all words!" we often wish ourselves to avoid the necessity of
saying anything more substantial than mere words.'

'What?' said Pigasov, winking his eyes.

'You understood what I meant,' retorted Rudin, with involuntary, but
instantly repressed impatience. 'I repeat, if man has no steady
principle in which he trusts, no ground on which he can take a firm
stand, how can he form a just estimate of the needs, the tendencies
and the future of his country? How can he know what he ought to do,
if----'

'I leave you the field,' ejaculated Pigasov abruptly, and with a bow
he turned away without looking at any one.

Rudin stared at him, and smiled slightly, saying nothing.

'Aha! he has taken to flight!' said Darya Mihailovna. 'Never mind,
Dmitri. . .! I beg your pardon,' she added with a cordial smile,
'what is your paternal name?'

'Nikolaitch.'

'Never mind, my dear Dmitri Nikolaitch, he did not deceive any of us.
He wants to make a show of not wishing to argue any more. He is
conscious that he cannot argue with you. But you had better sit nearer
to us and let us have a little talk.'

Rudin moved his chair up.