'Upon my word! What book did he give you?' 'This one here.' And Nikolai Petrovitch pulled the famous treatise of Büchner, in the ninth edition, out of his coat–tail pocket. Pavel Petrovitch turned it over in his hands. 'Hm!' he growled. 'Arkady Nikolaevitch is taking your education in hand. Well, did you try reading it?' 'Yes, I tried it.' 'Well, what did you think of it?' 'Either I'm stupid, or it's all—nonsense. I must be stupid, I suppose.' 'Haven't you forgotten your German?' queried Pavel Petrovitch. 'Oh, I understand the German.'
