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I shall be obliged if you will inform Count Skariatine that Konstantin Grabofsky desires the honour of an interview with him." "Go and call him, Akulina," said Fischelowitz, "since the gentleman wishes to see him." "Go yourself," retorted his wife. "Go together, and be quick about it!" said the Consul, who was tired of waiting. "And please to say that I wait his convenience," added the lawyer.
"You are Doctor Konstantin Grabofsky, my father's lawyer. Do you come from him to renew the offer you made when we parted?" "I have no offer to make," said the little man. "Will you do me the honour to indicate some place where we may be alone together for a moment?" "I have no objection to that," replied the Count. "We can go into the street."
He passed but one moment in a state of semi-consciousness. Then he raised his head, and stood erect, and to the great surprise of Grabofsky, showed no further surprise at the news he had just received. "The fact is," he said, quietly, "I was expecting you yesterday. I had received a letter from the wife of the steward informing me of the death of my father and brother.
"I am not well," said the Count in a low voice. "To-day is Wednesday I am never well on Wednesdays." "To-day is Thursday," answered Grabofsky. "Thursday? Thursday " the Count reeled, and would have fallen, but for the support of the nervous little man's wiry arm. Then, in the space of a second, took place that strange phenomenon of the intelligence which is as yet so imperfectly understood.
"I am sorry," said Grabofsky, "to hear you call him mad, since my business is with him, Barina, and not with you." His tone was, if possible, more incisive than before. "Of course, we know that he is not a Count at all," said Akulina, somewhat annoyed by his sharpness. "Do you? Then you are singularly mistaken.
He and the Count turned towards the shop, and, entering, found Fischelowitz and the Consul conversing together. The Count bowed to the latter with much ceremony. "I fear," he said, "that you must have thought me careless just now. The suddenness of the news I have received has affected me. Pray accept my best thanks for your kindness in accompanying Doctor Grabofsky this morning."
His ideas were exceedingly confused, but his instinct told him to make all atonement in his power for his wife's outbursts of temper. The Count entered first, and the other three followed him, Grabofsky, the Consul, and Fischelowitz. The little back shop was very full.
"At your service," answered the tobacconist. "Cigarettes?" he inquired. "Strong? Light? Kir, Samson, Dubec?" "I am the new Russian Consul," said the stranger. "This gentleman is just arrived from Petersburg and has business with you." "My name is Konstantin Grabofsky, and I am a lawyer," observed the little man very sharply.
"How long have you known Count Skariatine?" inquired the Consul, carelessly, when he was alone with Fischelowitz. "Six or seven years," answered the latter. "I suppose you know his story? Your wife was good enough to inform us of that fact, though Doctor Grabofsky has reason to doubt the value of her information." "We only know that he calls himself a Count."
"Our Consul came with me," said the lawyer. "He is in the shop. Perhaps you did not notice him." "No I do not think I did. I am afraid he thought me very careless." "Not at all, not at all." Grabofsky began to think that there had been some truth in Akulina's remarks after all, but he kept his opinion to himself, then and afterwards, a course which was justified by subsequent events.
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