"Aliosha!" he exclaimed, "don't you know me?" Nejdanov stared at him, blinking slowly.
"Paklin? " he said at last.
"Yes, it is I.Aren't you well?"
"No...I'm not well.But why are you here?""Why?"...But at this moment Mariana stealthily touched Paklin on the elbow.He turned around and saw that she was ****** signs to him."Oh, yes! " he muttered."Yes....You see, Aliosha," he added aloud, "I've come here upon a very important matter and must go away at once.Solomin will tell you all about it--and Mariana--Mariana Vikentievna.They both fully approve of what Iam going to do.The thing concerns us all.No, no," he put in hastily in response to a look and gesture from Mariana."The thing concerns Markelov; our mutual friend Markelov; it concerns him alone.But I must say goodbye now.Every minute is precious.
Goodbye, Aliosha...We'll see each other again sometime.
Vassily Fedotitch, can you come with me to see about the horses?""Certainly.Mariana, I wanted to ask you to be firm, but that is not necessary.You're a brick!""Yes, yes," Paklin chimed in, "you are just like a Roman maiden in Cato's time! Cato of Utica! We must be off, Vassily Fedotitch, come along!""There's plenty of time," Solomin observed with a faint smile.
Nejdanov stood on one side to allow them room to pass out, but there was the same vacant expression in his eyes.After they had gone he took a step or two forward and sat down on a chair facing Mariana.
"Alexai," she began, "everything has been found out.Markelov has been seized by the very peasants he was trying to better, and is now under arrest in this town, and so is the merchant with whom you dined once.I dare say the police will soon be here for us too.Paklin has gone to Sipiagin.""Why?" Nejdanov asked in a scarcely audible whisper.But there was a keen look in his eyes--his face assumed it's habitual expression.The stupor had left him instantly.
"To try and find out if he would be willing to intercede."Nejdanov sat up straight.
"For us?
"No, for Markelov.He wanted to ask him to intercede for us too.
..but I wouldn't let him.Have I done well, Alexai?
"Have you done well?" Nejdanov asked and without rising from his chair, stretched out his arms to her."Have you done well?" he repeated, drawing her close to him, and pressing his face against her waist, suddenly burst into tears.
"What is the matter? What is the matter with you?" Mariana exclaimed.And as on the day when he had fallen on his knees before her, trembling and breathless in a torrent of passion, she laid both her hands on his trembling head.But what she felt now was quite different from what she had felt then.Then she had given herself up to him--had submitted to him and only waited to hear what he would say next, but now she pitied him and only wondered what she could do to calm him.
"What is the matter with you?" she repeated."Why are you crying?
Not because you came home in a somewhat...strange condition?
It can't be! Or are you sorry for Markelov--afraid for me, for yourself? Or is it for our lost hopes? You did not really expect that everything would go off smoothly!"Nejdanov suddenly lifted his bead.
