Page 790 - the-idiot

taking advantage of his ready services, and would instantly
have put another in his place if there had been the slightest
reason for the change.
Another guest was an elderly, important-looking gen-
tleman, a distant relative of Lizabetha Prokofievna’s. This
gentleman was rich, held a good position, was a great talk-
er, and had the reputation of being ‘one of the dissatisfied,’
though not belonging to the dangerous sections of that class.
He had the manners, to some extent, of the English aristoc-
racy, and some of their tastes (especially in the matter of
under-done roast beef, harness, men-servants, etc.). He was
a great friend of the dignitary’s, and Lizabetha Prokofievna,
for some reason or other, had got hold of the idea that this
worthy intended at no distant date to offer the advantages
of his hand and heart to Alexandra.
Besides the elevated and more solid individuals enu-
merated, there were present a few younger though not less
elegant guests. Besides Prince S. and Evgenie Pavlovitch, we
must name the eminent and fascinating Prince N.—once
the vanquisher of female hearts all over Europe. This gen-
tleman was no longer in the first bloom of youth—he was
forty-five, but still very handsome. He was well off, and
lived, as a rule, abroad, and was noted as a good teller of
stories. Then came a few guests belonging to a lower stra-
tum of society—people who, like the Epanchins themselves,
moved only occasionally in this exalted sphere. The Ep-
anchins liked to draft among their more elevated guests a
few picked representatives of this lower stratum, and Liz-
abetha Prokofievna received much praise for this practice,