After the words "and longing vain," he sighed softly, dropped his eyes
and let his voice gradually die away, morendo. When he had finished,
Lisa praised the motive, Marya Dmitrievna cried, "Charming!" but
Gedeonovsky went so far as to exclaim, "Ravishing poetry, and music
equally ravishing!" Lenotchka looked with childish reverence at the
singer. In short, every one present was delighted with the young
dilettante's composition; but at the door leading into the drawing-room
from the hall stood an old man, who had only just come in, and who, to
judge by the expression of his downcast face and the shrug of his
shoulders, was by no means pleased with Panshin's song, pretty though it
was. After waiting a moment and flicking the dust off his boots with a
coarse pocket-handkerchief, this man suddenly raised his eyes,
compressed his lips with a morose expression, and his stooping figure
bent forward, he entered the drawing-room.

"Ah! Christopher Fedoritch, how are you?" exclaimed Panshin before any
of the others could speak, and he jumped up quickly from his seat. "I
had no suspicion that you were here--nothing would have induced me to
sing my song before you. I know you are no lover of light music."

"I did not hear it," declared the new-comer, in very bad Russian, and
exchanging greetings with every one, he stood awkwardly in the middle of
the room.

"Have you come, Monsieur Lemm," said Marya Dmitrievna, "to give Lisa her
music lesson?"

"No, not Lisaveta Mihalovna, but Elena Mihalovna."

"Oh! very well. Lenotchka, go up-stairs with Mr. Lemm."