me? How could you dare imagine I meant to
be a burden to you?"

"How could I wake you, Marie?"

"You could, you ought to have! You've no other bed here, and I've taken
yours. You had no business to put me into a false position. Or do you
suppose that I've come to take advantage of your charity? Kindly get
into your bed at once and I'll lie down in the corner on some chairs."

"Marie, there aren't chairs enough, and there's nothing to put on them."

"Then simply oil the floor. Or you'll have to lie on the floor yourself.
I want to lie on the floor at once, at once!"

She stood up, tried to take a step, but suddenly a violent spasm of pain
deprived her of all power and all determination, and with a loud groan
she fell back on the bed. Shatov ran up, but Marie, hiding her face in
the pillow, seized his hand and gripped and squeezed it with all her
might. This lasted a minute.

"Marie darling, there's a doctor Frenzel living here, a friend of
mine.... I could run for him."

"Nonsense!"

"What do you mean by nonsense? Tell me, Marie, what is it hurting you?
For we might try fomentations... on the stomach for instance.... I can
do that without a doctor.... Or else mustard poultices."

"What's this," she asked strangely, raising her head and looking at him
in dismay.

"What's what, Marie?" said Shatov, not understanding. "What are you
asking about? Good heavens! I am quite bewildered, excuse my not
understanding."

"Ach, let me alone; it's not your business to understand. And it would
be too absurd..." she said with a bitter smile. "Talk to me about
something. Walk about the room and talk. Don't stand over me and don't
look at me, I particularly ask you that for the five-hundredth time!"

Shatov began walking up and down the room, looking at the floor, and
doing his utmost not to glance at her.

"There's--don't be angry, Marie, I entreat you--there's some veal here,
and there's tea not far off.... You had so little before."

She made an angry gesture of disgust. Shatov bit his tongue in despair.

"Listen, I intend to open a bookbinding business here, on rational
co-operative principles. Since you live here what do you think of it,
would it be successful?"

"Ech, Marie, people don't read books here, and there are none here at
all. And are they likely to begin binding them!"

"Who are they?"

"The local readers and inhabitants generally, Marie."

"Well, then, speak more clearly. _They_ indeed, and one do