Timofyevna
refused to join in the expedition.

"It is hard for me, my darling," she said, "to give my old bones a
shaking; and to be sure there's nowhere for me to sleep at your
place: besides, I can't sleep in a strange bed. Let the young folks go
frolicking."

Lavretsky did not succeed in being alone again with Lisa; but he looked
at her in such a way that she felt her heart at rest, and a little
ashamed, and sorry for him. He pressed her hand warmly at parting; left
alone, she fell to musing.

Chapter XXV

When Lavretsky reached home, he was met at the door of the drawing-room
by a tall, thin man, in a thread-bare blue coat, with a wrinkled, but
lively face, with disheveled grey whiskers, a long straight nose, and
small fiery eyes. This was Mihalevitch, who had been his friend at the
university. Lavretsky did not at first recognise him, but embraced him
warmly directly he told his name.

They had not met since their Moscow days. Torrents of exclamations and
questions followed; long-buried recollections were brought to light.
Hurriedly smoking pipe after pipe, tossing off tea at a gulp, and
gesticulating with his long hands, Mihalevitch related his adventures
to Lavretsky; there was nothing very inspiriting in them, he could not
boast of success in his undertakings--but he was constantly laughing a
hoarse, nervous laugh. A month previously he had received a position in
the private counting-house of a spirit-tax contractor, two hundred and
fifty miles from the town of O-----, and hearing of Lavretsky returned
from abroad he had turned out of his way so as to see his old friend.
Mihalevitch and talked as impetuously as in his youth; made as much
noise and was as effervescent as of old. Lavretsky was about to acquaint
him with his new position, but Mihalevitch interrupted him, muttering
hurriedly, "I have heard, my dear fellow, I have heard--who could
have anticipated it?" and at once turned the conversation upon general
subjects.

"I must set off to-morrow, my dear fellow," he observed; "to-day if you
will excuse it, we will sit up late. I want above all to know what you
are like, what are your views and convictions, what you have become,
what life has taught you." (Mihalevitch still preserved the phraseology
of 1830.) "As for me, I have changed in much; the waves of life
have broken over my breast--who was it said that?--though in what is
important, essential I have not changed; I believe as of old in the