"That'sjustit! Ididapologise, buthetookitsomehowqueerly...hedidn''ttimetotalkproperly."
NextdayTchervyakovputonanewuniform, hadhishaircutandwenttoBrizzhalov'stoexplain; goingintothegeneral'sreceptionroomhesawthereanumberofpetitionersandamongthemthegeneralhimself, .
"YesterdayattheArcadia, ifyourecollect, yourExcellency," thelatterbegan, "Isneezedand...accidentallyspattered...Exc..."
"Whatnonsense! It'sbeyondanything! WhatcanIdoforyou," saidthegeneraladdressingthenextpetitioner.
"Hewon'tspeak," thoughtTchervyakov, turningpale; "thatmeansthatheisangry...No, itcan'tbeleftlikethis...Iwillexplaintohim."
Whenthegeneralhadfinishedhisconversationwiththelastofthepetitionersandwasturningtowardshisinnerapartments, Tchervyakovtookasteptowardshimandmuttered:
"YourExcellency! IfIventuretotroubleyourExcellency, itissimplyfromafeelingImaysayofregret!...Itwasnotintentionalifyouwillgraciouslybelieveme."
Thegeneralmadealachrymoseface, andwavedhishand.
"Why, youaresimplymakingfunofme, sir," hesaidasheclosedthedoorbehindhim.
"Where'sthemakingfuninit?" thoughtTchervyakov, "thereisnothingofthesort! Heisageneral, buthecan'! Thedeviltakeshim.I'llwritealettertohim, butIwon', Iwon't."
SothoughtTchervyakovashewalkedhome; hedidnotwritealettertothegeneral, .
"IventuredtodisturbyourExcellencyyesterday," hemuttered, whenthegeneralliftedenquiringeyesuponhim, "..., ifweshouldtaketomakingfun, thentherewouldbenorespectforpersons, therewouldbe..."
"Beoff!" yelledthegeneral, turningsuddenlypurple, andshakingallover.
