'I like to meet the spring in the country, though by the nature of my occupations I'm a prosaic creature and chained to town. And so let us reckon your first month as beginning from today. My wife and son are already at Moscow. She started before me. We shall find them in the country, in the bosom of nature. We will travel together . . . as bachelors. . . He, he!' Sipyagin gave a little affected nasal laugh, 'And now———'
He drew out of the pocket of his overcoat a black and silver pocket-book and took out of it a card.
'This is my address here. Come round . . . to-morrow. Yes . . . at twelve o'clock. We will have some more talk. I will develop some of my ideas on education . . . Oh─and we'll fix the day of our departure.' Sipyagin took Nezhdanov's hand. 'And do you know?' he added, his voice lowered and his head held aslant, 'if you need any advance . . . Please don't stand on ceremony! just a month in advance!'
Nezhdanov simply did not know what to reply, and with the same perplexity he gazed at the face so bright and cordial, and at the same time so alien to him, which was bent so close to him and smiling so kindly at him.
'You don't want it? eh?' whispered Sipyagin.
36
