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But a week passed, a second, a third, and in society no

impression whatever could be detected His friends ere

specialists and savants, occasionally--unmistakably from

politeness--alluded to it The rest of his acquaintances, not

interested in a book on a learned subject, did not talk of it at

all And society generally--just now especially absorbed in

other things--was absolutely indifferent In the press, too, for

a whole ey Ivanovitch had calculated to a nicety the ti a review, but a month passed, and a second, and still

there was silence

Only in the _Northern Beetle_, in a coer

Drabanti, who had lost his voice, there was a conte that the book had been

long ago seen through by everyone, and was a subject of general

ridicule

At last in the third ey Ivanovitch knew the author of the

article He had met hi man, an invalid, very bold

as a writer, but extre and shy in

personal relations

In spite of his absolute conteey Ivanovitch set about reading the

article The article ful