vs which had made her almost a member of the
family, she thought it her duty to go to see them. But remembering her
relations with Nicholas in Voronezh she was shy about doing so. Making
a great effort she did however go to call on them a few weeks after her
arrival in Moscow.

Nicholas was the first to meet her, as the countess' room could only be
reached through his. But instead of being greeted with pleasure as she
had expected, at his first glance at her his face assumed a cold, stiff,
proud expression she had not seen on it before. He inquired about her
health, led the way to his mother, and having sat there for five minutes
left the room.

When the princess came out of the countess' room Nicholas met her again,
and with marked solemnity and stiffness accompanied her to the anteroom.
To her remarks about his mother's health he made no reply. "What's that
to you? Leave me in peace," his looks seemed to say.

"Why does she come prowling here? What does she want? I can't bear these
ladies and all these civilities!" said he aloud in Sonya's presence,
evidently unable to repress his vexation, after the princess' carriage
had disappeared.

"Oh, Nicholas, how can you talk like that?" cried Sonya, hardly able to
conceal her delight. "She is so kind and Mamma is so fond of her!"

Nicholas did not reply and tried to avoid speaking of the princess any
more. But after her visit the old countess spoke of her several times a
day.

She sang her praises, insisted that her son must call on her, expressed
a wish to see her often, but yet always became ill-humored when she
began to talk about her.

Nicholas tried to keep silence when his mother spoke of the princess,
but his silence irritated her.

"She is a very admirable and excellent young woman," said she, "and you
must go and call on her. You would at least be seeing somebody, and I
think it must be dull for you only seeing us."

"But I don't in the least want to, Mamma."

"You used to want to, and now you don't. Really I don't understand you,
my dear. One day you are dull, and the next you refuse to see anyone."

"But I never said I was dull."

"Why, you said yourself you don't want even to see her. She is a very
admirable young woman and you always liked her, but now suddenly you
have got some notion or other in your head. You hide everything from
me."

"Not at all, Mamma."

"If I were asking you to do something disagreeable now--but I only ask
you to return