ould do the same...."

Liza looked at him, and was surprised.

"Good heavens! Why I thought it was that old man here still."

"Listen. I am awfully glad that you take it like this, because it's
all such a frightfully stupid convention, and since it's come to that,
hadn't I better tell the old man to get the carriage at once. It's only
a matter of ten minutes and we'll turn back and wait in the porch, eh?"

"I want first... where are those murdered people?"

"Ah! What next? That was what I was afraid of.... No, we'd better leave
those wretched creatures alone; it's no use your looking at them."

"I know where they are. I know that house."

"Well? What if you do know it? Come; it's raining, and there's a fog.
(A nice job this sacred duty I've taken upon myself.) Listen, Lizaveta
Nikolaevna! It's one of two alternatives. Either you come with me in the
droshky--in that case wait here, and don't take another step, for if we
go another twenty steps we must be seen by Mavriky Nikolaevitch."

"Mavriky Nikolaevitch! Where? Where?"

"Well, if you want to go with him, I'll take you a little farther, if
you like, and show you where he sits, but I don't care to go up to him
just now. No, thank you."

"He is waiting for me. Good God!" she suddenly stopped, and a flush of
colour flooded her face.

"Oh! Come now. If he is an unconventional man! You know, Lizaveta
Nikolaevna, it's none of my business. I am a complete outsider, and you
know that yourself. But, still, I wish you well.... If your 'fairy boat'
has failed you, if it has turned out to be nothing more than a rotten
old hulk, only fit to be chopped up..."

"Ah! That's fine, that's lovely," cried Liza.

"Lovely, and yet your tears are falling. You must have spirit. You must
be as good as a man in every way. In our age, when woman... Foo, hang
it," Pyotr Stepanovitch was on the point of spitting. "And the chief
point is that there is nothing to regret. It may all turn out for the
best. Mavriky Nikolaevitch is a man.... In fact, he is a man of feeling
though not talkative, but that's a good thing, too, as long as he has no
conventional notions, of course...."

"Lovely, lovely!" Liza laughed hysterically.

"Well, hang it all... Lizaveta Nikolaevna," said Pyotr Stepanovitch
suddenly piqued. "I am simply here on your account.... It's nothing to
me.... I helped you yesterday when you wanted it yourself. To-day ...
well, you can see Mavriky Nikolaevitch from here; ther