“Do you wish to spend the night with me?” he asked ironically.
“I am indeed a nightbird,” answered Mark, who looked anxious. “I receive too much attention in the daytime, and it puts less shame on your Aunt’s house. The magnificent old lady, to show Tychkov the door. But I have come to you on important business,” he said, looking serious.
“You have business! That is interesting.”
“Yes, more serious than yours. To-day I was at the police-station, not exactly paying a call. The police inspector had invited me, and I was politely fetched with a pair of grey horses.”
“What has happened?” “A trifling thing. I had lent books to one or two people....”
“Perhaps mine, that you had taken from Leonti?”
“Those and others—here is the list,” he said, handing him a slip of paper.
“To whom did you give the books?”
“To many people, mostly young people. One fool, the son of an advocate, did not understand some French phrases, and showed the book to his mother, who handed it on to the father, and he in his turn to the magistrate. The magistrate, having heard of the name of the author, made a great commotion and informed the Governor. At first the lad would not give me away, but when they applied the rod to him he gave my name, and to-day they summoned me to court.”
“And what line did you adopt?”