Having talked as much and as meaninglessly as it was necessary to
preserve the decorum, Nekhludoff arose and went over to Maslenikoff.

"Will you please hear me now?"

"Ah! yes. Well, what is it?"

"Come in here."

They entered a small Japanese cabinet and seated themselves near the
window.




CHAPTER LVI.


"Well, je suis à vous. Will you smoke a cigarette? But wait; we must
not soil the things here," and he brought an ash-holder. "Well?"

"I want two things of you."

"Is that so?"

Maslenikoff's face became gloomy and despondent. All traces of that
animation of the little dog whom its master had scratched under the
ears entirely disappeared. Voices came from the reception-room. One, a
woman's voice, said: "Jamais, jamais je ne croirais;" another, a man's