The lady clasped her hands.
"Why can't you understand me? Do I wish to make Dutlof unhappy? Have I any thing against him? God is my witness how ready I am to do every thing for them. [She glanced at the picture in the corner, but remembered that it was not a holy picture. "Well, it's all the same, that's not the point at all," she thought. Again it was strange that it did not occur to her to offer the three hundred rubles!] But what can I do about it? Do I know the ways and means? I have no way of knowing. Well, I depend upon you; you know my wishes. Do what you can to satisfy everybody; but have it legal. What's to be done? They are not the only ones. Troublous times come to all. Only, Polikéï must not be sent. You must know that that would be terrible for me."
She would have gone on speaking,—she was so excited,—but just then a chambermaid came into the room.
"Is that you, Duniasha?"
"A muzhík is here, and asks for Yégor Mikhaïluitch; they are waiting for him at the meeting," said Duniasha, and looked angrily at Yégor Mikhaïlovitch.
"What an overseer he is!" she said to herself, "stirring up my mistress. Now she won't get to sleep till two o'clock again."
"Now go, Yégor," said the lady. "Do the best you can."
"I obey. [He now said nothing at all about Dutlof.] But shall I send to the gardener for the money?"
"Hasn't Petrushka got back from town."