This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 edition. Excerpt: ...to be excused and left the room. XII THE housekeeper's room lay at the end of a narrow, straight-walled passage leading out of the hall; and as Jonathan approached the room the door opened and Varvara herself came out, and on seeing him stood holding the door closed behind her and as if unable to speak. Upon ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 edition. Excerpt: ...to be excused and left the room. XII THE housekeeper's room lay at the end of a narrow, straight-walled passage leading out of the hall; and as Jonathan approached the room the door opened and Varvara herself came out, and on seeing him stood holding the door closed behind her and as if unable to speak. Upon her face was a look of stress and bewilderment, and the hand she held out to him was trembling. "What is it?" he asked. "Kireel Paulitch has heard from Petersburg," she replied in a low voice; "all that she said to the peasants--it is known in Petersburg--it may come at any hour--he will tell you!" and, opening the door for him to enter, she hurried away. Within the room Bareetsa stood with his hands behind his back, looking from the window, and appeared to Jonathan as an extremely tall, thin man, whose hair, otherwise only slightly grizzled, showed at the temples as two snow-white patches. "Monsieur Bareetsa?" questioned Jonathan, with a bow. Without opening his lips, the other answered the question and acknowledged the bow with an equally courteous motion. "I am--the engineer at the mine," explained Jonathan; then, as Bareetsa again acknowledged the information only with a bow, he added, "Varvara Stepanovna tells me that you have some ill news from Petersburg." At this, Bareetsa, whose face, save for a hint of weariness, was perfectly expressionless, replied that though he had many correspondents in Petersburg, he had not had the pleasure of hearing from any of them lately. But Jonathan, aware that the other was merely assuming a caution perhaps necessary in Russia, was not to be put off. "Surely, Monsieur Bareetsa, the fact of Varvara Stepanovna having shown me in here should convince you that I am to be trusted." "You must pardon me for...
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