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and the line of her waist was scarcely visible at all。
Notwithstanding that the Princess Maria Ivanovna had black hair
and eyes； while Sophia Ivanovna had white hair and large；
vivacious； tranquilly blue eyes （a rare combination）； there was a
great likeness between the two sisters； for they had the same
expression； nose； and lips。 The only difference was that Sophia's
nose and lips were a trifle coarser than Maria's； and that； when
she smiled； those features inclined towards the right；
whereas Maria's inclined towards the left。 Sophia； to judge by
her dress and coiffure； was still youthful at heart； and would
never have displayed grey curls； even if she had possessed them。
Yet at first her glance and bearing towards me seemed very proud；
and made me nervous； whereas I at once felt at home with the
Princess。 Perhaps it was only Sophia's stoutness and a certain
resemblance to portraits of Catherine the Great that gave her； in
my eyes； a haughty aspect； but at all events I felt quite
intimidated when she looked at me intently and said； 〃Friends of
our friends are our friends also。〃 I became reassured and changed
my opinion about her only when； after saying those words； she
opened her mouth and sighed deeply。 It may be that she owed her
habit of sighing after every few wordswith a great distention
of the mouth and a slight drooping of her large blue eyesto her
stoutness； yet it was none the less one which expressed so much
good…humour that I at once lost all fear of her； and found her
actually attractive。 Her eyes were charming； her voice pleasant
and musical； and even the flowing lines of her fullness seemed to
my youthful vision not wholly lacking in beauty。
I had imagined that Lubov Sergievna； as my friend's friend； would
at once say something friendly and familiar to me； yet； after
gazing at me fixedly for a while； as though in doubt whether the
remark she was about to make to me would not be too friendly； she
at length asked me what faculty I was in。 After that she stared
at me as before； in evident hesitation as to whether or not to
say something civil and familiar； until； remarking her
perplexity； I besought her with a look to speak freely。 Yet all
she then said was； 〃They tell me the Universities pay very little
attention to science now；〃 and turned away to call her little
dog。
All that evening she spoke only in disjointed fragments of this
kindfragments which had no connection either with the point or
with one another； yet I had such faith in Dimitri； and he so
often kept looking from her to me with an expression which mutely
asked me； 〃Now； what do you think of that？〃 that； though I
entirely failed to persuade myself that in Lubov Sergievna there
was anything to speak of； I could not bear to express the
thought； even to myself。
As for the last member of the family； Varenika； she was a well…
developed girl of sixteen。 The only good features in her were a
pair of dark…grey eyes；which； in their expression of gaiety
mingled with quiet attention； greatly resembled those of her
aunta long coil of flaxen hair； and extremely delicate；
beautiful hands。
〃I expect； Monsieur Nicolas； you find it wearisome to hear a
story begun from the middle？〃 said Sophia Ivanovna with her good…
natured sigh as she turned over some pieces of clothing which she
was sewing。 The reading aloud had ceased for the moment because
Dimitri had left the room on some errand or another。
〃Or perhaps you have read Rob Roy before？〃 she added。
At that period I thought it incumbent upon me； in virtue of my
student's uniform； to reply in a very 〃clever and original〃
manner to every question put to me by people whom I did not know
very well； and regarded such short； clear answers as 〃Yes；〃 〃No；〃
〃I like it；〃 or 〃I do not care for it；〃 as things to be ashamed
of。 Accordingly； looking down at my new and fashionably…cut
trousers and the glittering buttons of my tunic； I replied that I
had never read Rob Roy； but that it interested me greatly to hear
it； since I preferred to read books from the middle rather than
from the beginning。
〃It is twice as interesting；〃 I added with a self…satisfied
smirk； 〃for then one can guess what has gone before as well as
what is to come after。〃
The Princess smiled what I thought was a forced smile； but one
which I discovered later to be her only one。
〃Well； perhaps that is true；〃 she said。 〃But tell me； Nicolas
（you will not be offended if I drop the Monsieur）tell me； are
you going to be in town long？ When do you go away？〃
〃I do not know quite。 Perhaps to…morrow； or perhaps not for some
while yet；〃 I replied for some reason or another； though I knew
perfectly well that in reality we were to go to…morrow。
〃I wish you could stop longer； both for your own sake and for
Dimitri's；〃 she said in a meditative manner。 〃At your age
friendship is a weak thing。〃
I felt that every one was looking at me； and waiting to see what
I should saythough certainly Varenika made a pretence of
looking at her aunt's work。 I felt； in fact； as though I were
being put through an examination； and that it behoved me to
figure in it as well as possible。
〃Yes； to ME Dimitri's friendship is most useful；〃 I replied； 〃but
to HIM mine cannot be of any use at all； since he is a thousand
times better than I。〃 （Dimitri could not hear what I said； or I
should have feared his detecting the insincerity of my words。）
Again the Princess smiled her unnatural； yet characteristically
natural； smile。
〃Just listen to him！〃 she said。 〃But it is YOU who are the little
monster of perfection。〃
〃'Monster of perfection；'〃 I thought to myself。 〃That is
splendid。 I must make a note of it。〃
〃Yet； to dismiss yourself； he has been extraordinarily clever in
that quarter；〃 she went on in a lower tone （which pleased me
somehow） as she indicated Lubov Sergievna with her eyes； 〃since
he has discovered in our poor little Auntie〃 （such was the pet
name which they gave Lubov） 〃all sorts of perfections which I；
who have known her and her little dog for twenty years； had never
yet suspected。 〃Varenika； go and tell them to bring me a glass of
water；〃 she added； letting her eyes wander again。 Probably she
had bethought her that it was too soon； or not entirely
necessary； to let me into all the family secrets。 〃Yet nolet
HIM go； for he has nothing to do； while you are reading。 Pray go
to the door； my friend；〃 she said to me； 〃and walk about fifteen
steps down the passage。 Then halt and call out pretty loudly；
〃Peter； bring Maria Ivanovna a glass of iced water〃and she
smiled her curious smile once more。
〃I expect she wants to say something about me in my absence；〃 I
thought to myself as I left the room。 〃I expect she wants to
remark that she can see very clearly that I am a very； very
clever young man。〃
Hardly had I taken a dozen steps when I was overtaken by Sophia
Ivanovna； who； though fa