The Mission of Poubalov — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

10 THEIR WEDDING MORNING. “To what purpose, then, may I attribute your call?’’ asked Ivan, without stirring. ‘‘You are in haste, my friend,’’ replied Poubaloy, smil- ing; ‘‘you have probably learned the American habit of putting business ahead of all other things; but I see, too, that there may be some especial reason to-day for hurry. You are dressed to go out, and you have packed ha trunks——’”’ “Tt is quite like you,’’ interrupted Ivan, ‘‘to note every detail and attach some significance of your own toit. You are right, however, on this occasion. Time is precious with me to-day. Iam to be married at noon.”’ ‘‘Ah! married! Strobel,’’ and Poubalov made as if he would extend his hand, ‘‘I wish you would permit me to congratulate you.”’ ‘‘It is unnecessary,’’ responded Ivan, remaining like a statue by his chair. Poubalov shrugged his shoulders and looked disap- pointed. ‘‘As you will,’’ he said, ‘‘and perhaps it would be as well to postpone my call, as if seems you regard if as an unhappy intrusion.’’ ‘‘If you have any business other than that attending to aspy in general,’’ said Ivan, ‘‘I shall be pleased if you will dispatch it now. If, on the contrary, you still have any interest in my movements, I will give you my itiner- ary, and you can follow meif you like. I will only sug- gest that we are not in Russia, and that it is not my in- tention to go outside the jurisdiction of the United States.’’ ‘“You need only tell me, if you have no objection,’’ re- plied Poubalov, ‘‘where I may look for you some time after your wedding journey.’’ Ivan picked up Poubalov’s card and wrote an address upon it. ‘‘I shall live there,’’ he said, handing the card to his caller. ‘‘I expect to return in two weeks.”’ Poubalov read the card and thoughtfully placed it in his pocketbook, ‘‘If I knew how to, Strobel,’’ he remarked ‘com EDOOKS.com