ed of mine; but to change my habits, to pick up a new housemaid,
to wait till she is used to the place--all that's a tedious,
tiring business and does not suit me. Our present maid certainly
is fat, and has, perhaps, a weakness for gloves and handkerchiefs,
but she is perfectly well behaved, well trained, and does not shriek
when Kukushkin pinches her."

"You mean that you can't part with her? . . . Why don't you say
so?"

"Are you jealous?"

"Yes, I am," said Zinaida Fyodorovna, decidedly.

"Thank you."

"Yes, I am jealous," she repeated, and tears glistened in her eyes.
"No, it's something worse . . . which I find it difficult to find
a name for." She pressed her hands on her temples, and went on
impulsively. "You men are so disgusting! It's horrible!"

"I see nothing horrible about it."

"I've not seen it; I don't know; but they say that you men begin
with housemaids as boys, and get so used to it that you feel no
repugnance. I don't know, I don't know, but I have actually read
. . ._George_, of course you are right," she said, going up to Orlov
and changing to a caressing and imploring tone. "I really am out
of humour to-day. But, you must understand, I can't help it. She
disgusts me and I am afraid of her. It makes me miserable to see
her."

"Surely you can rise above such paltriness?" said Orlov, shrugging
his shoulders in perplexity, and walking away from the fire. "Nothing
could be simpler: take no notice of her, and then she won't disgust
you, and you won't need to make a regular tragedy out of a trifle."

I went out of the study, and I don't know what answer Orlov received.
Whatever it was, Polya remained. After that Zinaida Fyodorovna never
applied to her for anything, and evidently tried to dispense with
her services. When Polya handed her anything or even passed by her,
jingling her bangle and rustling her skirts, she shuddered.

I believe that if Gruzin or Pekarsky had asked Orlov to dismiss
Polya he would have done so without the slightest hesitation, without
troubling about any explanations. He was easily persuaded, like all
indifferent people. But in his relations with Zinaida Fyodorovna
he displayed for some reason, even in trifles, an obstinacy which
sometimes was almost irrational. I knew beforehand that if Zinaida
Fyodorovna liked anything, it would be certain not to please Orlov.
When on coming in from shopping she made haste to show him with
pride some new purchase, he would glance a