"Your excellency," Paklin began apologetically, "I have just said that I didn't smoke...but it was not true.I do smoke and your cigar smells so nice--""Eh? What?" Sipiagin asked as if waking up; and without giving Paklin time to repeat his request, he proved in the most unmistakable manner that he had heard every word, and had merely asked his questions for the sake of dignity, by offering him his cigar-case.
Paklin took a cigar gratefully and lighted it with care.
"Here's a good opportunity," he thought, but Sipiagin had anticipated him.
"I remember your saying..." he began carelessly, stopping to look at his cigar and pulling his hat lower over his forehead, "you spoke...of...of that friend of yours, who married my...niece.Do you ever see them? They've settled not far from here, eh?"("Take care! be on your guard, Sila!" Paklin thought.)"I have only seen them once, your excellency.They are living..
.certainly...not very far from here.""You quite understand, I hope," Sipiagin continued in the same tone, "that I can take no further serious interest--as Iexplained to you--either in that frivolous girl or in your friend.Heaven knows that I have no prejudices, but really, you will agree with me, this is too much! So foolish, you know.
However, I suppose they were more drawn together by politics..
." ("politics!" he repeated, shrugging his shoulders) "than by any other feeling!""I think so too, your excellency!"
"Yes, Mr.Nejdanov was certainly revolutionary.To do him justice he made no secret of his opinions.""Nejdanov," Paklin ventured, "may have been carried away, but his heart--""Is good," Sipiagin put in; "I know, like Markelov's.They all have good hearts.He has no doubt also been mixed up in this affair...and will be implicated....I suppose I shall have to intercede for him too!"Paklin clasped his hands to his breast.
Oh, your excellency! Extend your protection to him! He fully..
.deserves...your sympathy."
Sipiagin snorted.
"You think so?"
"At any rate if not for him...for your niece's sake; for his wife!" ("Heavens! What lies I'm telling," Paklin thought.)Sipiagin half-closed his eyes.
"I see that you're a very devoted friend.That's a very good quality, very praiseworthy, young man.And so you said they lived in this neighbourhood?""Yes, your excellency; in a large establishment--" Here Paklin bit his tongue.
"Why, of course, at Solomin's! that's where they are! However, Iknew it all along.I've been told so; I've already been informed." (Mr.Sipiagin did not know this in the least, and no one had told him, but recollecting Solomin's visit and their midnight interview, he promptly threw out this bait, which caught Paklin at once.)"Since you know that," he began and bit his tongue a second time...But it was already too late.A single glance at Sipiagin made him realise that he had been playing with him as a cat plays with a mouse.
"I must say, your excellency," the unfortunate Paklin stammered out; "I must say, that I really know nothing--""But I ask you no questions! Really! What do you take me and yourself for?" Sipiagin asked haughtily, and promptly withdrew into his ministerial heights.
And Paklin again felt himself a mean little ensnared creature.
Until that moment he had kept the cigar in the corner of his mouth away from Sipiagin and puffed at it quietly, blowing the smoke to one side; now he took it out of his mouth and ceased smoking altogether.
"My God!" he groaned inwardly, while the perspiration streamed down his back more and more, "what have I done? I have betrayed everything and everybody...I have been duped, been bought over by a good cigar!! I am a traitor! What shall I do now to help matters? 0h God!"But there was nothing to be done.Sipiagin dozed off in a haughty, dignified, ministerial manner, enveloped in his stately cloak.
