"She isn't trusted, she is being spied on," she echoed, "there must
be spies in this house! And they call themselves intellectual
people!"
"But you took the birch-wood!" protested Lvovich.
"And they call themselves intellectual!" screamed Lina.
The general came out into the passage and said severely:
"It is not for _us_ to judge, Lina Fedorovna. We are not the heirs
here. But it seems strange to me that Sergius should occupy three
rooms, and Anna only one--yes, very strange indeed."
The quarrel became more violent. Satisfied, the general put on his
overcoat and went out to take his place in the ration queue. Lina ran
to her husband; he went to get an explanation of the scene, but
Lvovich was not to be found, however; he remonstrated with his
sister, Anna Andreevna.
"This spying is impossible, it must stop," he insisted.
"But, can't you understand, it all began with searching for the butt-
end of a cigarette?" Anna pleaded in deep distress.
Lina had gone upstairs and was telling the whole story to Ekaterina.
Anna appealed to her younger brother, Constantine, a Lyceum student,
but he told her he was busy, immediately sitting down at his desk to
write. Soon after, however, he rose and went to Sergius.
"Busy?" he asked.
"What? Yes, I am busy."
"Have a smoke."
They began to smoke an inferior brand of tobacco known as "Kepsten.
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