I push my scruples so far that I would not even invent
a transition.
Dropping then Mr. Razumov's record at the point where Councillor
Mikulin's question "Where to?" comes in with the force of an insoluble
problem, I shall simply say that I made the acquaintance of these ladies
about six months before that time. By "these ladies" I mean, of course,
the mother and the sister of the unfortunate Haldin.
By what arguments he had induced his mother to sell their little
property and go abroad for an indefinite time, I cannot tell precisely.
I have an idea that Mrs. Haldin, at her son's wish, would have set fire
to her house and emigrated to the moon without any sign of surprise or
apprehension; and that Miss Haldin--Nathalie, caressingly Natalka--would
have given her assent to the scheme.
Their proud devotion to that young man became clear to me in a
very short time. Following his directions they went straight to
Switzerland--to Zurich--where they remained the best part of a year.
From Zurich, which they did not like, they came to Geneva. A friend
of mine in Lausanne, a lecturer in history at the University (he had
married a Russian lady, a distant connection of Mrs. Haldin's), wrote to
me suggesting I should call on these ladies. It was a very kindly
meant business suggestion.
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