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RUDIN position, staring sullenly at Rudin, and sometimes pulling the ends of his moustache.

‘If you would kindly I came here to make an explanation, certainly, but all the same it cannot be done off-hand.’

‘Why not?’

‘A third person is involved in this matter.’

‘What third person?’

‘Sergeï Pavlitch, you understand me?’

‘Dmitri Nikolaitch, I don’t understand you in the least.’

‘You prefer’

‘I prefer you should speak plainly!’ broke in Volintsev.

He was beginning to be angry in earnest.

Rudin frowned.

‘Permit we are alone  I must tell you—though you certainly are aware of it already (Volintsev shrugged his shoulders impatiently)—I must tell you that I love Natalya Alexyevna, and I have the right to believe that she loves me.’

Volintsev turned white, but made no reply. He walked to the window and stood with his back turned. 152