severe cough.

"H'm! The people here are stupid enough. A most ignorant lot. They
must be enlightened. They're wretchedly poor, but one can't make them
understand the cause of their poverty."

"Your brother-in-law's old serfs, as far as one can judge, do not seem
to be poor," Nejdanov remarked.

"My brother-in-law knows what he is about; he is a perfect master at
humbugging people. His peasants are certainly not so badly off; but he
has a factory; that is where we must turn our attention. The slightest
dig there will make the ants move. Have you any books with you?"

"Yes, a few."

"I will get you some more. How is it you have so few?"

Nejdanov made no reply. Markelov also ceased, and began sending out
puffs of smoke through his nostrils.

"What a pig this Kollomietzev is!" he exclaimed suddenly. "At dinner I
could scarcely keep from rushing at him and smashing his impudent face
as a warning to others. But no, there are more important things to be
done just now. There is no time to waste getting angry with fools for
saying stupid things. The time has now come to prevent them doing stupid
things."

Nejdanov nodded his head and Markelov went on smoking. "Among the
servants here there is only one who is any good," he began again. "Not
your man, Ivan, he has no more sense than a fish, but another one,
Kirill, the butler." (Kirill was known to be a confirmed drunkard.)
"He is a drunken debauchee, but we can't be too particular. What do you
think of my sister?" he asked, suddenly fixing his yellowish eyes on
Nejdanov. "She is even more artful than my brother-in-law. What do you
think of her?"

"I think that she is a very kind and pleasant lady...besides, she is
very beautiful."

"H'm! With what subtlety you St. Petersburg gentlemen express
yourselves! I can only marvel at it. Well, and what about--" he began,
but his face darkened suddenly, and he did not finish the sentence. "I
see that we must have a good talk," he went on. "It is quite impossible
here. Who knows! They may be listening at the door. I have a suggestion.
Today is Saturday; you won't be giving lessons to my nephew tomorrow,
will you?"

"I have a rehearsal with him at three o'clock."

"A rehearsal! It sounds like the stage. My sister, no doubt, invented
the word. Well, no matter. Would you like to come home with me now? My
village is about ten miles off. I have some excellent horses who will
get us there in a twinkling. You could stay the night