Yourii was fond of reading, and read excellently. Without looking at anyone, he walked to the desk on the platform and began in a loud, well modulated voice. Twice he looked down at Sina, and each time he encountered her bright, expressive glance. He smiled at her in pleasure and confusion, and then, turning to his book, began to read louder and with greater emphasis. To him it seemed as if he were doing a most excellent and interesting thing. When he had finished, there was some applause in the front seats. Yourii bowed gravely, and as he left the platform he smiled at Sina as much as to say, “I did that for your sake.” There was some murmuring, and a noise of chairs being pushed back as the listeners rose to go. Yourii was introduced to two ladies who complimented him on his performance. Then the lamps were put out and the room became dark. “Thank you very much,” said Schafroff as he warmly shook Yourii’s hand. “I wish that we always had some one to read to us like that.” Lecturing was his business, and so he felt obliged to Yourii as if the latter had done him a personal service, although he thanked him in the name of the people. Schafroff laid stress on the word “people.” “So little is done here for the people,” he said, as if he were telling Yourii a great secret, “and if anything _is_ done, it is in a half- hearted, careless way. It is most extraordinary. To amuse a parcel of bored gentlefolk dozens of first-rate actors, singers and lecturers are engaged, but for the people a lecturer like myself is quite good enough.” Schafroff smiled at his own bland irony. “Everybody’s quite satisfied. What more do they want?” “That is quite true,” said Dubova. “Whole columns in the newspapers are devoted to actors and their wonderful performances; it is positively revolting; whereas here …” “Yet what a good work we’re doing!” said Schafroff, with conviction, as he gathered his pamphlets together. “Sancta Simplicitas!” ejaculated Yourii inwardly. Sina’s presence, however, and his own success inclined him to be tolerant. Indeed Schafroff’s utter ingenuousness almost touched him. “Where shall we go now?” asked Dubova, as they came out into the street. Outside it was not nearly so dark as in the lecture-room, and in the sky a few stars shone. “Schafroff and I are going to the Ratoffs,” said Dubova. “Will you take Sina home?” “With pleasure,” said Yourii. Sina lodged with Dubova in a small house that stood in a large, barren- looking garden. All the way thither she and Yourii talked of the lecture and its impression upon them, so that Yourii felt more and more convinced that he had done a good and great thing. As they reached the house, Sina said: “Won’t you come in for a moment?” Yourii gladly accepted. She opened the gate, and they crossed a little grass-grown courtyard beyond which lay the garden.