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‘Well, what do you say,’ he asked at last, ‘does my offer please you?’

‘Offer?’… I repeated unconsciously,… I simply did not understand a word.

Semyon Matveitch laughed… actually laughed his revolting thin laugh.

‘To be sure,’ he cried, ‘you’re all alike you young women’–he corrected himself–‘young ladies… young ladies… you all dream of nothing else… you must have young men! You can’t live without love! Of course not. Well, well! Youth’s all very well! But do you suppose that it’s only young men that can love?… There are some older men, whose hearts are warmer… and when once an old man does take a fancy to any one, well–he’s simply like a rock! It’s for ever! Not like these beardless, feather-brained young fools! Yes, yes; you mustn’t look down on old men! They can do so much! You’ve only to take them the right way! Yes… yes! And as for kissing, old men know all about that too, he-he-he…’ Semyon Matveitch laughed again. ‘Come, please… your little hand… just as a proof… that’s all….’

I jumped up from the chair, and with all my force I gave him a blow in the chest. He tottered, he uttered a sort of decrepit, scared sound, he almost fell down. There are no words in human language to express how loathsome and infinitely vile he seemed to me. Every vestige of fear had left me.

‘Get away, despicable old man,’ broke from my lips; ‘get away, Mr. Koltovsky, you noble gentleman of ancient family! I, too, am of your blood, the blood of the Koltovskys, and I curse the day and the hour when I was born of that ancient family!’

‘What!… What are you saying!… What!’ stammered Semyon Matveitch, gasping for breath. ‘You dare… at the very minute when I’ve caught you… when you came to meet Misha… eh? eh? eh?’

But I could not stop myself…. Something relentless, desperate was roused up within me.

‘And you, you, the brother… of your brother, you had the insolence, you dared… What did you take me for? Can you be so blind as not to have seen long ago the loathing you arouse in me?… You dare use the word offer!… Let me out at once, this instant!’

I moved towards the door.

‘Oh, indeed! oh, oh! so this is what she says!’ Semyon Matveitch piped shrilly, in a fit of violent fury, but obviously not able to make up his mind to come near me…. ‘Wait a bit, Mr. Ratsch, Ivan Demianitch, come here!’

The door of the billiard-room opposite the one I was near flew wide open, and my stepfather appeared, with a lighted candelabrum in each hand. His round, red face, lighted up on both sides, was beaming with the triumph of satisfied revenge, and slavish delight at having rendered valuable service…. Oh, those loathsome white eyes! when shall I cease to behold them?

‘Be so good as to take this girl at once,’ cried Semyon Matveitch, turning to my stepfather and imperiously pointing to me with a shaking hand. ‘Be so good as to take her home and put her under lock and key… so that she… can’t stir a finger, so that not a fly can get in to her! Till further orders from me! Board up the windows if need be! You’ll answer for her with your head!’

Mr. Ratsch set the candelabra on the billiard-table, made Semyon Matveitch a low bow, and with a slight swagger and a malignant smile, moved towards me. A cat, I imagine, approaches a mouse who has no chance of escape in that way. All my daring left me in an instant. I knew the man was capable of… beating me. I began to tremble; yes; oh, shame! oh ignominy! I shivered.

‘Now, then, madam,’ said Mr. Ratsch, ‘kindly come along.’

He took me, without haste, by the arm above the elbow…. He saw that I should not resist. Of my own accord I pushed forward towards the door; at that instant I had but one thought in my mind, to escape as quickly as possible from the presence of Semyon Matveitch.