This　Spiridon　spent　a　long　time　taking　my　measure。　He　measured　me　all　over　lengthways　and　crossways；　as　though　he　meant　to　put　hoops　round　me　like　a　barrel；　then　he　spent　a　long　time　noting　down　my　measurements　with　a　thick　pencil　on　a　bit　of　paper；　and　ticked　off　all　the　measurements　with　triangular　signs。　When　he　had　finished　with　me　he　set　to　work　on　my　tutor；　Yegor　Alexyevitch　Pobyedimsky。　My　beloved　tutor　was　then　at　the　stage　when　young　men　watch　the　growth　of　their　moustache　and　are　critical　of　their　clothes；　and　so　you　can　imagine　the　devout　awe　with　which　Spiridon　approached　him。　Yegor　Alexyevitch　had　to　throw　back　his　head；　to　straddle　his　legs　like　an　inverted　V；　first　lift　up　his　arms；　　then　let　them　fall。　Spiridon　measured　him　several　times；　walking　round　him　during　the　process　like　a　love…sick　pigeon　round　its　mate；　going　down　on　one　knee；　bending　double。　。　。　。　My　mother；　weary；　exhausted　by　her　exertions　and　heated　by　ironing；　watched　these　lengthy　proceedings；　and　said：
  〃Mind　now；　Spiridon；　you　will　have　to　answer　for　it　to　God　if　you　spoil　the　cloth！　And　it　will　be　the　worse　for　you　if　you　don't　make　them　fit！〃
  Mother's　words　threw　Spiridon　first　into　a　fever；　then　into　a　perspiration；　for　he　was　convinced　that　he　would　not　make　them　fit。　He　received　one　rouble　twenty　kopecks　for　making　my　suit；　and　for　Pobyedimsky's　two　roubles；　but　we　provided　the　cloth；　the　lining；　and　the　buttons。　The　price　cannot　be　considered　excessive；　as　Novostroevka　was　about　seven　miles　from　us；　and　the　tailor　came　to　fit　us　four　times。　When　he　came　to　try　the　things　on　and　we　squeezed　ourselves　into　the　tight　trousers　and　jackets　adorned　with　basting　threads；　mother　always　frowned　contemptuously　and　expressed　her　surprise：
  〃Goodness　knows　what　the　fashions　are　coming　to　nowadays！　I　am　positively　ashamed　to　look　at　them。　If　brother　were　not　used　to　Petersburg　I　would　not　get　you　fashionable　clothes！〃
  Spiridon；　relieved　that　the　blame　was　thrown　on　the　fashion　and　not　on　him；　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　sighed；　as　though　to　say：
  〃There's　no　help　for　it；　it's　the　spirit　of　the　age！〃
  The　excitement　with　which　we　awaited　the　arrival　of　our　guest　can　only　be　compared　with　the　strained　suspense　with　which　spiritualists　wait　from　minute　to　minute　the　appearance　of　a　ghost。　Mother　went　about　with　a　sick　headache；　and　was　continually　melting　into　tears。　I　lost　my　appetite；　slept　badly；　and　did　not　learn　my　lessons。　Even　in　my　dreams　I　was　haunted　by　an　impatient　longing　to　see　a　general　　that　is；　a　man　with　epaulettes　and　an　embroidered　collar　sticking　up　to　his　ears；　and　with　a　naked　sword　in　his　hands；　exactly　like　the　one　who　hung　over　the　sofa　in　the　drawing…room　and　glared　with　terrible　black　eyes　at　everybody　who　dared　to　look　at　him。　Pobyedimsky　was　the　only　one　who　felt　himself　in　his　element。　He　was　neither　terrified　nor　delighted；　and　merely　from　time　to　time；　when　he　heard　the　history　of　the　Gundasov　family；　said：
  〃Yes；　it　will　be　pleasant　to　have　some　one　fresh　to　talk　to。〃
  My　tutor　was　looked　upon　among　us　as　an　exceptional　nature。　He　was　a　young　man　of　twenty；　with　a　pimply　face；　shaggy　locks；　a　low　forehead；　and　an　unusually　long　nose。　His　nose　was　so　big　that　when　he　wanted　to　look　close　at　anything　he　had　to　put　his　head　on　one　side　like　a　bird。　To　our　thinking；　there　was　not　a　man　in　the　province　cleverer；　more　cultivated；　or　more　stylish。　He　had　left　the　high…school　in　the　class　next　to　the　top；　and　had　then　entered　a　veterinary　college；　from　which　he　was　expelled　before　the　end　of　the　first　half…year。　The　reason　of　his　expulsion　he　carefully　concealed；　which　enabled　any　one　who　wished　to　do　so　to　look　upon　my　instructor　as　an　injured　and　to　some　extent　a　mysterious　person。　He　spoke　little；　and　only　of　intellectual　subjects；　he　ate　meat　during　the　fasts；　and　looked　with　contempt　and　condescension　on　the　life　going　on　around　him；　which　did　not　prevent　him；　however；　from　taking　presents；　such　as　suits　of　clothes；　from　my　mother；　and　drawing　funny　faces　with　red　teeth　on　my　kites。　Mother　disliked　him　for　his　〃pride；〃　but　stood　in　awe　of　his　cleverness。
  Our　visitor　did　not　keep　us　long　waiting。　At　the　beginning　of　May　two　wagon…loads　of　big　boxes　arrived　from　the　station。　These　boxes　looked　so　majestic　that　the　drivers　instinctively　took　off　their　hats　as　they　lifted　them　down。
  〃There　must　be　uniforms　and　gunpowder　in　those　boxes；〃　I　thought。
  Why　〃gunpowder〃？　Probably　the　conception　of　a　general　was　closely　connected　in　my　mind　with　cannons　and　gunpowder。
  When　I　woke　up　on　the　morning　of　the　tenth　of　May；　nurse　told　me　in　a　whisper　that　〃my　uncle　had　come。〃　I　dressed　rapidly；　and；　washing　after　a　fashion；　flew　out　of　my　bedroom　without　saying　my　prayers。　In　the　vestibule　I　came　upon　a　tall；　solid　gentleman　with　fashionable　whiskers　and　a　foppish…looking　overcoat。　Half　dead　with　devout　awe；　I　went　up　to　him　and；　remembering　the　ceremonial　mother　had　impressed　upon　me；　I　scraped　my　foot　before　him；　made　a　very　low　bow；　and　craned　forward　to　kiss　his　hand；　but　the　gentleman　did　not　allow　me　to　kiss　his　hand：　he　informed　me　that　he　was　not　my　uncle；　but　my　uncle's　footman；　Pyotr。　The　appearance　of　this　Pyotr；　far　better　dressed　than　Pobyedimsky　or　me；　excited　in　me　the　utmost　astonishment；　which；　to　tell　the　truth；　has　lasted　to　this　day。　Can　such　dignified；　respectable　people　with　stern　and　intellectual　faces　really　be　footmen？　And　what　for？
  Pyotr　told　me　that　my　uncle　was　in　the　garden　with　my　mother。　I　rushed　into　the　garden。
  Nature；　knowing　nothing　of　the　history　of　the　Gundasov　family　and　the　rank　of　my　uncle；　felt　far　more　at　ease　and　unconstrained　than　I。　There　was　a　clamour　going　on　in　the　garden　such　as　one　only　bears　at　fairs。　Masses　of　starlings　flitting　through　the　air　and　hopping　about　the　walks　were　noisily　chattering　as　they　hunted　for　cockchafers。　There　were　swarms　of　sparrows　in　the　lilac…bushes；　which　threw　their　tender；　fragrant　blossoms　straight　in　one's　face。　Wherever　one　turned；　from　every　direction　came　the　note　of　the　golden　oriole　and　the　shrill　cry　of　the　hoopoe　and　the　red…legged　falcon。　At　any　other　time　I　should　have　begun　chasing　dragon…flies　or　throwing　stones　at　a　crow　which　was　sitting　on　a　low　mound　under　an　aspen…tree；　with　his　blunt　beak　turned　away；　but　at　that　moment　I　was　in　no　mood　for　mischief。　My　heart　was　throbbing；　and　I　felt　a　cold　sinking　at　my　stomach；　I　was　preparing　myself　to　confront　a　gentleman　with　epaulettes；　with　a　naked　sword；　and　with　terrible　eyes！
  But　imagine　my　disappointment！　A　dapper　little　foppish　gentleman　in　white　silk　trousers；　with　a　white　cap　on　his　head；　was　walking　beside　my　mother　in　the　garden。　With　his　hands　behind　him　and　his　head　thrown　back；　every　now　and　then　running　on　ahead　of　mother；　he　looked　quite　young。　There　was　so　much　life　and　movement　in　his　whole　figure　that　I　could　only　detect　the　treachery　of　age　when　I　came　close　up　behind　and　saw　beneath　his　cap　a　fringe　of　close…cropped　silver　hair。　Instead　of　the　staid　dignity　and　stolidity　of　a　general；　I　saw　an　almost　schoolboyish　nimbleness；　instead　of　a　collar　sticking　up　to　his　ears；　an　ordinary　light　blue　necktie。　Mother　and　my　uncle　were　walking　in　the　avenue　talking　together。　I　went　softly　up　to　them　from　behind；　and　waited　for　one　of　them　to　look　round。
  〃What　a　delightful　place　you　have　here；　Klavdia！〃　said　my　uncle。　〃How　charming　and　lovely　it　is！　Had　I　known　before　that　you　had　such　a　charming　place；　nothing　would　have　induced　me　to　go　abroad　all　these　years。〃
  My　uncle　stooped　down　rapidly　and　sniffed　at　a　tulip。　Everything　he　saw　moved　him　to　rapture　and　excitement；　as　though　he　had　never　been　in　a　garden　on　a　sunny　day　before。　The　queer　man　moved　about　as　though　he　were　on　springs；　and　chattered　incessantly；　without　allowing　mother　to　utter　a　single　word。　All　of　a　sudden　Pobyedimsky　came　into　sight　from　behind　an　elder…tree　at　the　turn　of　the　avenue。　His　appearance　was　so　unexpected　that　my　uncle　positively　started　and　stepped　back　a　pace。　On　this　occasion　my　tutor　was　attired　in　his　best　Inverness　cape　with　sleeves；　in　which；　especially　back…view；　he　looked　remarkably　like　a　windmill。　He　had　a　solemn　and　majestic　air。　Pressing　his　hat　to　his　bosom　in　Spanish　style；　he　took　a　step　towards　my　uncle　and　made　a　bow　such　as　a　marquis　makes　in　a　melodrama；　bending　forward；　a　little　to　one　side。
  〃I　have　the　honour　to　present　myself　to　your　high　excellency；〃　he　said　aloud：　〃the　teacher　and　instructor　of　your　nephew；　formerly　a　pupil　of　the　veterinary　institute；　and　a　nobleman　by　birth；　Pobyedimsky！〃
  This　politeness　on　the　part　of　my　tutor　pleased　my　mother　very　much。　She　gave　a　smile；　and　waited　in　thrilled　suspense　to　hear　what　clever　thing　he　would　say　next；　but　my　tutor；　expecting　his　dignified　address　to　be　answered　with　equal　dignity　　that　is；　that　my　uncle　would　say　〃H'm！〃　like　a　general　and　hold　out　two　fingers　　was　greatly　confused　and　abashed　when　the　latter　laughed　genially　and　shook　hands　with　him。　He　muttered　something　incoherent；　cleared　his　throat；　and　walked　away。
  〃Come！　isn't　that　charming？〃　laughed　my　uncle。　〃Just　look！　he　has　made　his　little　flourish　and　thinks　he's　a　very　clever　fellow！　I　do　like　that　　upon　my　soul　I　do！　What　youthful