His fine language did not desert him, even in the most trying positions.
The steward walked several times up and down the room.
'Well, call Tatiana now,' he said at last.
A few instants later, Tatiana had come up almost noiselessly, and was standing in the doorway.
'What are your orders, Gavrila Andreitch?' she said in a soft voice.
The steward looked at her intently.
'Well, Taniusha,' he said, 'would you like to be married? Our lady has chosen a husband for you.'
'Yes, Gavrila Andreitch. And whom has she deigned to name as a husband for me?' she added falteringly.
'Kapiton, the shoemaker.'
'Yes, sir.'
'He's a feather-brained fellow, that's certain. But it's just for that the mistress reckons upon you.'
'Yes, sir.'
'There's one difficulty ... you know the deaf man, Gerasim, he's courting you, you see. How did you come to bewitch such a bear? But you see, he'll kill you, very like, he's such a bear....'
'He'll kill me, Gavrila Andreitch, he'll kill me, and no mistake.'
'Kill you.... Well, we shall see about that. What do you mean by saying he'll kill you? Has he any right to kill you? tell me yourself.'
'I don't know, Gavrila Andreitch, about his having any right or not.'
'What a woman! why, you've made him no promise, I suppose....'
'What are you pleased to ask of me?'
The steward was silent for a little, thinking, 'You're a meek soul! Well, that's right,' he said aloud; 'we'll have another talk with you later, now you can go, Taniusha; I see you're not unruly, certainly.'
Tatiana turned, steadied herself a little against the doorpost, and went away.
'And, perhaps, our lady will forget all about this wedding by to-morrow,' thought the steward; 'and here am I worrying myself for nothing! As for that insolent fellow, we must tie him down, if it comes to that, we must let the police know' ... 'Ustinya Fyedorovna!' he shouted in a loud voice to his wife, 'heat the samovar, my good soul....' All that day Tatiana hardly went out of the laundry. At first she had started crying, then she wiped away her tears, and set to work as before. Kapiton stayed till late at night at the ginshop with a friend of his, a man of gloomy appearance, to whom he related in detail how he used to live in Petersburg with a gentleman, who would have been all right, except he was a bit too strict, and he had a slight weakness besides, he was too fond of drink; and, as to the fair sex, he didn't stick at anything. His gloomy companion merely said yes; but when Kapiton announced at last that, in a certain event, he would have to lay hands on himself to-morrow, his gloomy companion remarked that it was bedtime. And they parted in surly silence.