But the moment the door opened one feeling alone appeared on all faces⁠—that of fear. Prince Andréy for the second time asked the adjutant on duty to take in his name, but received an ironical look and was told that his turn would come in due course. After some others had been shown in and out of the minister’s room by the adjutant on duty, an officer who struck Prince Andréy by his humiliated and frightened air was admitted at that terrible door. This officer’s audience lasted a long time. Then suddenly the grating sound of a harsh voice was heard from the other side of the door, and the officer⁠—with pale face and trembling lips⁠—came out and passed through the waiting room, clutching his head.

After this Prince Andréy was conducted to the door and the officer on duty said in a whisper, “To the right, at the window.”

Prince Andréy entered a plain tidy room and saw at the table a man of forty with a long waist, a long closely cropped head, deep wrinkles, scowling brows above dull greenish-hazel eyes and an overhanging red nose. Arakchéev turned his head toward him without looking at him.