"What does he say? " he asked at last.

"He wants us to go there with her." Ostrodumov indicated to
Mashurina with his eyebrows.

"Do they want her too?'

"Yes."

"Well, what's the difficulty?

"Why, money, of course."

Nejdanov got up from the bed and walked over to the window.

"How much do you want?"

"Not less than fifty roubles."

Nejdanov was silent.

"I have no money just now," he whispered at last, drumming his
fingers on the window pane, "but I could get some. Have you got
the letter?"

"Yes, it . . . that is . . . certainly. . ."

"Why are you always trying to keep things from me?" Paklin
exclaimed. "Have I not deserved your confidence? Even if I were
not fully in sympathy with what you are undertaking, do you think