na looked at him stealthily, trying to make
out this new "young man." He was sitting in an armchair, quite at his
ease, his bare hands laid on his knee (he had not put on the gloves
after all), calmly, although not without a certain amount of curiosity,
looking around at the furniture and pictures. "I don't understand,"
she thought, "he's a plebeian--quite a plebeian--and yet behaves so
naturally!" Solomin did indeed carry himself naturally, not with any
view to effect, as much as to say "Look what a splendid fellow I am!"
but as a man whose thoughts and feelings are simple, direct, and strong
at the same time. Madame Sipiagina wanted to say something to him, but
was surprised to find that she did not quite know how to begin.

"Heavens!" she thought. "This mechanic is making me quite nervous!"

"My husband must be very grateful to you," she remarked at last. "It was
so good of you to sacrifice a few hours of your valuable time--"

"My time is not so very valuable, madame," he observed. "Besides, I've
not come here for long."

"Voila ou l'ours a montre sa patte," she thought in French, but at this
moment her husband appeared in the doorway, his hat on his head and a
walking stick in his hand.

"Are you ready, Vassily Fedosaitch?" he asked in a free and easy tone,
half turned towards him.

Solomin rose, bowed to Valentina Mihailovna, and walked out behind
Sipiagin.

"This way, this way, Vassily Fedosaitch!" Sipiagin called out, just
as if they were groping their way through a tangled forest and Solomin
needed a guide. "This way! Do be careful, there are some steps here,
Vassily Fedosaitch!"

"If you want to call me by my father's Christian name," Solomin said
slowly, "then it isn't Fedosaitch, but Fedotitch."

Sipiagin was taken aback and looked at him over his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Vassily Fedotitch."

"Please don't mention it."

As soon as they got outside they ran against Kollomietzev.

"Where are you off to?" the latter asked, looking askance at Solomin.
"Are you going to the factory? C'est la l'individu en question?"

Sipiagin opened his eyes wide and shook his head slightly by way of
warning.

"Yes, we're going to the factory. I want to show all my sins and
transgressions to this gentleman, who is an engineer. Allow me to
introduce you. Mr. Kollomietzev, a neighbouring landowner, Mr. Solomin."

Kollomietzev nodded his head twice in an off-hand manner without looking
at Solomin, but the latter