"I must be very careful with her," he reflected.
"What do you read?" she asked with seeming curiosity.
"It happens that I am particularly fond of books of travel," he replied.
"Travels in Africa, for instance?" There was quiet demureness in the tone. He reddened at the not wholly unreasonable conjecture that she was aware not only of what he read but of how he read.
"And are you also musical?" she continued, in order to relieve him of his embarrassment. At this moment Schtoltz (who had now returned from abroad) appeared on the scene.
"Ha, Ilya!" he cried. "I have told Olga Sergievna that you adore music, and that to-night she must sing something—'Casta Diva,' for example."
"Why did you speak for me at all?" protested Oblomov. "I am by no means an adorer of music."
"What?" Schtoltz exclaimed. "Why, the man is offended! I introduce him as a person of taste, and here is he stumbling over himself to destroy his good reputation!"
"I am only declining the rôle of connoisseur," said Oblomov. "'Tis too difficult and
