s nothing I love better than meeting
spring in the country, although I am a busy, prosaic sort of person,
tied to town... I want you to count your first month as beginning from
today. My wife and boy have already started, and are probably in Moscow
by now. We shall find them in the lap of nature. We will go alone, like
two bachelors, ha, ha!" Sipiagin laughed coquettishly, through his nose.
"And now--"

He took a black and silver pocketbook out of his overcoat pocket and
pulled out a card.

"This is my address. Come and see me tomorrow at about twelve o'clock.
We can talk things over further. I should like to tell you a few of my
views on education. We can also decide when to start."

Sipiagin took Nejdanov's hand. "By the way," he said, lowering his voice
and bending his head a little to one side, "if you are in need of money,
please do not stand on ceremony. I can let you have a month's pay in
advance."

Nejdanov was at a loss to know what to say. He gazed, with the same
puzzled expression, at the kind, bright face, which was so strange yet
so close to him, smiling encouragingly.

"You are not in need of any?" Sipiagin asked in a whisper.

"I will tell you tomorrow, if I may," Nejdanov said at last.

"Well, goodbye, then. Till tomorrow." Sipiagin dropped Nejdanov's hand
and turned to go out.

"I should like to know," Nejdanov asked suddenly, "who told you my name?
You said you heard it at the theatre."

"Someone who is very well known to you. A relative of yours, I think.
Prince G."

"The aide-de-camp?"

"Yes."

Nejdanov flushed even redder than before, but did not say anything.
Sipiagin shook his hand again, without a word this time, then bowing
first to him and then to Paklin, put on his hat at the door, and
went out with a self-satisfied smile on his lips, denoting the deep
impression the visit must have produced upon him.

IV

SIPIAGIN had barely crossed the threshold when Paklin jumped up, and
rushing across to Nejdanov began showering congratulations upon him.

"What a fine catch!" he exclaimed laughing, scarcely able to stand
still. "Do you know who he is? He's quite a celebrity, a chamberlain,
one of our pillars of society, a future minister!"

"I have never heard of him," Nejdanov remarked dejectedly.

Paklin threw up his arms in despair.

"That's just where we are mistaken, Alexai Dmitritch! We never know
anyone. We want to do things, to turn the whole world upside down,
and ar