is that for a mother? We may be thankful that they even buried her in
Christian fashion...." Madame Milovidoff crossed herself.--"From the
time she was a small child she submitted to no one,--she abandoned the
paternal roof ... and finally, it is enough to say that she became an
actress! Every one knows that I did not turn her o