XXIV
Before dinner Sipyagin called his wife aside into the library. He wanted to have a talk with her alone. He seemed worried. He told her that the factory was distinctly coming to grief, that this man Solomin struck him as a very capable fellow, though a trifle . . . abrupt, and that they must continue to be aux petits soins with him. 'Ah! if we could only persuade him to come, what a good thing it would be!' he repeated twice. Sipyagin was much irritated at Kallomyetsev's presence.. . . 'Damn the fellow! He sees Nihilists on every side, and thinks of nothing but suppressing them. He 's welcome to suppress them at home. He positively can't hold his tongue!'
Valentina Mihalovna observed that she would be delighted to be aux petits soins with this new guest, only he seemed not to care for these petits soins and not to notice them; not that he was rude, but very cool in a sort of way, which was extremely remarkable in a man du commun.
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