Book 2 Chapter 24 Mariette Tempts Nekhludoff

On his return the doorkeeper handed him a note, and said, rather
scornfully, that some kind of woman had written it in the hall.
It was a note from Shoustova's mother. She wrote that she had
come to thank her daughter's benefactor and saviour, and to
implore him to come to see them on the Vasilievsky, 5th Line,
house No. --. This was very necessary because of Vera Doukhova.
He need not be afraid that they would weary him with expressions
of gratitude. They would not speak their gratitude, but be simply
glad to see him. Would he not come next morning, if he could?

There was another note from Bogotyreff, a former fellow-officer,
aide-de-camp to the Emperor, whom Nekhludoff had asked to hand
personally to the Emperor his petition on behalf of the
sectarians. Bogotyreff wrote, in his large, firm hand, that he
would put the petition into the Emperor's own hands, as he had
promised; but that it had occurred to him that it might be better
for Nekhludoff first to go and see the person on whom the matter
depended.

After the impressions received during the last few days,
Nekhludoff felt perfectly hopeless of getting anything done. The
plans he had formed in Moscow seemed now something like the
dreams of youth, which are inevitably followed by disillusion
when life comes to be faced. Still, being now in Petersburg, he
considered it his duty to do all he had intended, and he resolved
next day, after consulting Bogotyreff, to act on his advice and
see the person on whom the case of the sectarians depended.