She said nothing.

“Not from vanity, as you say,” I went on, “but simply that the starving peasants may not be left unrelieved and your reputation may not be injured, I feel it my moral duty to take part in your work.”

“Speak more briefly,” said my wife.

“You will be so kind,” I went on, “as to show me what has been subscribed so far and what you have spent.  Then inform me daily of every fresh subscription in money or kind, and of every fresh outlay.  You will also give me, Natalie, the list of your helpers.  Perhaps they are quite decent people; I don’t doubt it; but, still, it is absolutely necessary to make inquiries.”

She was silent.  I got up, and walked up and down the room.

“Let us set to work, then,” I said, and I sat down to her table.

“Are you in earnest?” she asked, looking at me in alarm and bewilderment.

“Natalie, do be reasonable!” I said appealingly, seeing from her face that she meant to protest.  “I beg you, trust my experience and my sense of honour.”

“I don’t understand what you want.”

“Show me how much you have collected and how much you have spent.”

“I have no secrets.  Any one may see.  Look.”

On the table lay five or six school exercise books, several sheets of notepaper covered with writing, a map of the district, and a number of pieces of paper of different sizes.  It was getting dusk.  I lighted a candle.

“Excuse me, I don’t see anything yet,” I said, turning over the leaves of the exercise books.  “Where is the account of the receipt of money subscriptions?”

“That can be seen from the subscription lists.”

“Yes, but you must have an account,” I said, smiling at her naivete.  “Where are the letters accompanying the subscriptions in money or in kind? Pardon, a little practical advice, Natalie:  it’s absolutely necessary to keep those letters.  You ought to number each letter and make a special note of it in a special record.  You ought to do the same with your own letters.  But I will do all that myself.”

“Do so, do so...” she said.

I was very much pleased with myself.  Attracted by this living interesting work, by the little table, the naive exercise books and the charm of doing this work in my wife’s society, I was afraid that my wife would suddenly hinder me and upset everything by some sudden whim, and so I was in haste and made an effort to attach no consequence to the fact that her lips were quivering, and that she was looking about her with a helpless and frightened air like a wild creature in a trap.

“I tell you what, Natalie,” I said without looking at her; “let me take all these papers and exercise books upstairs to my study.  There I will look through them and tell you what I think about it tomorrow.  Have you any more papers?” I asked, arranging the exercise books and sheets of papers in piles.