Page:The Novels of Ivan Turgenev (volume VI).djvu/226

Rh the remarks with which I'm so perseveringly trying to amuse you! I'm the representative, in my friends' opinion, of Russian wit no doubt that's why I'm lame.'

Paklin led the friends to the 'secluded seat,' and made them sit down on it, after dislodging two beggar women as a preliminary. The young men proceeded to 'exchange ideas,' generally a rather tedious process, especially at a first meeting, and a particularly unprofitable occupation at all times.

'Stay!' Paklin cried suddenly, turning to Nezhdanov. 'I must explain to you how it is I'm here. You know I always take my sister away somewhere every summer; when I found out that you had gone off into the neighbourhood of this town, I remembered that there were two wonderful creatures living in this very town, a husband and wife, who are connections of ours on my mother's side. My father was a tradesman'─(Nezhdanov was aware of the fact, but Paklin mentioned it for the benefit of the other two)─'but my mother was of noble family. And for ages they've been inviting us to come and see them! There! thought I the very thing. They're the kindest people, it'll do my sister any amount of good—what could be better? Well, and so here we are. And it was just as I thought!