When very sober-minded and sensible people smiled at this rumour, observing very reasonably that a man always mixed up with scandals, and who was beginning his career among us with a swollen face did not look like a government official, they were told in a whisper that he was employed not in the official, but, so to say, the confidential service, and that in such cases it was essential to be as little like an official as possible.

This remark produced a sensation; we knew that the Zemstvo of our province was the object of marked attention in the capital.

I repeat, these were only flitting rumours that disappeared for a time when Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch first came among us.

But I may observe that many of the rumours were partly due to a few brief but malicious words, vaguely and disconnectedly dropped at the club by a gentleman who had lately returned from Petersburg.

This was a retired captain in the guards, Artemy Pavlovitch Gaganov.