Resurrection

"Well, I don't know about that," said Nekhludoff. "I went there

twice, and felt very much depressed."

"Do you know, you ought to get acquainted with the Countess

Passek," continued Maslennikoff, growing talkative. "She has

given herself up entirely to this sort of work. Elle fait

beaucoup de bien. Thanks to her--and, perhaps I may add without

false modesty, to me--everything has been changed, changed in

such a way that the former horrors no longer exist, and they are

really quite comfortable there. Well, you'll see. There's

Fanarin. I do not know him personally; besides, my social

position keeps our ways apart; but he is positively a bad man,

and besides, he takes the liberty of saying such things in the

court--such things!"

"Well, thank you," Nekhludoff said, taking the paper, and without

listening further he bade good-day to his former comrade.

"And won't you go in to see my wife?"

"No, pray excuse me; I have no time now."

"Dear me, why she will never forgive me," said Maslennikoff,

accompanying his old acquaintance down to the first landing, as

he was in the habit of doing to persons of not the greatest, but

the second greatest importance, with whom he classed Nekhludoff;

"now do go in, if only for a moment."

But Nekhludoff remained firm; and while the footman and the

door-keeper rushed to give him his stick and overcoat, and opened

the door, outside of which there stood a policeman, Nekhludoff

repeated that he really could not come in.

"Well, then; on Thursday, please. It is her 'at-home.' I will

tell her you will come," shouted Maslennikoff from the stairs.