s I owe you shall certainly be repaid in
time."

"How extremely stupid!" cried Mrs. Epanchin, giving back the letter
abruptly. "It was not worth the trouble of reading. Why are you
smiling?"

"Confess that you are pleased to have read it."

"What! Pleased with all that nonsense! Why, cannot you see that they are
all infatuated with pride and vanity?"

"He has acknowledged himself to be in the wrong. Don't you see that the
greater his vanity, the more difficult this admission must have been on
his part? Oh, what a little child you are, Lizabetha Prokofievna!"

"Are you tempting me to box your ears for you, or what?"

"Not at all. I am only proving that you are glad about the letter. Why
conceal your real feelings? You always like to do it."

"Never come near my house again!" cried Mrs. Epanchin, pale with rage.
"Don't let me see as much as a SHADOW of you about the place! Do you
hear?"

"Oh yes, and in three days you'll come and invite me yourself. Aren't
you ashamed now? These are your best feelings; you are only tormenting
yourself."

"I'll die before I invite you! I shall forget your very name! I've
forgotten it already!"

She marched towards the door.

"But I'm forbidden your house as it is, without your added threats!"
cried the prince after her.

"What? Who forbade you?"

She turned round so suddenly that one might have supposed a needle had
been stuck into her.

The prince hesitated. He perceived that he had said too much now.

"WHO forbade you?" cried Mrs. Epanchin once more.

"Aglaya Ivanovna told me--"

"When? Speak--quick!"

"She sent to say, yesterday morning, that I was never to dare to come
near the house again."

Lizabetha Prokofievna stood like a stone.

"What did she send? Whom? Was it that boy? Was it a message?-quick!"

"I had a note," said the prince.

"Where is it? Give it here, at once."

The prince thought a moment. Then he pulled out of his waistcoat pocket
an untidy slip of paper, on which was scrawled:

"PRINCE LEF NICOLAIEVITCH,--If you think fit, after all that has passed,
to honour our house with a visit, I can assure you you will not find me
among the number of those who are in any way delighted to see you.

"AGLAYA EPANCHIN."

Mrs. Epanchin reflected a moment. The next minute she flew at the
prince, seized his hand, and dragged him after her to the door.

"Quick--come along!" she cried, breathless with agitation and
impatience. "Come along with me