I said good-bye to her, and went away overcome with confusion. As
I went down the stairs I saw my sister and Anyuta Blagovo going
away; they were hastening along, talking eagerly about something,
probably about my going into the railway service. My sister had
never been at a rehearsal before, and now she was most likely
conscience-stricken, and afraid her father might find out that,
without his permission, she had been to the Azhogins'!

I went to Dolzhikov's next day between twelve and one. The footman
conducted me into a very beautiful room, which was the engineer's
drawing-room, and, at the same time, his working study. Everything
here was soft and elegant, and, for a man so unaccustomed to luxury
as I was, it seemed strange. There were costly rugs, huge arm-chairs,
bronzes, pictures, gold and plush frames; among the photographs
scattered about the walls there were very beautiful women, clever,
lovely faces, easy attitudes; from the drawing-room there was a
door leading straight into the garden on to a verandah: one could
see lilac-trees; one could see a table laid for lunch, a number of
bottles, a bouquet of roses; there was a fragrance of spring and
expensive cigars, a fragrance of happiness--and everything seemed
as though it would say: "Here is a man who has lived and laboured,
and has attained at last the happiness possible on earth." The
engineer's daughter was sitting at the writing-table, reading a
newspaper.

"You have come to see my father?" she asked. "He is having a shower
bath; he will be here directly. Please sit down and wait."

I sat down.