for my gown, as well
as for a tunic of glossy black cloth (the lapels of which were, on that
occasion, only sketched in chalk), but to-day he had come to bring me
the clothes in their finished state, with their gilt buttons wrapped in
tissue paper.

Donning the garments, and finding them splendid (notwithstanding that
St. Jerome assured me that the back of the tunic wrinkled badly), I went
downstairs with a complacent smile which I was powerless to banish from
my face, and sought Woloda, trying the while to affect unconsciousness
of the admiring looks of the servants, who came darting out of the hall
and corridor to gaze upon me with ravished eyes. Gabriel, the butler,
overtook me in the salle, and, after congratulating me with much
empressement, handed me, according to instructions from my father, four
bank-notes, as well as informed me that Papa had also given orders that,
from that day forth, the groom Kuzma, the phaeton, and the bay horse
Krassavchik were to be entirely at my disposal. I was so overjoyed at
this not altogether expected good-fortune that I could no longer feign
indifference in Gabriel's presence, but, flustered and panting, said
the first thing which came into my head ("Krassavchik is a splendid
trotter," I think it was). Then, catching sight of the various heads
protruding from the doors of the hall and corridor, I felt that I
could bear no more, and set off running at full speed across the salle,
dressed as I was in the new tunic, with its shining gilt buttons. Just
as I burst into Woloda's room, I heard behind me the voices of Dubkoff
and Nechludoff, who had come to congratulate me, as well as to propose
a dinner somewhere and the drinking of much champagne in honour of my
matriculation. Dimitri informed me that, though he did not care for
champagne, he would nevertheless join us that evening and drink my
health, while Dubkoff remarked that I looked almost like a colonel, and
Woloda omitted to congratulate me at all, merely saying in an acid way
that he supposed we should now--i.e. in two days time--be off into the
country. The truth was that Woloda, though pleased at my matriculation,
did not altogether like my becoming as grown-up as himself. St. Jerome,
who also joined us at this moment, said in a very pompous manner that
his duties were now ended, and that, although he did not know whether
they had been well done or ill, at least he had done his best, and must
depart to-morrow to his Count's.