StepanArkadyevich，withthesamesomewhatsolemnexpressionwithwhichheusedtotakehispresidentialchairathisboard，walkedintoAlexeiAlexandrovich’sroom。AlexeiAlexandrovichwaswalkingabouthisroomwithhishandsbehindhisback，thinkingofjustwhatStepanArkadyevichhadbeendiscussingwithhiswife。
`I’mnotinterruptingyou？’saidStepanArkadyevich，onthesightofhisbrother-in-lawbecomingsuddenlyawareofasenseofembarrassmentunusualwithhim。Toconcealthisembarrassmenthetookoutanewlypurchasedcigarettecasethatopenedinanewway，and，sniffingtheleather，tookacigaretteoutofit。
`No。Doyouwantanything？’AlexeiAlexandrovichsaidreluctantly。
`Yes，Iwished……Iwanted……Yes，Iwantedtotalktoyou，’saidStepanArkadyevich，withsurpriseawareofanunaccustomedtimidity。
Thisfeelingwassounexpectedandsostrangethathedidnotbelieveitwasthevoiceofconsciencetellinghimthatwhathemeanttodowaswrong。StepanArkadyevichmadeaneffortandstruggledwiththetimiditythathadcomeoverhim。