"But this is rather a personal matter of business, you see." "And you mean that you want some money, I suppose," suggested Akulina, at a venture.
"No, no, not at all--no money at all.

It is not a question of money." He hoped to satisfy her by a statement which was never without charm in her ears.

But Akulina was not satisfied; on the contrary, she began to suspect that something serious might be the matter, for she could see Schmidt's face better now, as he looked up to her, facing the gaslight that burned above her own head.

Having been violently angry not more than an hour or two earlier, her nerves were not altogether calmed, and the memory of the scene in the shop was still vividly present.

There was no knowing what the Count might not have done, in retaliation for the verbal injuries she had heaped upon him, and her quick instinct connected Schmidt's unusually anxious appearance and evident haste to be off, with some new event in which the Count had played a part.
"Have you seen the Count ?" she inquired, just as Schmidt was beginning to move again.
"Yes," answered the latter, trying to assume a doubtful tone of voice.