“Don’t believe it, don’t believe it! Somebody has made a mistake and Lebyadkin’s drunk⁠ ⁠…” exclaimed the engineer in indescribable excitement. “It will all be explained, but I can’t.⁠ ⁠… And I think it’s low.⁠ ⁠… And that’s enough, enough!”

He ran out of the room.

“What are you about? Why, I’m going with you!” cried Liputin, startled. He jumped up and ran after Alexey Nilitch.

Stepan Trofimovitch stood a moment reflecting, looked at me as though he did not see me, took up his hat and stick and walked quietly out of the room. I followed him again, as before. As we went out of the gate, noticing that I was accompanying him, he said:

“Oh yes, you may serve as a witness⁠ ⁠… de l’accident. Vous m’accompagnerez, n’est-ce pas? ”

“Stepan Trofimovitch, surely you’re not going there again? Think what may come of it!”