If people don't raise the devil, they immediately
attract attention. What's that? There you are! That's why all
eyes are on me, because I live apart and give no offense."
His speech flowed along evenly and freely. It had a ring that won
him confidence.
"So. Everybody prates about you. My masters call you a heretic;
you don't go to church. I don't, either. Then the papers appeared,
those leaflets. Was it you that thought them out?"
"Yes, I!" answered Pavel, without taking his eyes off Rybin's face.
Rybin also looked steadily into Pavel's eyes.
"You alone!" exclaimed the mother, coming into the room. "It wasn't
you alone."
Pavel smiled; Rybin also.
The mother sniffed, and walked away, somewhat offended because they
did not pay attention to her words.
"Those leaflets are well thought out. They stir the people up.
There were twelve of them, weren't there?"
"Yes."
"I have read them all! Yes, yes. Sometimes they are not clear,
and some things are superfluous. But when a man speaks a great deal,
it's natural he should occasionally say things out of the way."
Rybin smiled. His teeth were white and strong.
"Then the search. That won me over to you more than anything else.
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