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He simply gave Alexey Alexandrovitch the money he needed together

with a brief statement of the position of his affairs, which was

not altogether satisfactory, as it had happened that during that

year, owing to increased expenses, more had been paid out than

usual, and there was a deficit. But the doctor, a celebrated

Petersburg doctor, who was an intimate acquaintance of Alexey

Alexandrovitch, took up a great deal of time. Alexey

Alexandrovitch had not expected him that day, and was surprised

at his visit, and still more so when the doctor questioned him

very carefully about his health, listened to his breathing, and

tapped at his liver. Alexey Alexandrovitch did not know that his

friend Lidia Ivanovna, noticing that he was not as well as usual

that year, had begged the doctor to go and examine him. "Do this

for my sake," the Countess Lidia Ivanovna had said to him.

"I will do it for the sake of Russia, countess," replied the

doctor.

"A priceless man!" said the Countess Lidia Ivanovna.