osition. Liza did not
notice her entrance. The old woman went outside the door, on tiptoe, and
gave vent to several loud coughs. Liza rose quickly to her feet, and
wiped her eyes, in which glittered clear tears which had not fallen.

"I see that thou hast been arranging thy little cell again,"--said Marfa
Timofeevna, and bent low over a pot containing a young rose-bush:--"what
a splendid perfume it has!"

Liza gazed thoughtfully at her aunt.

"What a word you have uttered!"--she whispered.

"What sort of a word, what word?"--interposed the old woman,
vivaciously;--"what dost thou mean?--This is dreadful,"--she said,
suddenly tearing off her cap, and seating herself on Liza's bed:--"this
is beyond my strength! today is the fourth day that I seem to be seething
in a kettle; I can no longer pretend that I notice nothing,--I cannot see
thee growing pale, withering away, weeping,--I cannot, I cannot!"

"Why, what is the matter with you, aunty?"--said Liza:--"I am all
right...."

"All right?"--exclaimed Marfa Timofeevna:--"tell that to others, but
not to me! All right! But who was it that was on her knees just now?
whose eyelashes are still wet with tears? All right! Why, look at
thyself, what hast thou done to thy face, what has become of thine
eyes?--All right! As though I did not know all!"

"It will pass off, aunty; give me time."

"It will pass off, but when? O Lord God, my Master! is it possible that
thou didst love him so? why, he is an old man, Lizotchka. Well, I do not
dispute that he is a good man, he does not bite; but what does that
signify? we are all good people: the world is large, there will always be
plenty of that sort."

"I tell you, that it will all pass off, it is all over already."

"Listen, Lizotchka, to what I have to say to thee,"--said Marfa
Timofeevna, suddenly, making Liza sit down beside her on the bed, and
adjusting now her hair, now her kerchief.--"It only seems to you, while
it is fresh, that your grief is beyond remedy. Ekh, my darling, for death
alone there is no remedy! Only say to thyself: 'I won't give in--so there
now!' and afterward thou wilt be amazed thyself--how soon, how well, it
will pass off. Only have patience."

"Aunty,"--replied Liza:--"it is already past, all is over already."

"Past--over--forsooth! Why, even thy little nose has grown pointed, and
thou sayest: 'It is over--it is over!'"

"Yes, it is over, aunty, if you will only help me,"--cried Liza, with
sudd