soft glance, the movement of
her arms and shoulders, her very gown, her whole being, aroused in Liza
such a feeling of repulsion, that she could make her no answer, and with
an effort she offered her hand. "This young lady despises me,"--thought
Varvara Pavlovna, as she warmly pressed Liza's cold fingers, and,
turning to Marya Dmitrievna, she said in an undertone: "_Mais elle est
delicieuse!_" Liza flushed faintly, insult was audible to her in this
exclamation; but she made up her mind not to trust her impressions, and
seated herself by the window, at her embroidery-frame. Even there,
Varvara Pavlovna did not leave her in peace: she went up to her, began
to praise her taste, her art.... Liza's heart beat violently and
painfully, she could hardly control herself, she could hardly sit still
on her chair. It seemed to her that Varvara Pavlovna knew everything,
and, secretly triumphing, was jeering at her. Fortunately for her,
Gedeonovsky entered into conversation with Varvara Pavlovna, and
distracted her attention. Liza bent over her embroidery-frame, and
stealthily watched her. "_He_ loved that woman,"--she said to herself.
But she immediately banished from her head the thought of Lavretzky: she
was afraid of losing control over herself, she felt that her head was
softly whirling. Marya Dmitrievna began to talk about music.

"I have heard, my dear,"--she began:--"that you are a wonderful
performer."

"It is a long time since I have played,"--replied Varvara Pavlovna, as
she seated herself, in a leisurely manner, at the piano, and ran her
fingers in a dashing way over the keys.--"Would you like to have me
play?"

"Pray do."

Varvara Pavlovna played a brilliant and difficult etude of Herz in a
masterly style. She had a great deal of strength and execution.

"A sylph!"--exclaimed Gedeonovsky.

"Remarkable!"--assented Marya Dmitrievna.--"Well, Varvara Pavlovna, I
must confess,"--she said, calling her, for the first time, by her
name:--"you have amazed me; you might even give concerts. We have an old
musician here, a German, an eccentric fellow, very learned; he gives Liza
lessons; he will simply go out of his mind over you."

"Lizaveta Mikhailovna is also a musician?"--inquired Varvara
Pavlovna, turning her head slightly in her direction.

"Yes, she plays quite well, and loves music; but what does that signify,
in comparison with you? But there is a young man here; you ought to make
his acquaintance. He is--an arti