Page:The Novels of Ivan Turgenev (volume VII).djvu/76

Rh indeed, thanks to Prince Kovrizhkin, it is pretty well inured to such Russian malapropisms. And all these saws and sayings Sipyagin would enunciate in a peculiar hale and hearty, almost thick, voice, d'une voix rustique. Such idioms, dropped in due place and season at Petersburg, set influential ladies of the highest position exclaiming, Comme il connaît bien les murs de notre peuple! While equally influential dignitaries of equally high position would add, Les murs et les besoins!

Valentina Mihalovna did her very best with Solomin; but the obvious failure of her efforts disheartened her; and as she passed Kallomyetsev she could not resist mumuring in an undertone, Mon Dieu, que je me sens fatiguée!

To which the latter responded, with an ironical bow, Tu l'as voulu, Georges Dandin!

At last, after the usual flicker-up of politeness and affability, displayed on all the faces of a bored assembly at the moment of breaking up, after abrupt handshaking, smiles and amiable simpers, the weary guests and weary hosts separated.

Solomin, who was conducted to almost the best bedchamber on the second floor, with English toilet accessories and a bathroom attached, made his way to Nezhdanov.