'And so would Tatyana,' observed Marianna. 'Why is it people are so devoted to him?'
Nezhdanov did not answer.
'What sort of pamphlets did Pavel bring you?' asked Marianna.
'Oh! the usual things. "The Tale of Four Brothers," . . . and others too . . . the ordinary well-known things. However, those are best.'
Marianna looked round anxiously.
'But what of Tatyana? She promised to come so early.'
'Here she is,' said Tatyana, coming into the room with a small bundle in her hand. She was standing at the door, and had heard Marianna's exclamation.
'You need not be in a hurry; it's not such a treat as all that.'
Marianna fairly flew to meet her.
'You have brought it!'
Tatyana patted the bundle.
'Everything's here . . . fully prepared.. . . You've only got to put the things on . . . and go out in your finery for folks to admire you.'
'Ah, come along, come along, Tatyana Osipovna, dear.. . .'
Marianna drew her into her room.
Left alone, Nezhdanov paced twice up and down with a peculiar stealthy gait.. . . (he imagined for some reason that that was just
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