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But Onisim had no desire to continue the conversation, and he assumed his habitual morose expression.

IV

Ivan Afanasiitch’s acquaintance with Praskovia Ivanovna began in the following manner. Five days after his conversation with Onisim, Pyetushkov set off in the evening to the baker’s shop. ‘Well,’ thought he, as he unlatched the creaking gate, ‘I don’t know how it’s to be.’ …

He mounted the steps, opened the door. A huge, crested hen rushed, with a deafening cackle, straight under his feet, and long after was still running about the yard in wild excitement. From a room close by peeped the astonished countenance of the fat woman. Ivan Afanasiitch smiled and nodded. The fat woman bowed to him. Tightly grasping his hat, Pyetushkov approached her. Praskovia Ivanovna was apparently anticipating an honoured guest; her dress was fastened up at every hook. Pyetushkov sat down on a chair; Praskovia Ivanovna seated herself opposite him.

‘I have come to you, Praskovia Ivanovna, more on account of….’ Ivan Afanasiitch began at last–and then ceased. His lips were twitching spasmodically.

‘You are kindly welcome, sir,’ responded Praskovia Ivanovna in the proper sing-song, and with a bow. ‘Always delighted to see a guest.’

Pyetushkov took courage a little.

‘I have long wished, you know, to have the pleasure of making your acquaintance, Praskovia Ivanovna.’

‘Much obliged to you, Ivan Afanasiitch.’

Followed a silence. Praskovia Ivanovna wiped her face with a parti-coloured handkerchief; Ivan Afanasiitch continued with intense attention to gaze away to one side. Both were rather uncomfortable. But in merchant and petty shopkeeper society, where even old friends never step outside special angular forms of etiquette, a certain constraint in the behaviour of guests and host to one another not only strikes no one as strange, but, on the contrary, is regarded as perfectly correct and indispensable, particularly on a first visit. Praskovia Ivanovna was agreeably impressed by Pyetushkov. He was formal and decorous in his manners, and moreover, wasn’t he a man of some rank, too?

‘Praskovia Ivanovna, ma’am, I like your rolls very much,’ he said to her.

‘Really now, really now.’

‘Very good they are, you know, very, indeed.’

‘May they do you good, sir, may they do you good. Delighted, to be sure.’

‘I’ve never eaten any like them in Moscow.’

‘You don’t say so now, you don’t say so.’

Again a silence followed.

‘Tell me, Praskovia Ivanovna,’ began Ivan Afanasiitch; ‘that’s your niece, I fancy, isn’t it, living with you?’

‘My own niece, sir.’

‘How comes it … she’s with you?’….

‘She’s an orphan, so I keep her.’

‘And is she a good worker?’

‘Such a girl to work … such a girl, sir … ay … ay … to be sure she is.’

Ivan Afanasiitch thought it discreet not to pursue the subject of the niece further.

‘What bird is that you have in the cage, Praskovia Ivanovna?’

‘God knows. A bird of some sort.’

‘H’m! Well, so, good day to you, Praskovia Ivanovna.’

‘A very good day to your honour. Pray walk in another time, and take a cup of tea.’

‘With the greatest pleasure, Praskovia Ivanovna.’

Pyetushkov walked out. On the steps he met Vassilissa. She giggled.

‘Where are you going, my darling?’ said Pyetushkov with reckless daring.

‘Come, give over, do, you are a one for joking.’

‘He, he! And did you get my letter?’

Vassilissa hid the lower part of her face in her sleeve and made no answer.

‘And you’re not angry with me?’

‘Vassilissa!’ came the jarring voice of the aunt; ‘hey, Vassilissa!’

Vassilissa ran into the house. Pyetushkov returned home. But from that day he began going often to the baker’s shop, and his visits were not for nothing. Ivan Afanasiitch’s hopes, to use the lofty phraseology suitable, were crowned with success. Usually, the attainment of the goal has a cooling effect on people, but Pyetushkov, on the contrary, grew every day more and more ardent. Love is a thing of accident, it exists in itself, like art, and, like nature, needs no reasons to justify it, as some clever man has said who never loved, himself, but made excellent observations upon love.