ally speaking, to everything
except ourselves. Consequently, there can be no interchange of feelings
and thoughts between us; each of us knows all he cares to know about
the other, and that knowledge is all he wants. One expedient remains--to
tell the news. So tell me some news."

Fatigued by this lengthy speech, I closed my eyes and yawned. The doctor
answered after thinking awhile:

"There is an idea, all the same, in that nonsense of yours."

"Two," I replied.

"Tell me one, and I will tell you the other."

"Very well, begin!" I said, continuing to examine the ceiling and
smiling inwardly.

"You are anxious for information about some of the new-comers here, and
I can guess who it is, because they, for their part, have already been
inquiring about you."

"Doctor! Decidedly it is impossible for us to hold a conversation! We
read into each other's soul."

"Now the other idea?"...

"Here it is: I wanted to make you relate something, for the following
reasons: firstly, listening is less fatiguing than talking; secondly,
the listener cannot commit himself; thirdly, he can learn another's
secret; fourthly, sensible people, such as you, prefer listeners to
speakers. Now to business; what did Princess Ligovski tell you about
me?"

"You are quite sure that it was Princess Ligovski... and not Princess
Mary?"...

"Quite sure."

"Why?"

"Because Princess Mary inquired about Grushnitski."

"You are gifted with a fine imagination! Princess Mary said that she was
convinced that the young man in the soldier's cloak had been reduced to
the ranks on account of a duel"...

"I hope you left her cherishing that pleasant delusion"...

"Of course"...

"A plot!" I exclaimed in rapture. "We will make it our business to see
to the denouement of this little comedy. It is obvious that fate is
taking care that I shall not be bored!"

"I have a presentiment," said the doctor, "that poor Grushnitski will be
your victim."

"Proceed, doctor."

"Princess Ligovski said that your face was familiar to her. I observed
that she had probably met you in Petersburg--somewhere in society...
I told her your name. She knew it well. It appears that your history
created a great stir there... She began to tell us of your adventures,
most likely supplementing the gossip of society with observations of her
own... Her daughter listened with curiosity. In her imagination you
have become the hero of a novel in a new style... I did not contra