ome beggar or intriguer."

"Or both," Kollomietzev chimed in.

"Very likely. Ask him into my study." Boris Andraevitch got up. "Pardon,
ma bonne. Have a game of ecarte till I come back, unless you would like
to wait for me. I won't be long."

"Nous causerons... Allez!" Kollomietzev said.

When Sipiagin entered his study and caught sight of Paklin's poor,
feeble little figure meekly leaning up against the door between the wall
and the fireplace, he was seized by that truly ministerial sensation of
haughty compassion and fastidious condescension so characteristic of the
St. Petersburg bureaucrat. "Heavens! What a miserable little wretch!" he
thought; "and lame too, I believe!"

"Sit down, please," he said aloud, making use of some of his most
benevolent baritone notes and throwing back his head, sat down before
his guest did. "You are no doubt tired from the journey. Sit down,
please, and tell me about this important matter that has brought you so
late."

"Your excellency," Paklin began, cautiously dropping into an arm-chair,
"I have taken the liberty of coming to you--"

"Just a minute, please," Sipiagin interrupted him, "I think I've seen
you before. I never forget faces. But er... er... really... where have I
seen you?"

"You are not mistaken, your excellency. I had the honour of meeting
you in St. Petersburg at a certain person's who... who has since...
unfortunately... incurred your displeasure--"

Sipiagin jumped up from his chair.

"Why, at Mr. Nejdanov's? I remember now. You haven't come from him by
the way, have you?"

"Not at all, your excellency; on the contrary...I--"

Sipiagin sat down again.

"That's good. For had you come on his account I should have asked you to
leave the house at once. I cannot allow any mediator between myself
and Mr. Nejdanov. Mr. Nejdanov has insulted me in a way which cannot
be forgotten... I am above any feelings of revenge, but I don't wish
to know anything of him, nor of the girl--more depraved in mind than in
heart" (Sipiagin had repeated this phrase at least thirty times since
Mariana ran away), "who could bring herself to abandon a home that had
sheltered her, to become the mistress of a nameless adventurer! It is
enough for them that I am content to forget them."

At this last word Sipiagin waved his wrist into space.

"I forget them, my dear sir!"

"Your excellency, I have already told you that I did not come from them
in particular, but I may inform your