The Mission of Poubalov — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

ag THE AGENT OF THE CZAR. 41 just suspicions. At the worst, they were vague, and every- thing is so confusing.”’ “TI feel that there is nothing to forgive,’’ began Pouba- loy, graciously, when Mrs. White interrupted, her mind naturally intent upon her own trouble: ‘And such horrid things as they say, too! You said you had read the papers?”’ “Yes, all of them.”’ ‘‘Did you read about my daughter?’’and the distressed mother rose, and, taking the newspaper from Clara’s lap, thrust it into his hands. Without looking at it, Poubalov answered: ‘‘T read it.’’ : ‘*And what do you think of it?’’ cried Mrs. White, stem- ming a fresh flood of tears. Poubalov’s brows contracted slightly as a sign that he disapproved forcing this question forward at the time, and with a grave glance at Clara he replied: *‘T do not think. I watch, ask questions, and listen.’’ Clara hardly knew whether to be encouraged or de- pressed by this answer. Unless this man were an intimate friend of Ivan, it was perhaps not to be expected that he should see the folly of supposing for an instant that the missing man had eloped with Lizzie White. “Mr. Poubalov,’’ she said, ‘‘the reports in the news- papers do not throw the least light on this matter. I have no criticism to make on their statements of fact, but their conjectures of every kind are idle. They do not even dis- turb me.’”’ - Poubalov bowed as if to signify that he heard and un- derstood. ‘“The cause of his disappearance, ’’ she continued after a moment, “itis yeti to be found. The newspapers have not even hinted at it.”’ : ‘You have an idea, then,’’ he said, ‘‘as to the correct explanation?”’ ‘‘No, not one, 99 she answered; ‘I can only think of accident; but had there been any accident so senidemas