“Ah!  Well, and how was he?”

“I was afraid my sudden arrival would provoke his anger,” continued Varvara Pavlovna, “but he did not refuse to see me.”

“That is to say, he did not . . .  Yes, yes, I understand,” commented Marya Dmitrievna.  “He is only a little rough on the surface, but his heart is soft.”

Fedor Ivanitch has not forgiven me; he would not hear me.  But he was so good as to assign me Lavriky as a place of residence.”

“Ah! a splendid estate!”

“I am setting off there to-morrow in fulfilment of his wish; but I esteemed it a duty to visit you first.”

“I am very, very much obliged to you, my dear.  Relations ought never to forget one another.  And do you know I am surprised how well you speak Russian.  C’est etonnant.”

Varvara Pavlovna sighed.

“I have been too long abroad, Marya Dmitrievna, I know that; but my heart has always been Russian, and I have not forgotten my country.”

“Ah, ah; that is good.  Fedor Ivanitch did not, however, expect you at all.  Yes; you may trust my experience, la patri avant tout.  Ah, show me, if you please-what a charming mantle you have.”

“Do you like it?” Varvara Pavlovna slipped it quickly off her shoulders; “it is a very simple little thing from Madame Baudran.”

“One can see it at once.  From Madame Baudran?  How sweet, and what taste!  I am sure you have brought a number of fascinating things with you.  If I could only see them.”

“All my things are at your service, dearest auntie.  If you permit, I can show some patterns to your maid.  I have a woman with me from Paris—­a wonderfully clever dressmaker.”

“You are very good, my dear.  But, really, I am ashamed” . . .

“Ashamed!” repeated Varvara Pavlovna reproachfully.  “If you want to make me happy, dispose of me as if I were your property.”

Marya Dmitrievna was completely melted.

“Vous etes charmante,” she said.  “But why don’t you take off your hat and gloves?”

“What? you will allow me?” asked Varvara Pavlovna, and slightly, as though with emotion, clasped her hands.

“Of course, you will dine with us, I hope.  I—­I will introduce you to my daughter.”  Marya Dmitrievna was a little confused.  “Well! we are in for it! here goes!” she thought.  “She is not very well to-day.”

“O ma tante, how good you are!” cried Varvara Pavlovna, and she raised her handkerchief to her eyes.

A page announced the arrival of Gedeonovsky.  The old gossip came in bowing and smiling.  Marya Dmitrievna presented him to her visitor.  He was thrown into confusion for the first moment; but Varvara Pavlovna behaved with such coquettish respectfulness to him, that his ears began to tingle, and gossip, slander, and civility dropped like honey from his lips.  Varvara Pavlovna listened to him with a restrained smile and began by degrees to talk herself.