"Would you not have come otherwise?"

Kollomietzev drew back a pace, horrified at the imputation.

"Valentina Mihailovna!" he exclaimed. "How can you possibly say
such a thing?"

"Well, never mind. Sit down. My husband will be here soon. I have
sent the carriage to the station to meet him. If you wait a
little, you will be rewarded by seeing him. What time is it?

"Half-past two," Kollomietzev replied, taking a large gold
enamelled watch out of his waistcoat pocket and showing it to
Valentina Mihailovna. "Have you seen this watch? A present from
Michael, the Servian Prince Obrenovitch. Look, here are his
initials. We are great friends-- go out hunting a lot together.
Such a splendid fellow, with an iron hand, just what an
administrator ought to be. He will never allow himself to be made
a fool of. Not he! Oh dear no!"

Kollomietzev dropped into an armchair, crossed his legs, and
began leisurely pulling off his left glove.

"We are badly in need of such a man as Michael in our province
here," he remarked.

"Why? Are you dissatisfied with things here?"

Kollomietzev made a wry face.