“Sit down and calm yourself,” said Yulia Mihailovna, checking him. “I will answer your first question. He came to me with the highest recommendations. He’s talented, and sometimes says extremely clever things. Karmazinov tells me that he has connections almost everywhere, and extraordinary influence over the younger generation in Petersburg and Moscow. And if through him I can attract them all and group them round myself, I shall be saving them from perdition by guiding them into a new outlet for their ambitions. He’s devoted to me with his whole heart and is guided by me in everything.”

“But while they’re being petted⁠ ⁠… the devil knows what they may not do. Of course, it’s an idea⁠ ⁠…” said Von Lembke, vaguely defending himself, “but⁠ ⁠… but here I’ve heard that manifestoes of some sort have been found in X district.”

“But there was a rumour of that in the summer⁠—manifestoes, false banknotes, and all the rest of it, but they haven’t found one of them so far. Who told you?”

“I heard it from Von Blum.”