Encouraged by this transaction, Tevkin rapidly developed some far-reaching real-estate projects in which he apparently expected me to be the central figure. One afternoon as we sat over glasses of tea at Malbin's he said: "If you want to drink a glass of real Russian tea, come up some evening. We shall all be very glad to see you."
I felt the color mounting to my face as I said, "I don't think your daughter would like it."
"My daughter?" he asked, in amazement. "But I have three daughters."
"The one that spent some time at the Rigi Kulm in the Catskills last summer."
"Anna?" he asked, with still greater surprise, as it were
"I don't know her first name, but I suppose that's the one."
"If she was at the Rigi Kulm, it's Anna."
"Well, I had the pleasure of meeting her there, but I am afraid I was somewhat of a persona non grata with her," I said, in a partial attempt to make a joke of it
He dropped his glance, leveled it at me once more, and dropped it again
"Why, what was the matter?" he inquired, in great embarrassment