om yourself," Varvara
Petrovna pronounced in measured and impressive tones.

"Captain Lebyadkin," thundered the captain. "I have come, madam..." He
made a movement again.

"Allow me!" Varvara Petrovna checked him again. "Is this unfortunate
person who interests me so much really your sister?"

"My sister, madam, who has escaped from control, for she is in a certain
condition...."

He suddenly faltered and turned crimson. "Don't misunderstand me,
madam," he said, terribly confused. "Her own brother's not going to
throw mud at her... in a certain condition doesn't mean in such a
condition... in the sense of an injured reputation... in the last
stage..." he suddenly broke off.

"Sir!" said Varvara Petrovna, raising her head.

"In this condition!" he concluded suddenly, tapping the middle of his
forehead with his finger.

A pause followed.

"And has she suffered in this way for long?" asked Varvara Petrovna,
with a slight drawl.

"Madam, I have come to thank you for the generosity you showed in the
porch, in a Russian, brotherly way."

"Brotherly?"

"I mean, not brotherly, but simply in the sense that I am my sister's
brother; and believe me, madam," he went on more hurriedly, turning
crimson again, "I am not so uneducated as I may appear at first sight in
your drawing-room. My sister and I are nothing, madam, compared with the
luxury we observe here. Having enemies who slander us, besides. But on
the question of reputation Lebyadkin is proud, madam... and... and ...
and I've come to repay with thanks.... Here is money, madam!"

At this point he pulled out a pocket-book, drew out of it a bundle of
notes, and began turning them over with trembling fingers in a perfect
fury of impatience. It was evident that he was in haste to explain
something, and indeed it was quite necessary to do so. But probably
feeling himself that his fluster with the money made him look even more
foolish, he lost the last traces of self-possession. The money refused
to be counted. His fingers fumbled helplessly, and to complete his shame
a green note escaped from the pocket-book, and fluttered in zigzags on
to the carpet.

"Twenty roubles, madam." He leapt up suddenly with the roll of notes in
his hand, his face perspiring with discomfort. Noticing the note which
had dropped on the floor, he was bending down to pick it up, but for
some reason overcome by shame, he dismissed it with a wave.

"For your servants, madam; for the footma