Peredonov asked him to come in at once, but Volodin declared that he had an appointment: he suddenly felt that it wasn't the right thing not to have appointments; Peredonov's words about his affairs had inspired him with the idea that it would be well for him to visit the Adamenko girl on his own, and to tell her that he had some new, splendid drawings which needed framing--perhaps she would like to look at them. "In any case," thought Volodin, "Nadezhda Vassilyevna will ask me to have a cup of coffee." And so that was what Volodin did. He suddenly invented another scheme: he proposed to Nadezhda Vassilyevna that her brother should take up carpentry. Nadezhda Vassilyevna imagined that Volodin was in need of money, and she immediately consented. They agreed to work for two hours three times a week, for which Volodin was to get thirty roubles a month. Volodin was in raptures--here was some cash and the possibility of frequent meetings with Nadezhda Vassilyevna. Peredonov returned home gloomy as usual. Varvara, pale from her sleepless night, grumbled: "You might have told me yesterday that you weren't coming home." Peredonov provoked her by saying maliciously that he had been on a trip with Marta. Varvara was silent. She held the Princess's letter in her hand. It was a forged letter, but still----. She said to him at luncheon, with a meaning smile: "While you were gadding about with Marfushka, I received an answer from the Princess." "I didn't know you wrote to her." Peredonov's face lighted up with a gleam of dull expectation. "Well, that's good! Didn't you yourself tell me to write?" "Well, what did she say?" asked Peredonov with some agitation. "Here's the letter--read it for yourself." Varvara fumbled for a long time in her pockets and finally found the letter and gave it to Peredonov. He stopped eating and grabbed the letter eagerly. He read it and was overjoyed. Here at last was a clear and definite promise. At the moment no doubts entered his mind. He quickly finished his luncheon and went out to show the letter to his acquaintances and friends. With a grim animation he entered Vershina's garden. Vershina, as nearly always, was standing at the gate smoking. She was very pleased: formerly, she had to lure him in, now he came in himself. Vershina thought: "That comes of his going on a trip with Marta; he spent some time with her and now he's come again. I wonder if he means to propose to her?" Peredonov disillusioned her immediately by showing her the letter. "You kept disbelieving it," he said, "and here the Princess has written. Read that and see for yourself." Vershina looked incredulously at the letter, quickly blew tobacco smoke on it several times running, made a wry smile and asked quietly and quickly: "But where's the envelope?" Peredonov suddenly felt alarmed. He suspected that Varvara was trying to deceive him and had written the letter herself. He must get the envelope from her at once.