Page:Oblomov (1915 English translation).djvu/171

Rh that her eyes are dragging my very soul out of my body."

Suddenly she appeared on the threshold of the balcony. He handed her a chair, and she took a seat beside him.

"Are you so very ennuyé?" she inquired.

"Ennuyé, yes—but not much so. I have pursuits of my own."

"Ah? Schtoltz tells me that you are engaged in drawing up a scheme of some sort?"

"Yes. I want to live upon my estate, and am making a few preparations for doing so."

"And you are going abroad?"

"Undoubtedly—as soon as ever Schtoltz is ready to accompany me."

"Shall you be very glad to go?"

"Yes, very."

He looked at her. A smile was hovering on her face, and illuminating her eyes, and gradually spreading over her cheeks. Only her lips remained as pressed together as usual. He lacked the spirit to continue his lies calmly.

"However, I—I am rather a lazy person," he began. "But, but——"

Suddenly he felt vexed to think that she should have extracted from him a confession