He is a practical man and might take this very coldly, it might all seem to him simply a day-dream.

Nor has either Dounia or I breathed a word to him of the great hopes we have of his helping us to pay for your university studies; we have not spoken of it in the first place, because it will come to pass of itself, later on, and he will no doubt without wasting words offer to do it of himself, (as though he could refuse Dounia that) the more readily since you may by your own efforts become his right hand in the office, and receive this assistance not as a charity, but as a salary earned by your own work.

Dounia wants to arrange it all like this and I quite agree with her.

And we have not spoken of our plans for another reason, that is, because I particularly wanted you to feel on an equal footing when you first meet him.

When Dounia spoke to him with enthusiasm about you, he answered that one could never judge of a man without seeing him close, for oneself, and that he looked forward to forming his own opinion when he makes your acquaintance.