He looked savagely at her and suddenly took a few rapid steps towards Varvara Petrovna.
"I have come, madam..." he blared out like a trumpet-blast.
"Be so good, sir, as to take a seat there, on that chair," said Varvara Petrovna, drawing herself up.

"I shall hear you as well from there, and it will be more convenient for me to look at you from here." The captain stopped short, looking blankly before him.

He turned, however, and sat down on the seat indicated close to the door.

An extreme lack of self-confidence and at the same time insolence, and a sort of incessant irritability, were apparent in the expression of his face.

He was horribly scared, that was evident, but his self-conceit was wounded, and it might be surmised that his mortified vanity might on occasion lead him to any effrontery, in spite of his cowardice.