perhaps Mariana will be good enough to play you something on the
piano. You like music, I hope." And without waiting for an answer
Sipiagin took up a pack of cards. Mariana sat down at the piano
and played, rather indifferently, several of Mendelssohn's "Songs
Without Words." Charmant! Charmant! quel touché! Kollomietzev
called out from the other end of the room, but the exclamation
was only due to politeness, and Nejdanov, in spite of Sipiagin's
remark, showed no passion for music.

Meanwhile Sipiagin, his wife, Kollomietzev, and Anna Zaharovna
sat down to cards. Kolia came to say goodnight, and, receiving
his parents' blessing and a large glass of milk instead of tea,
went off to bed. His father called after him to inform him that
tomorrow he was to begin his lessons with Alexai Dmitritch. A
little later, seeing Nejdanov wandering aimlessly about the room
and turning over the photographic albums, apparently without any
interest, Sipiagin begged him not to be on ceremony and retire if
he wished, as he was probably tired after the journey, and to
remember that the ruling principle of their house was liberty.

Nejdanov took advantage of this and bowing to all present went
out. In the doorway he knocked against Mariana, and, looking into
her eyes, was convinced a second time that they would be
comrades, although she showed no sign of pleasure at seeing him,
but, on the contrary, frowned heavily.

When he went in, his room was filled with a sweet freshness; the
windows had stood wide open all day. In the garden, opposite his
window, a nightingale was trilling out its sweet song; the
evening sky became covered with the warm glow of the rising moon