you this. Yet it is better to tell you. Just now, she is running away from a lover whom her mother is doing her best to make her marry."
Mrs. B. was lost in thought. Lopukhóf looked at her and also began to appear thoughtful:—
"If I am not mistaken, this circumstance does not seem to you as unimportant as it does to me!"
Mrs. B. seemed utterly absorbed in thought.
"Excuse me," he continued, seeing that her mind was entirely distracted. "Excuse me, but I see that this troubles you."
"Yes, it is a very serious matter, Monsieur Lopukhóf. To leave home against the will of her parents; that of course means to bring about a great quarrel. But that, as I told you, was of no consequence. If she were running away merely from their folly and cruelty, the matter could be arranged with them some way or other; if worst came to worst, we could give them some money, and they would be satisfied. That's nothing. But when such a mother forces a bridegroom on her daughter, it means that the bridegroom is rich, a very profitable investment."
"Of course," said Lopukhóf, in a perfectly melancholy tone of voice.
"Of course, Monsieur Lopukhóf, he's rich; and it is that which troubles me. In such a case the mother is not going to give in so easily. And do you know the law about parents? In matters of this kind they have full control. They will begin a lawsuit, and carry it out to the bitter end."
Lopukhóf arose.
"And so it remains for me only to ask you to forget all that I have told you."
"No, wait a moment. Allow me at least to justify myself somewhat before you. Bozhe moï! how mean I must seem in your eyes! That which ought to stir up every honorable person to sympathy and protection; that very thing keeps me back. Oh, what pitiable people we are!"
Indeed, it was sad to look at her. She was not putting it on. It was really painful to her. For a long time her words were disjointed, so confused had she become. Then her thoughts began to become logical, but, whether disjointed or logical, they meant nothing to Lopukhóf. Yes, even he was also confused. He was so occupied with the discovery that she had made for him that he could not heed her explanation
