While they were talking in the corner, Kollomietzev could scarcely stand still in one spot.He walked up and down, hummed and hawed, showed every sign of impatience.At last he went up to Sipiagin, saying hastily, " Vous oublier l'autre!""Oh, yes!" Sipiagin exclaimed loudly."Merci de me l'avoir rappele.Your excellency," he said, turning to the governor (he purposely addressed his friend Voldemar in this formal way, so as not to compromise the prestige of authority in Markelov's presence), "I must draw your attention to the fact that my brother-in-law's mad attempt has certain ramifications, and one of these branches, that is to say, one of the suspected persons, is to be found not very far from here, in this town.I've brought another with me," he added in a whisper, "he's in the drawing-room.Have him brought in here."
"What a man!" the governor thought with admiration, gazing respectfully at Sipiagin.He gave the order and a minute later Sila Paklin stood before him.
Paklin bowed very low to the governor as he came in, but catching sight of Markelov before he had time to raise himself, remained as he was, half bent down, fidgetting with his cap.Markelov looked at him vacantly, but could hardly have recognised him, as he withdrew into his own thoughts.
"Is this the branch?" the governor asked, pointing to Paklin with a long white finger adorned with a turquoise ring.
"Oh, no!" Sipiagin exclaimed with a slight smile."However, who knows!" he added after a moment's thought."Your excellency," he said aloud, "the gentleman before you is Mr.Paklin.He comes from St.Petersburg and is a close friend of a certain person who for a time held the position of tutor in my house and who ran away, taking with him a certain young girl who, I blush to say, is my niece.
"Ah! oui, oui," the governor mumbled, shaking his head, "I heard the story...The princess told me--"Sipiagin raised his voice.
"That person is a certain Mr.Nejdanov, whom I strongly suspect of dangerous ideas and theories--""Un rouge a tous crins," Kollomietzev put in.
"Yes, dangerous ideas and theories," Sipiagin repeated more emphatically."He must certainly know something about this propaganda.He is...in hiding, as I have been informed by Mr.
Paklin, in the merchant Falyaeva's factory--"At these words Markelov threw another glance at Paklin and gave a slow, indifferent smile.
"Excuse me, excuse me, your excellency," Paklin cried, "and you, Mr.Sipiagin, I never...never--""Did you say the merchant Falyaeva?" the governor asked, turning to Sipiagin and merely shaking his fingers in Paklin's direction, as much as to say," Gently, my good man, gently." "What is coming over our respectable, bearded merchants? Only yesterday one was arrested in connection with this affair.You may have heard of him--Golushkin, a very rich man.But he's harmless enough.He won't make revolutions; he's grovelling on his knees already.""The merchant Falyaeva has nothing whatever to do with it,"Sipiagin began; "I know nothing of his ideas; I was only talking of his factory where Mr.Nejdanov is to be found at this very moment, as Mr.Paklin says--""I said nothing of the kind!" Paklin cried; "you said it yourself!""Excuse me, Mr.Paklin," Sipiagin pronounced with the same relentless precision, "I admire that feeling of friendship which prompts you to deny it." ("A regular Guizot, upon my word!" the governor thought to himself.) "But take example by me.Do you suppose that the feeling of kinship is less strong in me than your feeling of friendship? But there is another feeling, my dear sir, yet stronger still, which guides all our deeds and actions, and that is duty!""Le sentiment du devoir," Kollomietzev explained.
Markelov took both the speakers in at a glance.
"Your excellency!" he exclaimed, "I ask you a second time; please have me removed out of sight of these babblers."But there the governor lost patience a little.
"Mr.Markelov!" he pronounced severely, "I would advise you, in your present position, to be a little more careful of your tongue, and to show a little more respect to your elders, especially when they give expression to such patriotic sentiments as those you have just heard from the lips of your beau-frere! Ishall be delighted, my dear Boris," he added, turning to Sipiagin, "to tell the minister of your noble action.But with whom is this Nejdanov staying at the factory?"Sipiagin frowned.
"With a certain Mr.Solomin, the chief engineer there, Mr.Paklin says."It seemed to afford Sipiagin some peculiar pleasure in tormenting poor Sila.He made him pay dearly for the cigar he had given him and the playful familiarity of his behaviour.
"This Solomin," Kollomietzev put in, "is an out-and-out radical and republican.It would be a good thing if your excellency were to turn your attention to him too.""Do you know these gentlemen...Solomin, and what's his name.
