began to explain. "We
came across each other two or three times in company with other people.
Without making my acquaintance and without addressing me, he managed to
be very insolent to me. I told you so at the time; but now for something
you don't know. As he was leaving Petersburg before I did, he sent me
a letter, not like this one, yet impertinent in the highest degree, and
what was queer about it was that it contained no sort of explanation of
why it was written. I answered him at once, also by letter, and said,
quite frankly, that he was probably angry with me on account of the
incident with his father four years ago in the club here, and that I for
my part was prepared to make him every possible apology, seeing that my
action was unintentional and was the result of illness. I begged him to
consider and accept my apologies. He went away without answering, and
now here I find him in a regular fury. Several things he has said about
me in public have been repeated to me, absolutely abusive, and making
astounding charges against me. Finally, to-day, I get this letter, a
letter such as no one has ever had before, I should think, containing
such expressions as 'the punch you got in your ugly face.' I came in the
hope that you would not refuse to be my second."

"You said no one has ever had such a letter," observed Kirillov, "they
may be sent in a rage. Such letters have been written more than once.
Pushkin wrote to Hekern. All right, I'll come. Tell me how."

Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch explained that he wanted it to be to-morrow, and
that he must begin by renewing his offers of apology, and even with the
promise of another letter of apology, but on condition that Gaganov,
on his side, should promise to send no more letters. The letter he had
received he would regard as unwritten.

"Too much concession; he won't agree," said Kirillov.

"I've come first of all to find out whether you would consent to be the
bearer of such terms."

"I'll take them. It's your affair. But he won't agree."

"I know he won't agree."

"He wants to fight. Say how you'll fight."

"The point is that I want the thing settled to-morrow. By nine o'clock
in the morning you must be at his house. He'll listen, and won't agree,
but will put you in communication with his second--let us say about
eleven. You will arrange things with him, and let us all be on the
spot by one or two o'clock. Please try to arrange that. The weapons, of
course, will be