"Gone to bed?" asked the prince.

Tikhon, like all good valets, instinctively knew the direction of his master's thoughts.

He guessed that the question referred to Prince Vasili and his son.

"They have gone to bed and put out their lights, your excellency.

" "No good... no good..." said the prince rapidly, and thrusting his feet into his slippers and his arms into the sleeves of his dressing gown, he went to the couch on which he slept.