Routilov said all this in his usual brisk and happy manner, smiling--but he was tall and narrow-chested, and seemed consumptive and frail, while from under his new and fashionable hat his scant, close-trimmed bright hair stuck out pitifully. "No less than three times!" observed Peredonov dryly, as he took off his spectacles and began to wipe them. "It's true enough!" exclaimed Routilov. "But you'd better look out, and don't be slow about it, while I'm alive; they too have a good opinion of themselves--if you try later you may be too late. Any one of them would have you with great pleasure." "Yes, everyone falls in love with me here," said Peredonov with a grave boastfulness. "There, you see, it's for you to take advantage of the moment," said Routilov persuasively. "The chief thing is that she mustn't be lean," said Peredonov with anxiety in his voice. "I prefer a fat one." "Don't you worry on that account," said Routilov warmly. "Even now they are plump enough girls, but they have far from reached their full growth; all this will come in good time. As soon as they marry, they'll improve, like the oldest--well, you've seen our Larissa, a regular fishpie!" "I'd marry," said Peredonov, "but I'm afraid that Vara will make a row." "If you're afraid of a row--I'll tell you what you ought to do," said Routilov with a sly smile. "You ought to make quick work of it; marry, say, to-day or to-morrow, and suddenly show up at home with your young wife. Say the word, and I'll arrange it for to-morrow evening? Which one do you want?" Peredonov suddenly burst into loud, cackling laughter. "Well, I see you like the idea--it's all settled then?" asked Routilov. Peredonov stopped laughing quite as suddenly, and said gravely, quietly, almost in a whisper: "She'll inform against me--that miserable jade!" "She'll do nothing of the sort," said Routilov persuasively. "Or she'll poison me," whispered Peredonov in fear. "You leave it all to me," Routilov prevailed upon him, "I'll see that you are well protected----" "I shan't marry without a _dot,_" said Peredonov sullenly. Routilov was not astonished by the new turn in the thoughts of his surly companion. He replied with the same warmth: "You're an odd fellow. Of course, my sisters have a _dot._ Are you satisfied? I'll run along now and arrange everything. Only keep your mouth shut, not a breath, do you hear, not to anyone!" He shook Peredonov's hand, and made off in great haste. Peredonov looked silently after him. A picture rose up in his mind of the Routilov girls, always cheerful and laughing. An immodest thought squeezed a degrading likeness of a smile to his lips--it appeared for an instant and vanished. A confused restlessness stirred within him. "What about the Princess?" he reflected. "The others have the cash without her power; but if I marry Varvara I'll fall into an inspector's job, and later perhaps they'll make me a Head-Master."