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Show 222 TlllC ll.\l{l\' l'tllllCS'l' THE LOVERS 223 I did not get. up and leave him as l very easily might. "You must not listen nor notice nor think of it," I said have done. I had had. since the night when Nikitin had spoken to me so t'rankly. a desire to know the little man's side of that attair. In some curious fashion that silent plain wife of his had heen very frequently in my thoughts; there had not heen enough in Nikitin‘s account. to explain to me his passion for her. and yet her e'host. as though evoked by the memories hoth ot' Nikitin and her lmshand, had seemed to me. sometimes. to he present with us. . . . I waited. "Tell me frankly." Andrey \Iassilieviteh said at last, "am I of any use here 4" firmly. "We are grateful for your work-all of us. Senr yonov laughs at us all." "That poor Marie Ivanovna," he burst out. "She does "(If use t" I repeated. taken hy surprise. "Yes. Am I doing only what any one else can do as well? Would it he better perhaps if another were here?" "Xe, certainly not." I answered warmly. "Your business training- is of the greatest value to us. Molozov has said to me ‘that he does not know what we should do without you." " (This was not strictly true.) "Ah!" the little man was greatly pleased. "I am glad; very glad~to hear what you say. feel Semyonov made me " "You should not be influenced," I hurriedly interrupted him, "by what Semyonov thinks. It is of no importance." "He has a bad character," Andrey Vassilieviteh said suddenly with great excitement. "a had character. And wh)' cannot he leave me alone:t Why should he laugh always? I do my best. I am quiet and not in his way. I can do things that he cannot. I am not his; as he but at least I (10 not rob men of their women." He was shakingr with anger, his head trembling and his hands quivering-it was difficult not to smile. not know. She, is ignorant of life. At first I was angry with her but now I see that she is helpless. There will be terrihle things afterwards, Ivan Andreievitehl" he cried. "I think she understands him better than we do." "I have never," he said vehemently, "hated a man in my life as I hate him." Int in spite of his passionate declaration he was ohviously reassured by my det‘enee of him. He was quiet suddenly, looked at the View mildly and. in a moment, thought. me the hest friend he had in the world-in the Russian manner. "You see, Ivan Andreievitch," he said, looking at me with the eyes of an unnaturally wise hahy, "that I cannot help wishing that my wife were here to advise. Marie Ivan ovna. She would have loved my wife very much, as every one did, and would have confided in her. That would have helped a girl who, like Marie Ivanovna, is ignorant of the world and the loves of men." "You miss your wile very much t" I asked. "There is not a moment; of the. day hut l do not think of her," he answered very solemnly, staring: in front of him. "That must seem strange to you who did not, know her, and even I sometimes think it is not good. lint what to do! She was a woman so remarkahle that no one who knew her can forget." "I have often heen told that every one who knew her loved her," I said. "Ah! you have heard that. . . . They talk of her, of ('OIII'SC‘. She will always he remembered." with pleasure. Ilia eyes shone "Yes, every one loved her. I myself |