Page 754 - the-idiot

feel his way, and looked in each person’s eyes in a question-
ing way,—for Aglaya was absent, which fact alarmed him
at once.
This evening there were no strangers present—no one
but the immediate members of the family. Prince S. was
still in town, occupied with the affairs of Evgenie Pavlov-
itch’s uncle.
‘I wish at least HE would come and say something!’ com-
plained poor Lizabetha Prokofievna.
The general sat still with a most preoccupied air. The
sisters were looking very serious and did not speak a word,
and Lizabetha Prokofievna did not know how to commence
the conversation.
At length she plunged into an energetic and hostile criti-
cism of railways, and glared at the prince defiantly.
Alas Aglaya still did not come—and the prince was quite
lost. He had the greatest difficulty in expressing his opin-
ion that railways were most useful institutions,—and in the
middle of his speech Adelaida laughed, which threw him
into a still worse state of confusion.
At this moment in marched Aglaya, as calm and collect-
ed as could be. She gave the prince a ceremonious bow and
solemnly took up a prominent position near the big round
table. She looked at the prince questioningly.
All present realized that the moment for the settlement
of perplexities had arrived.
‘Did you get my hedgehog?’ she inquired, firmly and al-
most angrily.
Yes, I got it,’ said the prince, blushing.