Page 133 - the-idiot

Nina Alexandrovna and her daughter were both seated
in the drawing-room, engaged in knitting, and talking to a
visitor, Ivan Petrovitch Ptitsin.
The lady of the house appeared to be a woman of about
fifty years of age, thin-faced, and with black lines under the
eves. She looked ill and rather sad; but her face was a pleas-
ant one for all that; and from the first word that fell from
her lips, any stranger would at once conclude that she was
of a serious and particularly sincere nature. In spite of her
sorrowful expression, she gave the idea of possessing con-
siderable firmness and decision.
Her dress was modest and simple to a degree, dark and
elderly in style; but both her face and appearance gave evi-
dence that she had seen better days.
Varvara was a girl of some twenty-three summers, of
middle height, thin, but possessing a face which, without
being actually beautiful, had the rare quality of charm, and
might fascinate even to the extent of passionate regard.
She was very like her mother: she even dressed like her,
which proved that she had no taste for smart clothes. The ex-
pression of her grey eyes was merry and gentle, when it was
not, as lately, too full of thought and anxiety. The same de-
cision and firmness was to be observed in her face as in her
mother’s, but her strength seemed to be more vigorous than
that of Nina Alexandrovna. She was subject to outbursts of
temper, of which even her brother was a little afraid.
The present visitor, Ptitsin, was also afraid of her. This
was a young fellow of something under thirty, dressed
plainly, but neatly. His manners were good, but rather pon-

1 The Idiot