Page 648 - the-idiot

portant. We met and conversed for an hour about matters
concerning Aglaya Ivanovna herself, and that’s all.’
‘Of course it is all, my friend. I don’t doubt you for a mo-
ment,’ said Lizabetha Prokofievna with dignity.
‘Well done, prince, capital!’ cried Aglaya, who entered
the room at this moment. ‘Thank you for assuming that I
would not demean myself with lies. Come, is that enough,
mamma, or do you intend to put any more questions?’
‘You know I have never needed to blush before you, up to
this day, though perhaps you would have been glad enough
to make me,’ said Lizabetha Prokofievna,—with majesty.
‘Good-bye, prince; forgive me for bothering you. I trust you
will rest assured of my unalterable esteem for you.’
The prince made his bows and retired at once. Alexan-
dra and Adelaida smiled and whispered to each other, while
Lizabetha Prokofievna glared severely at them. ‘We are only
laughing at the prince’s beautiful bows, mamma,’ said Ad-
elaida. ‘Sometimes he bows just like a meal-sack, but to-day
he was like—like Evgenie Pavlovitch!’
‘It is the HEART which is the best teacher of refinement
and dignity, not the dancing-master,’ said her mother, sen-
tentiously, and departed upstairs to her own room, not so
much as glancing at Aglaya.
When the prince reached home, about nine o’clock, he
found Vera Lebedeff and the maid on the verandah. They
were both busy trying to tidy up the place after last night’s
disorderly party.
‘Thank goodness, we’ve just managed to finish it before
you came in!’ said Vera, joyfully.