'Very well, very well. . . . You 're a witty fellow, we all know.'
'And you 're in a highly nervous condition,' Paklin drawled; 'or has something really happened?'
'Nothing has happened in special; but what's happened is that one can't set one's foot into the street in this filthy town, in Petersburg, without coming across some meanness, idiocy, hideous injustice, rottenness! Life here's impossible any longer.'
'So that's why you've advertised in the paper for a place as tutor and are ready to go away,' Ostrodumov growled again.
'I should think so; I shall get away from here with all the pleasure in life! If only some fool can be found to give me a situation!'
'You must first do your duty here,' said Mashurina significantly, still looking away.
'And that is?' queried Nezhdanov, turning sharply round to her.
Mashurina pressed her lips tightly together. 'Ostrodumov will tell you.'
Nezhdanov turned to Ostrodumov. But the latter only cleared his throat and grunted: 'Wait a bit.'
'No, joking apart now, really', interposed Paklin; 'you have heard something's gone wrong?'
15
