“Do you understand, sir, that you must come away at once—this very minute?” said Pavel Pavlovitch.
“No, sir, I do not!”
“Do you remember,” continued Pavel in his frenzied whisper, “do you remember that you begged me to tell you all, everything—down to the smallest details? Well, the time has come for telling you all—come!”
Velchaninoff considered a moment, glanced once more at Pavel Pavlovitch, and consented to go.
“Oh! stay and have another cup of tea!” said Mrs. Zachlebnikoff, when this decision was announced.
“Pavel Pavlovitch, why are you taking Alexey Ivanovitch away?” cried the girls, with angry looks. As for Nadia, she looked so cross with Pavel, that the latter felt absolutely uncomfortable; but he did not give in.
“Oh, but I am very much obliged to Pavel Pavlovitch,” said Velchaninoff, “for reminding me of some most important business which I must attend to this very evening, and which I might have forgotten,” laughed Velchaninoff, as he shook hands with his host and made his bow to the ladies, especially to Katia, as the family thought.
“You must come again soon!” said the host; “we have been so glad to see you; it was so good of you to come!”
“Yes, so glad!” said the lady of the house.
“Do come again soon!” cried the girls, as Pavel Pavlovitch and Velchaninoff took their seats in the carriage; “Alexey Ivanovitch, do come back soon!” And with these voices in their ears they drove away.