“It’s awful, Grigory Vassilyevitch!” Bugrov began on seeing Groholsky, “such disorder . . . such disorder . . .  Please sit down.  You must excuse my being in the costume of Adam and Eve. . . .  It’s of no consequence. . . .  Horrible disorderliness!  I don’t understand how people can exist here, I don’t understand it!  The servants won’t do what they are told, the climate is horrible, everything is expensive. . . .  Stop your noise,” Bugrov shouted, suddenly coming to a halt before Mishutka; “stop it, I tell you!  Little beast, won’t you stop it?”

And Bugrov pulled Mishutka’s ear.

“That’s revolting, Ivan Petrovitch,” said Groholsky in a tearful voice.  “How can you treat a tiny child like that?  You really are. . .”

“Let him stop yelling then. . . .  Be quiet—­I’ll whip you!”

“Don’t cry, Misha darling. . . .  Papa won’t touch you again.  Don’t beat him, Ivan Petrovitch; why, he is hardly more than a baby. . . .  There, there. . . .  Would you like a little horse?  I’ll send you a little horse. . . .  You really are hard-hearted. . . .”

Groholsky paused, and then asked: 

“And how are your ladies getting on, Ivan Petrovitch?”

“Not at all.  I’ve turned them out without ceremony.  I might have gone on keeping them, but it’s awkward. . . .  The boy will grow up . . . .  A father’s example. . . .  If I were alone, then it would be a different thing. . . .  Besides, what’s the use of my keeping them?  Poof . . . it’s a regular farce!  I talk to them in Russian, and they answer me in French.  They don’t understand a thing—­you can’t knock anything into their heads.”

“I’ve come to you about something, Ivan Petrovitch, to talk things over. . . .  H’m. . . .  It’s nothing very particular.  But just . . . two or three words. . . .  In reality, I have a favour to ask of you.”

“What’s that?”

“Would you think it possible, Ivan Petrovitch, to go away?  We are delighted that you are here; it’s very agreeable for us, but it’s inconvenient, don’t you know. . . .  You will understand me.  It’s awkward in a way. . . .  Such indefinite relations, such continual awkwardness in regard to one another. . . .  We must part. . . .  It’s essential in fact.  Excuse my saying so, but . . . you must see for yourself, of course, that in such circumstances to be living side by side leads to . . . reflections . . . that is . . . not to reflections, but there is a certain awkward feeling. . . .”

“Yes. . . .  That is so, I have thought of it myself.  Very good, I will go away.”

“We shall be very grateful to you. . . .  Believe me, Ivan Petrovitch, we shall preserve the most flattering memory of you.  The sacrifice which you. . .”

“Very good. . . .  Only what am I to do with all this?  I say, you buy this furniture of mine!  What do you say?  It’s not expensive, eight thousand . . . ten. . . .  The furniture, the carriage, the grand piano. . . .”