Gentlemen of the--eh--Home
Office prefer, I know, to travel quietly!" He spread out his expressive
hands as if smoothing the path of M. Vassili through this stony world.
"Incognito," he added guilelessly.
"One does not publish one's name from the housetops," replied the
Russian, with a glimmer of pride in his eyes, "especially if it happen
to be not quite obscure; but between friends, my dear baron--between
friends."
"Yes. Then what are you doing in Tver?" enquired De Chauxville, with
engaging frankness.
"Ah, that is a long story. But I will tell you--never fear--I will tell
you on the usual terms."
"Viz?" enquired the Frenchman, lighting a cigarette.
Vassili accepted the match with a bow, and did likewise. He blew a
guileless cloud of smoke toward the dingy ceiling.
"Exchange, my dear baron, exchange."
"Oh, certainly," replied De Chauxville, who knew that Vassili was in all
probability fully informed as to his movements past and prospective. "I
am going to visit some old friends in this Government--the Lanovitches,
at Thors."
"Ah!"
"You know them?"
Vassili raised his shoulders and made a little gesture with his
cigarette, as much as to say, "Why ask?"
De Chauxville looked at his companion keenly. He was wondering whether
this man knew that he--Claude de Chauxville--loved Etta Howard Alexis,
and consequently hated her husband.
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