"Of course," he said, less steadily. "Why not? I did my best to get away the night before last. Thank God I didn't succeed in that!"
"Why did you go like that?"
"You know why."
"I know why! What do you mean? How can I know anything?"
"Very easily," he bitterly replied, staring rigidly ahead with his burning face. "Very easily indeed, when I left you that letter!"
"What letter, Mr. Engelhardt?"
"The awful nonsense I was idiot enough to slip into your book!"
"The book I was reading?"
"Yes."
"Then I have never had your letter. I haven't opened that book since the day before yesterday, though more than once I have taken it up with the intention of doing so."