Barinskoi, beside, never stood upright when he was
speaking to any one. He bent his back, his head hung forward, his
eyes shifted their glance from the points of his own boots to other
people's, his face was crumpled up into a smiling mask, and working
his hands about nervously he crammed so many polite phrases and
compliments into his conversation that he was a terrible bore to all
his acquaintances. Barinskoi, who was an accomplished spy, intended
by his entrance into the laboratory to learn all he could in a
circuitous way of persons and conditions.
After a short observation he noticed that Wilhelm seemed isolated in
the midst of the others, and was treated coldly by every one except
the professor. He learned that this coolness of the atmosphere was
on account of the refusal of the duel. After that he tried every
possible means to get nearer to him. Wilhelm was working in some
important researches, and it was possible that the results would
destroy some existing theories.
The professor followed the experiments with great attention, and
many times spoke of him as his best pupil in difficult work. That was
Barinskoi's excuse for asking Wilhelm if he would initiate him into
his work, and explain to him his hypotheses and methods.
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