“Oh, on the contrary! my mother will be very glad,” said Gania, courteously and kindly.

“I think only one of your rooms is engaged as yet, is it not? That fellow Ferd⁠—Ferd⁠—”

“Ferdishenko.”

“Yes⁠—I don’t like that Ferdishenko. I can’t understand why Nastasia Philipovna encourages him so. Is he really her cousin, as he says?”

“Oh dear no, it’s all a joke. No more cousin than I am.”

“Well, what do you think of the arrangement, prince?”

“Thank you, general; you have behaved very kindly to me; all the more so since I did not ask you to help me. I don’t say that out of pride. I certainly did not know where to lay my head tonight. Rogojin asked me to come to his house, of course, but⁠—”