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Stepan Arkadyevitch was touched He was silent for a space

"Alexey Alexandrovitch, believe enerosity," he said "But it seems it was the will of God," he

added, and as he said it felt how foolish a remark it was, and

with difficulty repressed a smile at his own foolishness

Alexey Alexandrovitch would have made some reply, but tears

stopped him

"This is an unhappy fatality, and one must accept it as such I

accept the cala my best

to help both her and you," said Stepan Arkadyevitch

When he went out of his brother-in-law's roolad he had successfully

brought the matter to a conclusion, for he felt certain Alexey

Alexandrovitch would not go back on his words To this

satisfaction was added the fact that an idea had just struck hi on his successful achievement, that when the

affair was over he would ask his wife and most intimate friends

He put this riddle into two or three different ways "But I'll

work it out better than that," he said to himself with a smile