a shrewd one. The absurd law is completely paralysed by it. Of course, I intend to love her for ever, and she laughs tremendously; at the same time it's ingenious, and you must admit that it's honourable, and that it's not every man who would consent to do it."
"To my thinking, so far from being honourable, it's positively disgusting."
The young man shrugged his shoulders.
"Again you don't surprise me," he observed, after a brief silence. "I have given up being surprised at that sort of thing long ago. Predposylov would tell you flatly that your lack of comprehension of the most natural things is due to the corruption of your most ordinary feelings and ideas by a long life spent idly and absurdly. But possibly we don't understand one another; they spoke well of you, anyway . . . you're fifty, I suppose, aren't you?"
"Kindly keep to the point."
"Excuse my indiscretion and don't be annoyed; I didn't mean anything. I will continue: I'm by no means a future millionaire, as you expressed it (and what an idea!); I have nothing but what I stand up in, but I have complete confidence in my future. I shan't be a hero or a benefactor of mankind either, but I shall keep myself and my wife. Of course, I've nothing now; I was brought up in their house, you see, from childhood. . . ."
"How was that?"
"Well, you see, I'm the son of a distant relation of Zahlebinin's wife, and when all my people died and left me at eight years old, the old man took me in and afterwards sent me to the high school. He's really a good-natured man, if you care to know. . . ."
"I know that."
"Yes; a bit antiquated in his ideas, but kind-hearted. It's a long time now, of course, since I was under his guardianship; I want to earn my own living, and to owe no one anything."
"How long have you been independent?" Velchaninov inquired.
"Why, four months."
"Oh, well, one can understand it then: you've been friends from childhood! Well, have you a situation, then?"
"Yes, a private situation, in a notary's office, for twenty-five roubles a month. Of course, only for the time, but when I
