Chapter 3

           

           WhenMichaelIvánovichreturnedtothestudywiththeletter,theoldprince,withspectaclesonandashadeoverhiseyes,wassittingathisopenbureauwithscreenedcandles,holdingapaperinhisoutstretchedhand,andinasomewhatdramaticattitudewasreadinghismanuscript—his“Remarks”ashetermedit—whichwastobetransmittedtotheEmperorafterhisdeath.

           WhenMichaelIvánovichwentinthereweretearsintheprince’seyesevokedbythememoryofthetimewhenthepaperhewasnowreadinghadbeenwritten.HetooktheletterfromMichaelIvánovich’shand,putitinhispocket,foldeduphispapers,andcalledinAlpátychwhohadlongbeenwaiting.

           TheprincehadalistofthingstobeboughtinSmolénskand,walkingupanddowntheroompastAlpátychwhostoodbythedoor,hegavehisinstructions.

           “First,notepaper—doyouhear?Eightquires,likethissample,gilt-edged...itmustbeexactlylikethesample.Varnish,sealingwax,asinMichaelIvánovich’slist.”

           Hepacedupanddownforawhileandglancedathisnotes.

           “Thenhandtothegovernorinpersonaletteraboutthedeed.”

           Next,boltsforthedoorsofthenewbuildingwerewantedandhadtobeofaspecialshapetheprincehadhimselfdesigned,andaleathercasehadtobeorderedtokeepthe“will”in.

           TheinstructionstoAlpátychtookovertwohoursandstilltheprincedidnotlethimgo.Hesatdown,sankintothought,closedhiseyes,anddozedoff.Alpátychmadeaslightmovement.

           “Well,go,go!IfanythingmoreiswantedI’llsendafteryou.”

           Alpátychwentout.

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