“Yes, my dear sir,” said Peter Ivánovich, stepping up toward him, “you see, we do not know ourselves how long we are going to stay here, I and my wife⁠—” and Peter Ivánovich, who had the weakness of seeing a neighbour in every man, began to expound his plans and affairs to him.

M. Chevalier did not share that view of people and was not interested in the information communicated to him by Peter Ivánovich, but the good French which Peter Ivánovich spoke (the French language, as is known, is something like rank in Russia) and his lordly manner somewhat raised the landlord’s opinion about the newcomers.

“What can I do for you?” he asked.