She sighed and paused.

"It's coarseness of character, Pavel Andreitch," she said. "You are
well-bred and educated, but what a... Scythian you are in reality!
That's because you lead a cramped life full of hatred, see no one, and
read nothing but your engineering books. And, you know, there are good
people, good books! Yes... but I am exhausted and it wearies me to talk.
I ought to be in bed."

"So I am going away, Natalie," I said.

"Yes... yes.... _Merci_...."

I stood still for a little while, then went upstairs. An hour later--it
was half-past one--I went downstairs again with a candle in my hand to
speak to my wife. I didn't know what I was going to say to her, but I
felt that I must say some thing very important and necessary. She was
not in her study, the door leading to her bedroom was closed.

"Natalie, are you asleep?" I asked softly.

There was no answer.

I stood near the door, sighed, and went into the drawing-room. There I
sat down on the sofa, put out the candle, and remained sitting in the
dark till the dawn.

VI

I went to the station at ten o'clock in the morning. There was no frost,