a. 'Good-bye for the
present, Dmitri Nikolaitch!'

Rudin got up. The whole conversation between him and Darya Mihailovna
had a special character. In the same way actors repeat their parts, and
diplomatic dignitaries interchange their carefully-worded phrases.

Rudin went away. He knew by now through experience that men and women of
the world do not even break with a man who is of no further use to them,
but simply let him drop, like a kid glove after a ball, like the paper
that has wrapped up sweets, like an unsuccessful ticket for a lottery.

He packed quickly, and began to await with impatience the moment of his
departure. Every one in the house was very much surprised to hear of
his intentions; even the servants looked at him with a puzzled air.
Bassistoff did not conceal his sorrow. Natalya evidently avoided Rudin.
She tried not to meet his eyes. He succeeded, however, in slipping his
note into her hand. After dinner Darya Mihailovna repeated once more
that she hoped to see him before they left for Moscow, but Rudin made
her no reply. Pandalevsky addressed him more frequently than any one.
More than once Rudin felt a longing to fall upon him and give him a slap
on his rosy, blooming face. Mlle. Boncourt often glanced at Rudin with
a peculiarly stealthy expression in her eyes; in old setter dogs one may
sometimes see the same expression.

'Aha!' she seemed to be saying to herself, 'so you're caught!'

At last six o'clock struck, and Rudin's carriage was brought to the
door. He began to take a hurried farewell of all. He had a feeling of
nausea at his heart. He had not expected to leave this house like this;
it seemed as though they were turning him out. 'What a way to do it all!
and what was the object of being in such a hurry? Still, it is better
so.' That was what he was thinking as he bowed in all directions with
a forced smile. For the last time he looked at Natalya, and his heart
throbbed; her eyes were bent upon him in sad, reproachful farewell.

He ran quickly down the steps, and jumped into his carriage. Bassistoff
had offered to accompany him to the next station, and he took his seat
beside him.

'Do you remember,' began Rudin, directly the carriage had driven from
the courtyard into the broad road bordered with fir-trees, 'do you
remember what Don Quixote says to his squire when he is leaving the
court of the duchess? "Freedom," he says, "my friend Sancho, is one of
the most precious possessions of m