"My dear Marta Stanislavovna, believe me, I give it with all my heart--please take it! And if you don't want to take it for nothing, then take it for looking after Vaniushka. As to my agreement with Natalya Afanasyevna, let that stand. But this is for you--for looking after Vanya." "But how can I, it's too much," said Marta irresolutely. "It's for the first half-year," and he bowed very low to Marta. "Don't offend me by refusing it. Take it and be a sister to Vaniushka." "Well, Marta, you'd better take it," said Vershina. "And thank Vladimir Ivanitch." Marta, flushing with shame and pleasure, took the money. Mourin began to thank her ardently. "You'd better marry at once--it would be cheaper," said Peredonov gruffly. "How generous he's got all of a sudden!" Vitkevitch roared with laughter, which the others pretended they had not heard. Vershina began to tell a dream of her own, but Peredonov interrupted her before she had finished by saying good-bye. Mourin invited him to his house for the evening. "I must go to Vespers," said Peredonov. "Ardalyon Borisitch has suddenly become very zealous in church-going," said Vershina with a quick, dry laugh. "I always go," he answered. "I believe in God--unlike the others. Perhaps I am the only one of that kind in the _gymnasia._ That's why I'm persecuted. The Head-Master is an atheist." "When you are free, let me know," said Mourin. Peredonov said, twisting his cap irritatedly in his hands: "I have no time to go visiting." But suddenly he recalled that Mourin was very hospitable with food and drink, so he said: "Well, I can come to you on Monday." Mourin showed great pleasure at this, and was about to ask Vershina and Marta also, but Peredonov said: "I don't want any ladies. We might get a little tipsy and blurt out something which would be awkward in their presence." When Peredonov left, Vershina said sneeringly: "Ardalyon Borisitch is acting curiously. He would very much like to be an inspector, and it looks to me as if Varvara were leading him by the nose. So he's up to all sorts of tricks." Vladya--who had hidden himself while Peredonov was there--came out and said with a malicious smile: "The locksmith's sons have found out from someone that it was Peredonov who told about them." "They'll break his windows," exclaimed Vitkevitch laughing gleefully. * * * * * Everything in the street seemed hostile and ominous to Peredonov. A ram stood at the cross-roads and looked stupidly at him. This ram so closely resembled Volodin that Peredonov felt frightened. He thought that possibly Volodin had turned into a ram to spy upon him. "How do we know?" he thought. "Perhaps it is possible; science has not discovered everything and it's possible someone does know something. Now there are the French--a learned people, and yet magicians and mages have begun to spread there." And a fear took possession of him. "This ram might kick me," he thought.