ch home give it to me to read."

"I don't think we have a copy of Pushkin in the house."

"There are a couple of torn volumes somewhere; they have been lying
about from time immemorial," added Alexandra.

"Send Feodor or Alexey up by the very first train to buy a copy,
then.--Aglaya, come here--kiss me, dear, you recited beautifully! but,"
she added in a whisper, "if you were sincere I am sorry for you. If it
was a joke, I do not approve of the feelings which prompted you to do
it, and in any case you would have done far better not to recite it at
all. Do you understand?--Now come along, young woman; we've sat here too
long. I'll speak to you about this another time."

Meanwhile the prince took the opportunity of greeting General Epanchin,
and the general introduced Evgenie Pavlovitch to him.

"I caught him up on the way to your house," explained the general. "He
had heard that we were all here."

"Yes, and I heard that you were here, too," added Evgenie Pavlovitch;
"and since I had long promised myself the pleasure of seeking not only
your acquaintance but your friendship, I did not wish to waste time, but
came straight on. I am sorry to hear that you are unwell."

"Oh, but I'm quite well now, thank you, and very glad to make your
acquaintance. Prince S. has often spoken to me about you," said
Muishkin, and for an instant the two men looked intently into one
another's eyes.

The prince remarked that Evgenie Pavlovitch's plain clothes had
evidently made a great impression upon the company present, so much so
that all other interests seemed to be effaced before this surprising
fact.

His change of dress was evidently a matter of some importance. Adelaida
and Alexandra poured out a stream of questions; Prince S., a relative
of the young man, appeared annoyed; and Ivan Fedorovitch quite excited.
Aglaya alone was not interested. She merely looked closely at Evgenie
for a minute, curious perhaps as to whether civil or military clothes
became him best, then turned away and paid no more attention to him or
his costume. Lizabetha Prokofievna asked no questions, but it was clear
that she was uneasy, and the prince fancied that Evgenie was not in her
good graces.

"He has astonished me," said Ivan Fedorovitch. "I nearly fell down with
surprise. I could hardly believe my eyes when I met him in Petersburg
just now. Why this haste? That's what I want to know. He has always said
himself that there is no need to break wind