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alone; otherwise he would have behaved like a scoundrel in
this matter. But I feel certain that he does not understand
it! I was just the same myself before I went to Switzerland;
I stammered incoherently; one tries to express oneself and
cannot. I understand that. I am all the better able to pity
Mr. Burdovsky, because I know from experience what it is
to be like that, and so I have a right to speak. Well, though
there is no such person as ‘Pavlicheff’s son,’ and it is all
nothing but a humbug, yet I will keep to my decision, and
I am prepared to give up ten thousand roubles in memory
of Pavlicheff. Before Mr. Burdovsky made this claim, I pro-
posed to found a school with this money, in memory of my
benefactor, but I shall honour his memory quite as well by
giving the ten thousand roubles to Mr. Burdovsky, because,
though he was not Pavlicheff’s son, he was treated almost as
though he were. That is what gave a rogue the opportunity
of deceiving him; he really did think himself Pavlicheff’s
son. Listen, gentlemen; this matter must be settled; keep
calm; do not get angry; and sit down! Gavrila Ardaliono-
vitch will explain everything to you at once, and I confess
that I am very anxious to hear all the details myself. He says
that he has even been to Pskoff to see your mother, Mr. Bur-
dovsky; she is not dead, as the article which was just read to
us makes out. Sit down, gentlemen, sit down!’
The prince sat down, and at length prevailed upon Bur-
dovsky’s company to do likewise. During the last ten or
twenty minutes, exasperated by continual interruptions,
he had raised his voice, and spoken with great vehemence.
Now, no doubt, he bitterly regretted several words and ex-