e studied
spiritualism every day, and at the office, informed the clerks that
there was a great deal in nature that was supernatural and marvellous
to which our men of science ought to have turned their attention
long ago.

Hypnotism, mediumism, bishopism, spiritualism, the fourth dimension,
and other misty notions took complete possession of him, so that
for whole days at a time, to the great delight of his wife, he read
books on spiritualism or devoted himself to the saucer, table-turning,
and discussions of supernatural phenomena. At his instigation all
his clerks took up spiritualism, too, and with such ardour that the
old managing clerk went out of his mind and one day sent a telegram:
"Hell. Government House. I feel that I am turning into an evil
spirit. What's to be done? Reply paid. Vassily Krinolinsky."

After reading several hundreds of treatises on spiritualism Navagin
had a strong desire to write something himself. For five months he
sat composing, and in the end had written a huge monograph, entitled:
_My Opinion_. When he had finished this essay he determined to send
it to a spiritualist journal.

The day on which it was intended to despatch it to the journal was
a very memorable one for him. Navagin remembers that on that
never-to-be-forgotten day the secretary who had made a fair copy
of his article and the sacristan of the parish who had been sent
for on business were in his study. Nayagin's face was beaming. He
looked lovingly at his creation, felt between his fingers how thick
it was, and with a happy smile said to the secretary:

"I propose, Filipp Sergeyitch, to send it registered. It will be
safer. . . ." And raising his eyes to the sacristan, he said: "I
have sent for you on business, my good man. I am putting my youngest
son to the high school and I must have a certificate of baptism;
only could you let me have it quickly?"

"Very good, your Excellency!" said the sacristan, bowing. "Very
good, I understand. . . ."

"Can you let me have it by to-morrow?"

"Very well, your Excellency, set your mind at rest! To-morrow it
shall be ready! Will you send someone to the church to-morrow before
evening service? I shall be there. Bid him ask for Fedyukov. I am
always there. . . ."

"What!" cried the general, turning pale.

"Fedyukov."

"You, . . . you are Fedyukov?" asked Navagin, looking at him with
wide-open eyes.

"Just so, Fedyukov."

"You. . . . you signed your name in my hall?"

"