little pleasure, and he felt bitter at heart. When suddenly, Oh
wonder! During one of the intervals, his neighbour on the left,
not the glittering general, but the other with no marks of
distinction on his breast, addressed him politely and kindly, but
somewhat timidly. He asked him what he thought of Ostrovsky's
play, wanted to know his opinion of it as a representative of the
new generation. Nejdanov, overwhelmed and half frightened, his
heart beating fast, answered at first curtly, in monosyllables,
but soon began to be annoyed with his own excitement. "After
all," he thought, " am I not a man like everybody else? "And
began expressing his opinions quite freely, without any
restraint. He got so carried away by his subject, and spoke so
loudly, that he quite alarmed the order-bedecked general.
Nejdanov was a strong admirer of Ostrovsky, but could not help
feeling, in spite of the author's great genius, his evident
desire to throw a slur on modern civilisation in the burlesqued
character of Veherov, in "Never Sit in Another Man's Sledge".

His polite neighbour listened to him attentively, evidently
interested in what he said. He spoke to him again in the next
interval, not about the play this time, but about various matters
of everyday life, about science, and even touched upon political
questions. He was decidedly interested in his eloquent young
companion. Nejdanov did not feel in the least constrained as
before, but even began to assume airs, as if saying, "If you
really want to know, I can satisfy your curiosity!" The general's
annoyance grew to indignation and even suspicion.

After the play Sipiagin took leave of Nejdanov very courteously,
but did not ask his name, neither did he tell him his own. While