ce you--"

"There you are quite mistaken Alexai--Alexai Dmitritch--have I got the
name right?" Sipiagin asked with a smile. "I may venture to say that I
am well known for my liberal and progressive opinions. On the contrary,
what you said the other evening, with the exception perhaps of any
youthful characteristics, which are always rather given to exaggeration,
if you will excuse my saying so, I fully agreed with, and was even
delighted with your enthusiasm."

Sipiagin spoke without the slightest hesitation, his words flowing from
him as a stream.

"My wife shares my way of thinking," he continued, "her views are,
if anything, more like yours than mine, which is not surprising,
considering that she is younger than I am. When I read your name in the
paper the day after our meeting--and by the way, you announced your name
and address contrary to the usual custom--I was rather struck by the
coincidence, having already heard it at the theatre. It seemed to
me like the finger of fate. Excuse my being so superstitious. As for
recommendations, I do not think they are necessary in this case. I, like
you, am accustomed to trusting my intuition. May I hope that you will
come?"

"Yes, I will come," Nejdanov replied, "and will try to be worthy of your
confidence. But there is one thing I should like to mention. I could
undertake to teach your boy, but am not prepared to look after him. I do
not wish to undertake anything that would interfere with my freedom."

Sipiagin gave a slight wave of the hand, as if driving away a fly.

"You may be easy on that point. You are not made that way. I only wanted
a tutor, and I have found one. Well, now, how about terms? Financial
terms, that is. Base metal!"

Nejdanov did not know what to say.

"I think," Sipiagin went on, bending forward and touching Nejdanov with
the tips of his fingers, "that decent people can settle such things in
two words. I will give you a hundred roubles a month and all travelling
expenses. Will you come?"

Nejdanov blushed.

"That is more than I wanted to ask... because I--"

"Well," Sipiagin interrupted him, "I look upon the matter as settled,
and consider you as a member of our household." He rose from his
chair, and became quite gay and expansive, as if he had just received a
present. A certain amiable familiarity, verging on the playful, began to
show itself in all his gestures. "We shall set out in a day or two," he
went on, in an easy tone. "There i