ly to their mother's surprise. But though Varvara had seen
fit, for some reason, to make friends with them, it was not likely
that she would have talked to them about her brother. She had plenty of
pride, in spite of the fact that in thus acting she was seeking intimacy
with people who had practically shown her brother the door. She and the
Epanchin girls had been acquainted in childhood, although of late
they had met but rarely. Even now Varvara hardly ever appeared in the
drawing-room, but would slip in by a back way. Lizabetha Prokofievna,
who disliked Varvara, although she had a great respect for her mother,
was much annoyed by this sudden intimacy, and put it down to the general
"contrariness" of her daughters, who were "always on the lookout for
some new way of opposing her." Nevertheless, Varvara continued her
visits.

A month after Muishkin's departure, Mrs. Epanchin received a letter from
her old friend Princess Bielokonski (who had lately left for Moscow),
which letter put her into the greatest good humour. She did not divulge
its contents either to her daughters or the general, but her conduct
towards the former became affectionate in the extreme. She even made
some sort of confession to them, but they were unable to understand what
it was about. She actually relaxed towards the general a little--he had
been long disgraced--and though she managed to quarrel with them all the
next day, yet she soon came round, and from her general behaviour it was
to be concluded that she had bad good news of some sort, which she would
like, but could not make up her mind, to disclose.

However, a week later she received another letter from the same source,
and at last resolved to speak.

She solemnly announced that she had heard from old Princess Bielokonski,
who had given her most comforting news about "that queer young prince."
Her friend had hunted him up, and found that all was going well with
him. He had since called in person upon her, making an extremely
favourable impression, for the princess had received him each day since,
and had introduced him into several good houses.

The girls could see that their mother concealed a great deal from them,
and left out large pieces of the letter in reading it to them.

However, the ice was broken, and it suddenly became possible to mention
the prince's name again. And again it became evident how very strong was
the impression the young man had made in the household by his one