Page:The Novels of Ivan Turgenev (volume VI).djvu/44

Rh ─'a letter has come from Vassily Nikolaevitch from Moscow.'

Nezhdanov gave a slight start and looked down.

'What does he write?' he asked at last.

'Well they want me and her'─Ostrodumov indicated Mashurina─'to go.'

'What? they ask for her too?'

'Yes.'

'Well, where's the difficulty?'

'Why, of course the difficulty's─money.'

Nezhdanov got up from the bed and went up to the window.

'Is a great deal wanted?'

'Fifty roubles can't do with less.'

Nezhdanov was silent for a space.

'I haven't got it now,' he muttered at last, drumming on the pane with his finger-tips; 'but I could get it I will get it. Have you the letter?'

'The letter? It that's to say  of course.'

'But why do you always keep things back from me?' cried Paklin. Haven't I deserved your confidence? Even if I didn't fully sympathise with what you are undertaking, could you suppose me capable of turning traitor or chattering?'

'Unintentionally perhaps!' Ostrodumov said in his deep notes.