Nejdanov's hand and turned to go out.

"I should like to know," Nejdanov asked suddenly, "who told you
my name? You said you heard it at the theatre."

"Someone who is very well known to you. A relative of yours, I
think. Prince G."

"The aide-de-camp?"

"Yes."

Nejdanov flushed even redder than before, but did not say
anything. Sipiagin shook his hand again, without a word this
time, then bowing first to him and then to Paklin, put on his hat
at the door, and went out with a self-satisfied smile on his
lips, denoting the deep impression the visit must have produced
upon him.

IV

SIPIAGIN had barely crossed the threshold when Paklin jumped up,
and rushing across to Nejdanov began showering congratulations
upon him.

"What a fine catch!" he exclaimed laughing, scarcely able to
stand still. "Do you know who he is? He's quite a celebrity, a
chamberlain, one of our pillars of society, a future minister!"

"I have never heard of him," Nejdanov remarked dejectedly.