sons! Go away, my friend, stand in some corner and weep, and bemoan
your fallen dignity, and perhaps God will forgive you yet! Go, go! I'm
serious! There's nothing so favourable for repentance as to think of the
past with feelings of remorse!"

There was no need to repeat that she was serious. The general, like all
drunkards, was extremely emotional and easily touched by recollections
of his better days. He rose and walked quietly to the door, so meekly
that Mrs. Epanchin was instantly sorry for him.

"Ardalion Alexandrovitch," she cried after him, "wait a moment, we are
all sinners! When you feel that your conscience reproaches you a little
less, come over to me and we'll have a talk about the past! I dare say I
am fifty times more of a sinner than you are! And now go, go, good-bye,
you had better not stay here!" she added, in alarm, as he turned as
though to come back.

"Don't go after him just now, Colia, or he'll be vexed, and the benefit
of this moment will be lost!" said the prince, as the boy was hurrying
out of the room.

"Quite true! Much better to go in half an hour or so said Mrs. Epanchin.

"That's what comes of telling the truth for once in one's life!" said
Lebedeff. "It reduced him to tears."

"Come, come! the less YOU say about it the better--to judge from all I
have heard about you!" replied Mrs. Epanchin.

The prince took the first opportunity of informing the Epanchin ladies
that he had intended to pay them a visit that day, if they had not
themselves come this afternoon, and Lizabetha Prokofievna replied that
she hoped he would still do so.

By this time some of the visitors had disappeared.

Ptitsin had tactfully retreated to Lebedeff's wing; and Gania soon
followed him.

The latter had behaved modestly, but with dignity, on this occasion
of his first meeting with the Epanchins since the rupture. Twice Mrs.
Epanchin had deliberately examined him from head to foot; but he had
stood fire without flinching. He was certainly much changed, as anyone
could see who had not met him for some time; and this fact seemed to
afford Aglaya a good deal of satisfaction.

"That was Gavrila Ardalionovitch, who just went out, wasn't it?" she
asked suddenly, interrupting somebody else's conversation to make the
remark.

"Yes, it was," said the prince.

"I hardly knew him; he is much changed, and for the better!"

"I am very glad," said the prince.

"He has been very ill," added Varia.

"How has he