ged for the honour of his company at a little party he was giving for
his wife's birthday that evening. Varvara Petrovna had long watched with
a pang at her heart her son's taste for such low company, but she had
not dared to speak of it to him. He had made several acquaintances
besides Liputin in the third rank of our society, and even in lower
depths--he had a propensity for making such friends. He had never been
in Liputin's house before, though he had met the man himself. He guessed
that Liputin's invitation now was the consequence of the previous day's
scandal, and that as a local liberal he was delighted at the scandal,
genuinely believing that that was the proper way to treat stewards at
the club, and that it was very well done. Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch smiled
and promised to come.

A great number of guests had assembled. The company was not very
presentable, but very sprightly. Liputin, vain and envious, only
entertained visitors twice a year, but on those occasions he did
it without stint. The most honoured of the invited guests, Stepan
Trofimovitch, was prevented by illness from being present. Tea was
handed, and there were refreshments and vodka in plenty. Cards were
played at three tables, and while waiting for supper the young people
got up a dance. Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch led out Madame Liputin--a very
pretty little woman who was dreadfully shy of him--took two turns round
the room with her, sat down beside her, drew her into conversation and
made her laugh. Noticing at last how pretty she was when she laughed, he
suddenly, before all the company, seized her round the waist and
kissed her on the lips two or three times with great relish. The poor
frightened lady fainted. Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch took his hat and went
up to the husband, who stood petrified in the middle of the general
excitement. Looking at him he, too, became confused and muttering
hurriedly "Don't be angry," went away. Liputin ran after him in the
entry, gave him his fur-coat with his own hands, and saw him down the
stairs, bowing. But next day a rather amusing sequel followed this
comparatively harmless prank--a sequel from which Liputin gained some
credit, and of which he took the fullest possible advantage.

At ten o'clock in the morning Liputin's servant Agafya, an
easy-mannered, lively, rosy-cheeked peasant woman of thirty, made
her appearance at Stavrogin's house, with a message for Nikolay
Vsyevolodovitch. She insisted on seeing "hi