But this temptation was not long, and soon Alekseï Aleksandrovitch regained that serenity and elevation of mind by which he succeeded in putting away all that he wished to forget,
CHAPTER XXVI
"Well, Kapitonuitch?" said Serozha, as he came in, rosy and gay, after his walk, on the evening before his birthday, while the old Swiss, smiling down from his superior height, helped the young man off with his coat, "did the bandaged chinovnik come to-day? Did papa see him?"
"Yes; the manager had only just got here when I announced him," replied the Swiss, winking one eye gayly. "Permit me, I will take it."
"Serozha! Serozha!" called the Slavophile tutor, who was standing by the door that led to the inner rooms, "take off your coat yourself."
But Serozha, though he heard his tutor's weak voice, paid no heed to him; standing by the Swiss, he held him by the belt, and looked him straight in the face.
"And did papa do what he wanted?"
The Swiss nodded.
This chinovnik, with his head in a bandage, who had come seven times to ask some favor of Alekseï Aleksandrovitch, interested Serozha and the Swiss. Serozha had met him one day in the vestibule, and overheard how he begged the Swiss to let him be admitted, saying that nothing was left for him and his children but to die. Since that time the lad had felt great concern for the poor man.
"Say, did he seem very glad?" asked Serozha.
"Glad as he could be; he went off almost leaping."
"Has anything come?" asked Serozha, after a moment's silence.
"Well, sir," whispered the Swiss, shaking his head "there is something from the countess."
