Pagina 696 di 1294

A moment's silence followed. Pyotr Petrovitch deliberately drew

out a cambric handkerchief reeking of scent and blew his nose

with an air of a benevolent man who felt himself slighted, and

was firmly resolved to insist on an explanation. In the passage

the idea had occurred to him to keep on his overcoat and walk

away, and so give the two ladies a sharp and emphatic lesson and

make them feel the gravity of the position. But he could not

bring himself to do this. Besides, he could not endure

uncertainty, and he wanted an explanation: if his request had

been so openly disobeyed, there was something behind it, and in

that case it was better to find it out beforehand; it rested with

him to punish them and there would always be time for that.

"I trust you had a favourable journey," he inquired officially of

Pulcheria Alexandrovna.

"Oh, very, Pyotr Petrovitch."

"I am gratified to hear it. And Avdotya Romanovna is not

over-fatigued either?"