It's a matter of importance to me, Andrey Antonovitch.

I shall have a very great favour to ask of you." "A favour?
H'm...

by all means; I am waiting and, I confess, with curiosity.

And I must add, Pyotr Stepanovitch, that you surprise me not a little." Von Lembke was in some agitation.

Pyotr Stepanovitch crossed his legs.
"In Petersburg," he began, "I talked freely of most things, but there were things--this, for instance" (he tapped the "Noble Personality" with his finger) "about which I held my tongue--in the first place, because it wasn't worth talking about, and secondly, because I only answered questions.