Sanine

On the following day Dounika, bare-headed and barefooted, came running

to Sanine who was gardening.

"Vladimir Petrovitch," she exclaimed, and her silly face had a scared

look, "the officers have come, and they wish to speak to you." She

repeated the words like a lesson that she had learnt by heart.

Sanine was not surprised. He had been expecting a challenge from

Sarudine.

"Are they very anxious to see me?" he asked in a jocular tone.

Dounika, however, must have had an inkling of something dreadful, for

instead of hiding her face she gazed at Sanine in sympathetic

bewilderment.

Sanine propped his spade against a tree, tightened his belt and walked

towards the house with his usual jaunty step.

'What fools they are! What absolute idiots!' he said to himself, as he

thought of Sarudine and his seconds. By this no insult was intended; it

was just the sincere expression of his own opinion.

Passing through the house, he saw Lida coming out of her room. She

stood on the threshold; her face white as a shroud, and her eyes,

anxious and distressful. Her lips moved, yet no sound escaped from

them. At that moment she felt that she was the guiltiest, most

miserable woman in all the world.

In an arm-chair in the morning-room sat Maria Ivanovna, looking utterly

helpless and panic-stricken. Her cap that resembled a cock's comb was

poised sideways on her head, and she gazed in terror at Sanine, unable

to utter a word. He smiled at her and was inclined to stop for a

moment, yet he preferred to proceed.

Tanaroff and Von Deitz were sitting in the drawing-room bolt upright,

with their heads close together, as if in their white tunics and tight

riding-breeches they felt extremely uncomfortable. As Sanine entered

they both rose slowly and with some hesitation, apparently uncertain

how to behave.

"Good day, gentlemen," said Sanine in a loud voice, as he held out his

hand.

Von Deitz hesitated, but Tanaroff bowed in such an exaggerated way that

for an instant Sanine caught sight of the closely cropped hair at the

back of his neck.

"How can I be of service to you?" continued Sanine, who had noticed

Tanaroff's excessive politeness, and was surprised at the assurance

with which he played his part in this absurd comedy.

Von Deitz drew himself up and sought to give an expression of hauteur

to his horse-like countenance; unsuccessfully, however, owing to his

confusion. Strange to say, it was Tanaroff, usually so stupid and shy,

who addressed Sanine in firm, decisive fashion.

"Our friend, Victor Sergejevitsch Sarudine has done us the honour of

asking us to represent him in a certain matter which concerns you and

himself." The sentence was delivered with automatic precision.