be a writer ? '
' No, I have cured him of that for ever.'
Adouev told her the contents of the letter he had received with the manuscript, and related how they had burnt everything.
' You have no pity, Piotr Ivanitch !' said Lizaveta Alexandrovna.
' You did well indeed to set him scribbling! do you mean to tell me he has talent ? '
' No.' ^ .
Piotr Ivanitch looked at her in surprise.
' Then why did you ? '
' Why, didn't you understand, didn't you guess, all this time ? '
He was silent.
' He doesn't understand, and yet he's a very clever man ! Why has he been cheerful—well, almost happy all this time ? Because he had something to hope for.'
' So you have been playing a part with him throughout!'
* I consider it justifiable. But what have you done? You are absolutely pitiless; you have taken away his last hope.'
' Nonsense! what last hope ? He has plenty of absurdities still before him.'
' What is he to do now ? Will he go about again with downcast looks ? '
' No ! he won't; it won't come to that: I have given him work to do.'
' What ? some translation again about potato-starch ? Do you suppose that can occupy a young man, especially an ardent, enthusiastic one ? With you the head only needs occupation.'
u No, my dear, it's not about potato-starch, but something concerning the factory.''
CHAPTER IX
V-
Wednesday arrived. Twelve or fifteen guests were gathered together in Julia Paylovnaj s drawing-room. Four young ladies, two bearded foreigners, who had made the hostess' acquaintance abroad, and an officer, formed one group.
Apart from them in an easy-chair was sitting an old man, obviously a retired military officer, with two tufts of grizzled hair under his nose and a number of decorations in his button-hole. He was arguing with an elderly man about some impending contracts.
In the other room an old lady and two men were playing cards. At the piano was seated a very young girl, another was talking to a student.
The Adouevs made their appearance. Few men knew how to enter a drawing-room with such ease and dignity as Piotr Ivanitch. After him, with a certain air of indecision, walked Alexandr.
What a contrast there was between them ! One a whole head taller, well-built, stout, a man of robust temperament with self-confidence in his eyes and manners. But not by a single glance T nor_gesture^ jaflauxgrd could one puess ffife tnought or character oF Piotr IvanitcK—all'was s o veiled by his polished manners and powjer of controllin g s h imsel f. It sefcmed as if even his gestures and glances were the result of calculation.
In Alexandr, on the contrary, there was every sign of a weak and soft temperament, and in the changing expression of his face and a certain indolence or slowness and uneven-ness in his movement, and his Lack-lustre eyes, which at once revealed what emotion was agitating his heart, or what thought was stirring in his head. He was of medium height, but thin and pale—pale not by nature, like Piotr Ivanitch, but from the continual agitation of his feelings. His hair did not grow like his uncle's, in bushy thickness on his head and cheeks, but hung down over his temples and on his neck in thin, weak, but exceedingly soft and silky locks of a light-coloured bright hue.
The uncle presented his nephew,
' But is not my friend SurkofF here ? ' asked Piotr Ivan-itch, looking round with surprise; 'he has forgotten you.'
' Oh, no ! ' replied their hostess ; ' he often comes to see me. You know, except my late husband's intimate friends, I scarcely see any one.'
' Where is he then ? »
' He will be here directly. Only imagine, he has promised my cousin and me to get us a box without fail for to-morrow's performance, though they say there's not a chance of getting one, and he has gone about it.'
' And he has got it, I will answer for him ; he is a genius at that. He will always get one for me, when no influence or favour are of use. How he manages it, and with what money, is his secret.'
Surkoff came in. His clothes were new, and in every fold of his linen, in every detail, was clearly discernible the pretension to be a dandy, to excel in every fashion, and even to excel the fashion itself.
' Well, have you got it ? ' sounded from all sides.
Surkoff was just going to answer, but catching sight of Adouev and his nephew he suddenly paused and looked at them with surprise.
'He suspects!' said Piotr Ivanitch, sotto voce^ to his nephew.
He pointed out of window at the house opposite.
' Remember that the vases are yours, and be bold,' he added. s cp 'Have you tickets for the performance to-morrow?' ^ ^ Surko ff asked Madame T aphaev, going up to her with an air ^.:¦•< of triumph.
'No.'
' Permit me to hand them to you ! ' he continued, and repeated the whole speech of Zagoryetsky from 'Sorrow from Wisdom.' -
The officer's lips were slightly relaxed in a smile. Piotr Ivanitch looked meaningly at his nephew, and Julia Pavlovna blushed. She began to invite Piotr Ivanitch to her box.
' I am very grateful,' he said, ' but I shall be in attendance on my wife at the theatre to-morrow; but let me present a young man as a substitute.'
He indicated Alexandr.
u I should have liked to ask him too; we are only three, my cousin and I.'
v-j
' He will make a good substitute for me as well,' said Piotr Ivanitch, ' and for this scapegrace too, if necessary.'
He pointed to Surkoff, and began to say something in an undertone to her. She twice stole a look at Alexandr and smiled while she did so.
' Thank you,' replied Surkoff, ' only it would have been as well to have proposed such an exchange a little sooner, before the tickets were taken ; I would have considered then how I should be replaced.'
' Ah, I thank you very much for your kindness ! ' said the hostess quickly to Surkoff, ' but I did not invite you to the box because you have a stall. You certainly prefer to be just opposite the stage .... especially at a ballet.'
' No, no, you are making fun of me; you did not think that; give up a place by you—not for anything !'
' But it is already promised.'
'How? To whom?'
' M. Rene.
She indicated one of the bearded foreigners.
' Oui, madame, m'a fait cet honneur,' the latter promptly murmured.
Surkoff gazed open-mouthed at him and then at Madame Taphaev.
' I will change with him; I will offer him my stall,' he said.
' You can try.'
The bearded one gesticulated the negative in every limb.
' Allow me to thank you !' said Surkoff to Piotr Ivanitch, with a sidelong look at Alexandr; u I am indebted to you for this.'
' Don't mention it. But won't you care to use my box ? there are only two of us, my wife and I; you have seen nothing of her for a long while; you may pay your court to her.'
Surkoff turned his back on him in vexation. Piotr Ivanitch quietly took his leave. Julia made Alexandr sit by her and talked to him for a whole hour. Surkoff broke in on the conversation several times, but always in some infelicitous manner. He began to make some remark about the ballet and received the answer ' yes ' when it ought
