e drove to her dressmaker's. As Dymov and she had very
little money, only just enough, she and her dressmaker were often put to
clever shifts to enable her to appear constantly in new dresses and make
a sensation with them. Very often out of an old dyed dress, out of bits
of tulle, lace, plush, and silk, costing nothing, perfect marvels
were created, something bewitching--not a dress, but a dream. From
the dressmaker's Olga Ivanovna usually drove to some actress of her
acquaintance to hear the latest theatrical gossip, and incidentally to
try and get hold of tickets for the first night of some new play or for
a benefit performance. From the actress's she had to go to some artist's
studio or to some exhibition or to see some celebrity--either to pay a
visit or to give an invitation or simply to have a chat. And everywhere
she met with a gay and friendly welcome, and was assured that she was
good, that she was sweet, that she was rare.... Those whom she called
great and famous received her as one of themselves, as an equal, and
predicted with one voice that, with her talents, her taste, and her
intelligence, she would do great things if she concentrated herself. She
sang, she played the piano, she painted in oils, she carved, she took
part in amateur performances; and all this not just anyhow, but all with
talent, whether she made lanterns for an illumination or dressed up or
tied somebody's cravat--everything she did was exceptionally graceful,
artistic, and charming. But her talents showed themselves in nothing
so clearly as in her faculty for quickly becoming acquainted and on
intimate terms with celebrated people. No sooner did any one become ever
so little celebrated, and set people talking about him, than she made
his acquaintance, got on friendly terms the same day, and invited him to
her house. Every new acquaintance she made was a veritable fete for her.
She adored celebrated people, was proud of them, dreamed of them every
night. She craved for them, and never could satisfy her craving. The old
ones departed and were forgotten, new ones came to replace them, but to
these, too, she soon grew accustomed or was disappointed in them, and
began eagerly seeking for fresh great men, finding them and seeking for
them again. What for?

Between four and five she dined at home with her husband. His
simplicity, good sense, and kind-heartedness touched her and moved her
up to enthusiasm. She was constantly jumping up, impulsi