hich should, she thought, have been
so important to him) as she had expected.

"Well, it was clear enough all along," he said, after a moment's
reflection. "So that's the end," he added, with a disagreeable smile,
continuing to walk up and down the room, but much slower than before,
and glancing slyly into his sister's face.

"It's a good thing that you take it philosophically, at all events,"
said Varia. "I'm really very glad of it."

"Yes, it's off our hands--off YOURS, I should say."

"I think I have served you faithfully. I never even asked you what
happiness you expected to find with Aglaya."

"Did I ever expect to find happiness with Aglaya?"

"Come, come, don't overdo your philosophy. Of course you did. Now it's
all over, and a good thing, too; pair of fools that we have been! I
confess I have never been able to look at it seriously. I busied myself
in it for your sake, thinking that there was no knowing what might
happen with a funny girl like that to deal with. There were ninety to
one chances against it. To this moment I can't make out why you wished
for it."

"H'm! now, I suppose, you and your husband will never weary of egging
me on to work again. You'll begin your lectures about perseverance and
strength of will, and all that. I know it all by heart," said Gania,
laughing.

"He's got some new idea in his head," thought Varia. "Are they pleased
over there--the parents?" asked Gania, suddenly.

"N--no, I don't think they are. You can judge for yourself. I think the
general is pleased enough; her mother is a little uneasy. She always
loathed the idea of the prince as a HUSBAND; everybody knows that."

"Of course, naturally. The bridegroom is an impossible and ridiculous
one. I mean, has SHE given her formal consent?"

"She has not said 'no,' up to now, and that's all. It was sure to be so
with her. You know what she is like. You know how absurdly shy she is.
You remember how she used to hide in a cupboard as a child, so as to
avoid seeing visitors, for hours at a time. She is just the same now;
but, do you know, I think there is something serious in the matter, even
from her side; I feel it, somehow. She laughs at the prince, they say,
from morn to night in order to hide her real feelings; but you may be
sure she finds occasion to say something or other to him on the sly, for
he himself is in a state of radiant happiness. He walks in the clouds;
they say he is extremely funny just now; I heard it