of the
absolutely mistaken position of those people who refuse to admit the
practical intelligence of women.'

Darya Mihailovna smiled affably.

'You are very good to us,' was her comment 'But what was I going to say?
What were we speaking of? Oh, yes; Lezhnyov: I have some business with
him about a boundary. I have several times invited him here, and even
to-day I am expecting him; but there's no knowing whether he'll come...
he's such a strange creature.'

The curtain before the door was softly moved aside and the steward came
in, a tall man, grey and bald, in a black coat, a white cravat, and a
white waistcoat.

'What is it?' inquired Darya Mihailovna, and, turning a little towards
Rudin, she added in a low voice, '_n'est ce pas, comme il ressemble a
Canning?_'

'Mihailo Mihailitch Lezhnyov is here,' announced the steward. 'Will you
see him?'

'Good Heavens!' exclaimed Darya Mihailovna, 'speak of the devil----ask
him up.'

The steward went away.

'He's such an awkward creature. Now he has come, it's at the wrong
moment; he has interrupted our talk.'

Rudin got up from his seat, but Darya Mihailovna stopped him.

'Where are you going? We can discuss the matter as well before you. And
I want you to analyse him too, as you did Pigasov. When you talk, _vous
gravez comme avec un burin_. Please stay.' Rudin was going to protest,
but after a moment's thought he sat down.

Mihailo Mihailitch, whom the reader already knows, came into the room.
He wore the same grey overcoat, and in his sunburnt hands he carried the
same old foraging cap. He bowed tranquilly to Darya Mihailovna, and came
up to the tea-table.

'At last you have favoured me with a visit, Monsieur Lezhnyov!' began
Darya Mihailovna. 'Pray sit down. You are already acquainted, I hear,'
she continued, with a gesture in Rudin's direction.

Lezhnyov looked at Rudin and smiled rather queerly.

'I know Mr. Rudin,' he assented, with a slight bow.

'We were together at the university,' observed Rudin in a low voice,
dropping his eyes.

'And we met afterwards also,' remarked Lezhnyov coldly.

Darya Mihailovna looked at both in some perplexity and asked Lezhnyov to
sit down He sat down.

'You wanted to see me,' he began, 'on the subject of the boundary?'

'Yes; about the boundary. But I also wished to see you in any case. We
are near neighbours, you know, and all but relations.'

'I am much obliged to you,' returned Lezhnyov. 'As regards the bound