I thought that I was sufficiently authorized by the light to knock at the door.  The ladies had not retired as yet.  I only hoped they would not have any visitors of their own nationality.  A broken-down, retired Russian official was to be found there sometimes in the evening.  He was infinitely forlorn and wearisome by his mere dismal presence.  I think these ladies tolerated his frequent visits because of an ancient friendship with Mr. Haldin, the father, or something of that sort.  I made up my mind that if I found him prosing away there in his feeble voice I should remain but a very few minutes.

The door surprised me by swinging open before I could ring the bell.  I was confronted by Miss Haldin, in hat and jacket, obviously on the point of going out.  At that hour!  For the doctor, perhaps?

Her exclamation of welcome reassured me.  It sounded as if I had been the very man she wanted to see.  My curiosity was awakened.  She drew me in, and the faithful Anna, the elderly German maid, closed the door, but did not go away afterwards.  She remained near it as if in readiness to let me out presently.  It appeared that Miss Haldin had been on the point of going out to find me.

She spoke in a hurried manner very unusual with her.  She would have gone straight and rung at Mrs. Ziegler’s door, late as it was, for Mrs. Ziegler’s habits....

Mrs. Ziegler, the widow of a distinguished professor who was an intimate friend of mine, lets me have three rooms out of her very large and fine apartment, which she didn’t give up after her husband’s death; but I have my own entrance opening on the same landing.  It was an arrangement of at least ten years’ standing.  I said that I was very glad that I had the idea to....

Miss Haldin made no motion to take off her outdoor things.  I observed her heightened colour, something pronouncedly resolute in her tone.  Did I know where Mr. Razumov lived?

Where Mr. Razumov lived?  Mr. Razumov?  At this hour—­so urgently?  I threw my arms up in sign of utter ignorance.  I had not the slightest idea where he lived.  If I could have foreseen her question only three hours ago, I might have ventured to ask him on the pavement before the new post office building, and possibly he would have told me, but very possibly, too, he would have dismissed me rudely to mind my own business.  And possibly, I thought, remembering that extraordinary hallucined, anguished, and absent expression, he might have fallen down in a fit from the shock of being spoken to.  I said nothing of all this to Miss Haldin, not even mentioning that I had a glimpse of the young man so recently.  The impression had been so extremely unpleasant that I would have been glad to forget it myself.

“I don’t see where I could make inquiries,” I murmured helplessly.  I would have been glad to be of use in any way, and would have set off to fetch any man, young or old, for I had the greatest confidence in her common sense.  “What made you think of coming to me for that information?” I asked.