"You cannot imagine what a delight it is for me to talk with such a man
as you are," said Guskof, although as yet he had not spoken a word to
me. "Only one who had been in my position could appreciate it."
I did not know how to reply to him, and we again relapsed into silence,
although it was evident that he was anxious to talk and have me listen
to him.
"Why were you . . . why did you suffer this?" I inquired at last, not being
able to invent any better way of breaking the ice.
"Why, didn't you hear about this wretched business from Metenin?"
"Yes, a duel, I believe; I did not hear much about it," I replied. "You
see, I have been for some time in the Caucasus."
"No, it wasn't a duel, but it was a stupid and horrid story. I will tell
you all about it, if you don't know. It happened that the same year that
I met you at my sister's I was living at Petersburg. I must tell you I
had then what they call une position dans le monde,--a position good
enough if it was not brilliant. Mon pere me donnait ten thousand par an.
In '49 I was promised a place in the embassy at Turin; my uncle on my
mother's side had influence, and was always ready to do a great deal for
me.
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