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206 arranged for. "You are going to be married, are you not?"

"I to be married? To whom?" And Oblomov glared at the valet.

"To Mademoiselle Ilyinski——" Almost before the man could finish his words Oblomov had darted forward.

"Who put that idea into your head?" he cried in a carefully suppressed voice.

"The Lord bless us all and protect us!" Zakhar ejaculated, backing towards the door. "Who told me about it? Why, the Ilyinskis' servants, this very summer."

"Rubbish!" hissed Oblomov as he shook a warning finger at the old man. "Remember—henceforth let me hear not a word about it!" He pointed to the door, and Zakhar left the room—filling the flat with his sighs as he did so.

Somehow Oblomov could not recover his composure, but remained gazing at the spot which Zakhar had just vacated. Then he clasped his hands behind his head, and re-seated himself in the arm-chair.

"So the servants' hall and the kitchen are talking!" was his insistent reflection. "It has come to this, that Zakhar can actually dare to ask me when the wedding is to be! Yes, and that though even Olga's aunt has