The visit did not last long; soon he heard a noise, the sound of an extremely loud and abrupt voice, then the door opened and Mavriky Nikolaevitch came out with a very pale face.

He did not notice Pyotr Stepanovitch, and quickly passed by.

Pyotr Stepanovitch instantly ran into the study.
I cannot omit a detailed account of the very brief interview that had taken place between the two "rivals"-- an interview which might well have seemed impossible under the circumstances, but which had yet taken place.
This is how it had come about.

Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch had been enjoying an after-dinner nap on the couch in his study when Alexey Yegorytch had announced the unexpected visitor.

Hearing the name, he had positively leapt up, unwilling to believe it.