"I don't know," he said, "I must ask." He said good-bye to Vershina and went quickly back to his own house. It was absolutely necessary for him to assure himself as soon as possible of the source of the letter--the sudden doubt tormented him. Vershina, standing at the gate, looked after him with her wry smile, rapidly puffing out cigarette smoke, as if she were trying to finish the cigarette like a tiresome lesson. Peredonov came running home with a frightened and tormented face, and while yet in the passage he shouted in a voice hoarse with agitation: "Varvara! Where's the envelope?" "What envelope?" asked Varvara in a trembling voice. She looked at Peredonov insolently and would have flushed had she not been already rouged. "The envelope, from the Princess, of the letter you gave me to-day," explained Peredonov, with a look half-frightened, half-malignant. Varvara gave a forced laugh. "I burnt it. What good was it to me?" she said. "Why should I keep it? I'm not making a collection of envelopes. You can't get any money for envelopes. You can only get money for empty bottles at a pub." Peredonov walked gloomily about the rooms and growled: "There are all sorts of Princesses--we know that. Perhaps this Princess lives here." Varvara pretended not to understand his suspicions, but yet trembled violently. When, towards evening, Peredonov strolled past Vershina's cottage, she stopped him. "Have you found the envelope?" she asked. "Vara tells me she burnt it." Vershina laughed, and the white, thin clouds of tobacco smoke wavered before her in the quiet, cool air. "It's strange," she said, "that your cousin is so careless. Here's an important letter--and no envelope! You might have been able to tell from the post-mark when it was sent and where from." Peredonov was extremely irritated. In vain Vershina invited him into the garden; in vain she promised to look in the cards for him--Peredonov left. Nevertheless, he showed the letter to his friends and boasted. And his friends believed him. But Peredonov did not know whether to believe or not. At all events, he decided to begin on Tuesday his round of visits to important personages in the town to strengthen his position. He decided not to begin on Monday, as it was an unlucky day. [1] Sarafan, national peasant-woman's costume. [2] See note above. Search for: thorn apple or datura. CHAPTER VIII As soon as Peredonov left to play billiards Varvara went off to see Grushina. They argued for a long time, and at last decided to mend the matter with another letter. Varvara knew that Grushina had friends in Peterburg. With their assistance it would be easy to get the letter posted in Peterburg. Just as on the first occasion, Grushina for a long time pretended to have scruples.