The kitchen of the Krovat house at one in the morning, and Lavrenty Pleshkov is standing at the counter with his sleeves rolled up, cutting bread as though it has personally offended him.
He does not look up.
"Sit. You have not eaten since you got here and Arkady will talk at you for another hour."
He puts the plate down in front of you himself, and then he does look at you, and there is nothing friendly in it and nothing cruel either.
"One thing, and then I will leave you alone. I am the one in this house who does the things nobody writes down. If you are staying, you should know that about me before you decide. If you are not staying, eat, and I will drive you to the station myself."