age and almost tearing his hair. She frowned,
and subsided on to the sofa with a tired air, and without taking the
trouble to remove her hat. She very well knew that if she kept quiet and
asked her brother nothing about his reason for tearing up and down the
room, his wrath would fall upon her head. So she hastened to put the
question:

"The old story, eh?"

"Old story? No! Heaven knows what's up now--I don't! Father has simply
gone mad; mother's in floods of tears. Upon my word, Varia, I must kick
him out of the house; or else go myself," he added, probably remembering
that he could not well turn people out of a house which was not his own.

"You must make allowances," murmured Varia.

"Make allowances? For whom? Him--the old blackguard? No, no, Varia--that
won't do! It won't do, I tell you! And look at the swagger of the man!
He's all to blame himself, and yet he puts on so much 'side' that you'd
think--my word!--'It's too much trouble to go through the gate, you must
break the fence for me!' That's the sort of air he puts on; but what's
the matter with you, Varia? What a curious expression you have!"

"I'm all right," said Varia, in a tone that sounded as though she were
all wrong.

Gania looked more intently at her.

"You've been THERE?" he asked, suddenly.

"Yes."

"Did you find out anything?"

"Nothing unexpected. I discovered that it's all true. My husband was
wiser than either of us. Just as he suspected from the beginning, so it
has fallen out. Where is he?"

"Out. Well--what has happened?--go on."

"The prince is formally engaged to her--that's settled. The elder
sisters told me about it. Aglaya has agreed. They don't attempt to
conceal it any longer; you know how mysterious and secret they have all
been up to now. Adelaida's wedding is put off again, so that both can be
married on one day. Isn't that delightfully romantic? Somebody ought to
write a poem on it. Sit down and write an ode instead of tearing up
and down like that. This evening Princess Bielokonski is to arrive; she
comes just in time--they have a party tonight. He is to be presented
to old Bielokonski, though I believe he knows her already; probably the
engagement will be openly announced. They are only afraid that he may
knock something down, or trip over something when he comes into the
room. It would be just like him."

Gania listened attentively, but to his sister's astonishment he was by
no means so impressed by this news (w