for recreation!" We'll devote one minute only to that same business...
ha-ha! What about that thirteen roubles and thirty kopecks?' he added in
a low voice, turning his back on me.

'Viktor took it from Eleonora Karpovna; he said that it was with your
leave,' Susanna replied, also in a low voice.

'He said... he said... my leave...' growled Ivan Demianitch. 'I'm on the
spot myself, I fancy. Might be asked. And who's had that seventeen
roubles?'

'The upholsterer.'

'Oh... the upholsterer. What's that for?' 'His bill.'

'His bill. Show me!' He pulled the book away from Susanna, and planting
a pair of round spectacles with silver rims on his nose, he began
passing his finger along the lines. 'The upholsterer,.. the
upholsterer... You'd chuck all the money out of doors! Nothing pleases
you better!... Wie die Croaten! A bill indeed! But, after all,' he added
aloud, and he turned round facing me again, and pulled the spectacles
off his nose, 'why do this now? I can go into these wretched details
later. Susanna Ivanovna, be so good as to put away that account-book,
and come back to us and enchant our kind guest's ears with your musical
accomplishments, to wit, playing on the pianoforte... Eh?'

Susanna turned away her head.

'I should be very happy,' I hastily observed; 'it would be a great
pleasure for me to hear Susanna Ivanovna play. But I would not for