I even affected to hesitate to wound him by answering in the negative, but to be unable to answer affirmatively.

In all this nervous excitement of his there was something which really did offend me, and not personally, oh, no! But...

I will explain later on.
He positively turned pale.
"Perhaps you are bored with me, G----v (this is my surname), and you would like...

not to come and see me at all ?" he said in that tone of pale composure which usually precedes some extraordinary outburst.

I jumped up in alarm.