“On the whole? You know that yourself, sir.” He shrugged his shoulders commiseratingly. “But just now⁠ ⁠… just now she’s telling her fortune with cards.⁠ ⁠…”

“Very good. Later on. First of all I must finish with you.”

Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch settled himself in a chair. The captain did not venture to sit down on the sofa, but at once moved up another chair for himself, and bent forward to listen, in a tremor of expectation.

“What have you got there under the tablecloth?” asked Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch, suddenly noticing it.