It was all common, poor, and stale, and positively badly painted--weak and unequal.

They would be justified in repeating hypocritically civil speeches in the presence of the painter, and pitying him and laughing at him when they were alone again.

The silence (though it lasted no more than a minute) became too intolerable to him.

To break it, and to show he was not agitated, he made an effort and addressed Golenishtchev.