Stepan Trofimovitch stood a moment reflecting, looked at me as though he did not see me, took up his hat and stick and walked quietly out of the room. I followed him again, as before. As we went out of the gate, noticing that I was accompanying him, he said:
"Oh yes, you may serve as a witness ... de l'accident. Vous m'accompagnerez, n'est-ce pas?