Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-04-23
Copyright, 1897, by Tillotson & Son.
CHAPTER V.


been carrying on an animated discus.
sion. On the table lay an open letter,
written in a firm, legible, masculine
hand.
"There is letter from Pavel Alexan-
drovich,'" began Mrs. Prozorov. ''He is
coming to dinner. He always spends
Sundays and holidays with u.s." she
added in explanation.
Vladimir inquired who was this Pa
vel Alexandrovich, whom he had not
the honor to know.
"Kroutikov, collegiate, councillor"
the old lady explained. He is special
commissioner to the governor and
most admirable and attractive young
man. I desire no better husband for my
Katia."
Vladimir looked at her in astonish-
ment.
II am engaged to him." Katia put in
shyly.
Vladimir's face changed He felt a
kind of stab at his heart Katia en-
gagged, and to an oficiall He had not
expected that.
Mrs. Prozorov meanwhile went on
enumerating the virtues Of her future
son-in-law, and this gave Vladimir time
to recover himself What is it to me?''
he said to himself, with little shrug
of his shoulders.
"You will probably want the pavil-
ion l have been occupying" he said
when the old lady stopped. II meant
to tell you yesterday that I ought to be
going. Allow me to thank you for your
hospitality.
"What do you want to 60 for3" Katia
interrupted, interpreting his words in
her own way You can trust Pavel
Alexandrovich thoroughly, although he
is an official Iwant you to get to know
him. He is good man.
II fully believe it, since you have
chosen him." said Vladimir gravely
"But all the same / must 60, and beg
you"-
"No, no You're to stay Please
stay" Katia enreated. II shall be
hurt if you 60"
''Stay, of course, Vladimir Petrovich.
said Mrs. Prozorov why should you
suddenly want to 90 away Why, the
horses aren't shod yet Pavel Alexan-
drovich is quite like son of the house.
He was very fond Of Vania, though, Of
course. he disapproves of his fancies.
He doesn't disapprove at all, NAM
ma" Katia burst in. II ought to know
best about that III talk to him about
you. Please leave that to me. q"
She was very much agitated, though
she tried not to appear so Somehow
she felt herself to blame for not having
told Vladimir beforehand Of Pavel Alex
androvich's existence, although she had
not intentionally concealed anything
from him. She simply had not thought
of it. And, for that matter. of what in
terest could it be to Vladimir whether
she was going to be married and to
whom?
She went back into the pavilion with
him and was peculiarly friendly and
kind, trying to repair her blunder and
persuade him of the excellent qualities
and views of Pavel Alexandrovich. But
sha did not succeed.
"A regular 'bureaucrat, according
to the latest fashion," he said to him
self And this girl is going to marry
such a man.
He listened to her without comment
and in the neutral manner enjoined by
the laws of politeness Something whis-
pered to him that his meeting with this
Shiny bureaucrat, as he mentally rep
resented the official to himself, would
lead to no good But to slip out of that
meeting now would be cowardly.
Punctually at 10 O'Clock carriage
drove up to the porch Vladimir could
hear the noise of the wheels from his
pavilion But he did not see the visitor
until he was called to dinner Krouti-
kov was a man of about 80, we'll
dressed, but without any foppishness,
and not in the least "slimy." His thick,
Jet black hair was cropped short, and
his heavy jaw was smoothly shaven and
shaded with blue His features were
large and regular and rather striking,
but when he smiled his nose seemed to
t1atten up IN way that gave to his
face vulgar look. For the rest, he was
very well aware Of this defect and sell
dom smiled.
Katia introduced the two men to each
other Before her lovers arrival she
had intended to tell who the visitor
was, but when alone with Kroutikov
she had omitted to tell him and so in
troduced Vladimir simply as "a friend
of Vania" Kroutikov measured him
with quick glance. Vladimir's ap-
pearance was respectable enough On
the day after his arrival he had ordered
some clean linen and few other neces-
sary things from the town through Mrs.
Prozorov's bailiff Nevertheless there
was something about his whole appear
ance that at once made Kroutikov put
him down in the category of the people
that he (Kroutikov) peculiarly disliked,
and to which his future brother-in law
belonged.
"Chips from the same block, " he said
to himself But how did he manage
to get here?"
"Do you live in st. Petersburg, if /
L