Paul, this is dreadful. I am
very much displeased with you. How could you be wanting in respect to
Nikolai Artemyevitch?'

'Nikolai Artemyevitch has complained of me to you?' inquired Shubin, and
with the same smile on his lips he looked at Stahov. The latter turned
away, dropping his eyes.

'Yes, he complains of you. I don't know what you have done amiss, but
you ought to apologise at once, because his health is very much deranged
just now, and indeed we all ought when we are young to treat our
benefactors with respect.'

'Ah, what logic!' thought Shubin, and he turned to Stahov. 'I am ready
to apologise to you, Nikolai Artemyevitch,' he said with a polite
half-bow, 'if I have really offended you in any way.'

'I did not at all... with that idea,' rejoined Nikolai Artemyevitch,
still as before avoiding Shubin's eyes. 'However, I will readily forgive
you, for, as you know, I am not an exacting person.'

'Oh, that admits of no doubt!' said Shubin. 'But allow me to be
inquisitive; is Anna Vassilyevna aware precisely what constituted my
offence?'

'No, I know nothing,' observed Anna Vassilyevna, craning forward her
head expectantly.

'O Good Lord!' exclaimed Nikolai Artemyevitch hurriedly, 'how often have
I prayed and besought, how often have I said how I hate these scenes
and explanations! When one's been away an age, and comes home hoping for
rest--talk of the family circle, _interieur_, being a family man--and
here one finds scenes and unpleasantnesses. There's not a minute of
peace. One's positively driven to the club... or, or elsewhere. A man is
alive, he has a physical side, and it has its claims, but here----'

And without concluding his sentence Nikolai Artemyevitch went quickly
out, slamming the door.

Anna Vassilyevna looked after him. 'To the club!' she muttered bitterly:
'you are not going to the club, profligate? You've no one at the club
to give away my horses to--horses from my own stable--and the grey ones
too! My favourite colour. Yes, yes, fickle-hearted man,' she went on
raising her voice, 'you are not going to the club, As for you, Paul,'
she pursued, getting up, 'I wonder you're not ashamed. I should have
thought you would not be so childish. And now my head has begun to ache.
Where is Zoya, do you know?'

'I think she's upstairs in her room. The wise little fox always hides in
her hole when there's a storm in the air.'

'Come, please, please!' Anna Vassilyevna began searching about her