They all looked at one another in amazement.

"Is Mr. Nejdanov at home?" the baritone repeated.

"Yes, he is," Nejdanov replied at last.

The door opened gently and a man of about forty entered the room
and slowly removed his glossy hat from his handsome, closely
cropped head. He was tall and well-made, and dressed in a
beautiful cloth coat with a gorgeous beaver collar, although it
was already the end of April. He impressed Nejdanov and Paklin,
and even Mashurina and Ostrodumov, with his elegant, easy
carriage and courteous manner. They all rose instinctively on his
entrance.

III

THE elegantly dressed man went up to Nejdanov with an amiable
smile and began: "I have already had the pleasure of meeting you
and even speaking to you, Mr. Nejdanov, the day before yesterday,
if you remember, at the theatre." (The visitor paused, as though
waiting for Nejdanov to make some remark, but the latter merely
bowed slightly and blushed.) "I have come to see you about your
advertisement, which I noticed in the paper. I should like us to
have a talk if your visitors would not mind. . ." (He bowed to
Mashurina, and waved a grey-gloved hand in the direction of
Paklin and Ostrodumov.)

"Not at all," Nejdanov replied awkwardly. "Won't you sit down?"