The captain stopped short, looking blankly before him. He turned, however, and sat down on the seat indicated close to the door. An extreme lack of self-confidence and at the same time insolence, and a sort of incessant irritability, were apparent in the expression of his face. He was horribly scared, that was evident, but his self-conceit was wounded, and it might be surmised that his mortified vanity might on occasion lead him to any effrontery, in spite of his cowardice. He was evidently uneasy at every movement of his clumsy person. We all know that when such gentlemen are brought by some marvellous chance into society, they find their worst ordeal in their own hands, and the impossibility of disposing them becomingly, of which they are conscious at every moment. The captain sat rigid in his chair, with his hat and gloves in his hands and his eyes fixed with a senseless stare on the stern face of Varvara Petrovna. He would have liked, perhaps, to have looked about more freely, but he could not bring himself to do so yet. Marya Timofyevna, apparently thinking his appearance very funny, laughed again, but he did not stir. Varvara Petrovna ruthlessly kept him in this position for a long time, a whole minute, staring at him without mercy. "In the first place allow me to learn your name from yourself," Varvara Petrovna pronounced in measured and impressive tones. "Captain Lebyadkin," thundered the captain. "I have come, madam..." He made a movement again. "Allow me!" Varvara Petrovna checked him again. "Is this unfortunate person who interests me so much really your sister?" "My sister, madam, who has escaped from control, for she is in a certain condition...." He suddenly faltered and turned crimson. "Don't misunderstand me, madam," he said, terribly confused. "Her own brother's not going to throw mud at her... in a certain condition doesn't mean in such a condition... in the sense of an injured reputation... in the last stage..." he suddenly broke off. "Sir!" said Varvara Petrovna, raising her head. "In this condition!" he concluded suddenly, tapping the middle of his forehead with his finger. A pause followed. "And has she suffered in this way for long?" asked Varvara Petrovna, with a slight drawl. "Madam, I have come to thank you for the generosity you showed in the porch, in a Russian, brotherly way." "Brotherly?" "I mean, not brotherly, but simply in the sense that I am my sister's brother; and believe me, madam," he went on more hurriedly, turning crimson again, "I am not so uneducated as I may appear at first sight in your drawing-room. My sister and I are nothing, madam, compared with the luxury we observe here. Having enemies who slander us, besides. But on the question of reputation Lebyadkin is proud, madam... and... and ... and I've come to repay with thanks.... Here is money, madam!"