“I mustn’t forget to give him back the bracelet, by-the-bye,” thought Velchaninoff, frowning, as he felt for the case in his coat pocket. “You said just now that I am determined to be happy, Alexey Ivanovitch,” continued Pavel, confidentially, and with almost touching earnestness. “I _must_ marry, else what will become of me? You see for yourself” (he pointed to the bottle), “and that’s only a hundredth part of what I demean myself to nowadays. I cannot get on without marrying again, sir; I _must_ have a new faith. If I can but believe in some one again, sir, I shall rise—I shall be saved.” “Why are you telling _me_ all this?” exclaimed Velchaninoff, very nearly laughing in his face; it seemed so absurdly inconsistent. “Look here,” he continued, roaring the words out, “let me know now, once for all, why did you drag me down there? what good was I to do you there?” “I—I wished to try——,” began Pavel, with some confusion. “Try what?” “The effect, sir. You see, Alexey Ivanovitch, I have only been visiting there a week” (he grew more and more confused), “and yesterday, when I met you, I thought to myself that I had never seen her yet in society; that is, in the society of other _men_ besides myself—a stupid idea, I know it is—I was very anxious to try—you know my wretchedly jealous nature.” He suddenly raised his head and blushed violently. “He _can’t_ be telling me the truth!” thought Velchaninoff; he was struck dumb with surprise. “Well, go on!” he muttered at last. “Well, I see it was all her pretty childish nature, sir—that and her friends together. You must forgive my stupid conduct towards yourself to-day, Alexey Ivanovitch. I will never do it again—never again, sir, I assure you!” “I shall never be there to give you the opportunity,” replied Velchaninoff with a laugh. “That’s partly why I say it,” said Pavel. “Oh, come! I’m not the only man in the world you know!” said the other irritably. “I am sorry to hear you say that, Alexey Ivanovitch. My esteem for Nadejda is such that I——” “Oh, forgive me, forgive me! I meant nothing, I assure you! Only it surprises me that you should have expected so much of me—that you trusted me so completely.” “I trusted you entirely, sir, solely on account of—all that has passed.” “So that you still consider me the most honourable of men?” Velchaninoff paused, the naïve nature of his sudden question surprised even himself. “I always did think you that, sir!” said Pavel, hanging his head. “Of course, quite so—I didn’t mean quite that—I wanted to say, in spite of all prejudices you may have formed, you——” “Yes, in spite of all prejudices!” “And when you first came to Petersburg?” asked Velchaninoff, who himself felt the monstrosity of his own inquisitive questions, but could not resist putting them. “I considered you the most honourable of men when I first came to Petersburg, sir; no less. I always respected you, Alexey Ivanovitch!”