ion, an irregular but
expressive and intelligent face, a liquid brilliance in his quick, dark
blue eyes, a straight, broad nose, and well-curved lips. His clothes
were not new, and were somewhat small, as though he had outgrown them.

He walked quickly up to Darya Mihailovna, and with a slight bow told her
that he had long wished to have the honour of an introduction to her,
and that his friend the baron greatly regretted that he could not take
leave of her in person.

The thin sound of Rudin's voice seemed out of keeping with his tall
figure and broad chest.

'Pray be seated... very delighted,' murmured Darya Mihailovna, and,
after introducing him to the rest of the company, she asked him whether
he belonged to those parts or was a visitor.

'My estate is in the T---- province,' replied Rudin, holding his hat on
his knees. 'I have not been here long. I came on business and stayed for
a while in your district town.'

'With whom?'

'With the doctor. He was an old chum of mine at the university.'

'Ah! the doctor. He is highly spoken of. He is skilful in his work, they
say. But have you known the baron long?'

'I met him last winter in Moscow, and I have just been spending about a
week with him.'

'He is a very clever man, the baron.'

'Yes.'

Darya Mihailovna sniffed at her little crushed-up handkerchief steeped
in _eau de cologne_.

'Are you in the government service?' she asked.

'Who? I?'

'Yes.'

'No. I have retired.'

There followed a brief pause. The general conversation was resumed.

'If you will allow me to be inquisitive,' began Pigasov, turning to
Rudin, 'do you know the contents of the essay which his excellency the
baron has sent?'

'Yes, I do.'

'This essay deals with the relations to commerce--or no, of manufactures
to commerce in our country.... That was your expression, I think, Darya
Mihailovna?'

'Yes, it deals with'... began Darya Mihailovna, pressing her hand to her
forehead.

'I am, of course, a poor judge of such matters,' continued Pigasov, 'but
I must confess that to me even the title of the essay seems excessively
(how could I put it delicately?) excessively obscure and complicated.'

'Why does it seem so to you?'

Pigasov smiled and looked across at Darya Mihailovna.

'Why, is it clear to you?' he said, turning his foxy face again towards
Rudin.

'To me? Yes.'

'H'm. No doubt you must know better.'

'Does your head ache?' Alexandra Pavlovna inquired of Dary