r
he cannot be expected to be anything but what he is. Mother is a
noble-minded woman, I know; you try to suggest anything mean to her,
and you'll see! But she is such a slave to these miserable creatures! I
don't mean old Bielokonski alone. She is a contemptible old thing, but
she is able to twist people round her little finger, and I admire that
in her, at all events! How mean it all is, and how foolish! We were
always middle-class, thoroughly middle-class, people. Why should we
attempt to climb into the giddy heights of the fashionable world? My
sisters are all for it. It's Prince S. they have to thank for poisoning
their minds. Why are you so glad that Evgenie Pavlovitch is coming?"

"Listen to me, Aglaya," said the prince, "I do believe you are nervous
lest I shall make a fool of myself tomorrow at your party?"

"Nervous about you?" Aglaya blushed. "Why should I be nervous about
you? What would it matter to me if you were to make ever such a fool of
yourself? How can you say such a thing? What do you mean by 'making a
fool of yourself'? What a vulgar expression! I suppose you intend to
talk in that sort of way tomorrow evening? Look up a few more such
expressions in your dictionary; do, you'll make a grand effect! I'm
sorry that you seem to be able to come into a room as gracefully as you
do; where did you learn the art? Do you think you can drink a cup of tea
decently, when you know everybody is looking at you, on purpose to see
how you do it?"

"Yes, I think I can."

"Can you? I'm sorry for it then, for I should have had a good laugh at
you otherwise. Do break SOMETHING at least, in the drawing-room! Upset
the Chinese vase, won't you? It's a valuable one; DO break it. Mamma
values it, and she'll go out of her mind--it was a present. She'll cry
before everyone, you'll see! Wave your hand about, you know, as you
always do, and just smash it. Sit down near it on purpose."

"On the contrary, I shall sit as far from it as I can. Thanks for the
hint."

"Ha, ha! Then you are afraid you WILL wave your arms about! I wouldn't
mind betting that you'll talk about some lofty subject, something
serious and learned. How delightful, how tactful that will be!"

"I should think it would be very foolish indeed, unless it happened to
come in appropriately."

"Look here, once for all," cried Aglaya, boiling over, "if I hear you
talking about capital punishment, or the economical condition of
Russia, or about Beauty redeemin