under no circumstances! Know that once and for
all; as if anyone could marry an absurd creature like you! Just look in
the glass and see what you look like, this very moment! Why, WHY do they
torment me and say I am going to marry you? You must know it; you are in
the plot with them!"

"No one ever tormented you on the subject," murmured Adelaida, aghast.

"No one ever thought of such a thing! There has never been a word said
about it!" cried Alexandra.

"Who has been annoying her? Who has been tormenting the child? Who
could have said such a thing to her? Is she raving?" cried Lizabetha
Prokofievna, trembling with rage, to the company in general.

"Every one of them has been saying it--every one of them--all these
three days! And I will never, never marry him!"

So saying, Aglaya burst into bitter tears, and, hiding her face in her
handkerchief, sank back into a chair.

"But he has never even--"

"I have never asked you to marry me, Aglaya Ivanovna!" said the prince,
of a sudden.

"WHAT?" cried Mrs. Epanchin, raising her hands in horror. "WHAT'S that?"

She could not believe her ears.

"I meant to say--I only meant to say," said the prince, faltering,
"I merely meant to explain to Aglaya Ivanovna--to have the honour to
explain, as it were--that I had no intention--never had--to ask the
honour of her hand. I assure you I am not guilty, Aglaya Ivanovna, I
am not, indeed. I never did wish to--I never thought of it at all--and
never shall--you'll see it yourself--you may be quite assured of it.
Some wicked person has been maligning me to you; but it's all right.
Don't worry about it."

So saying, the prince approached Aglaya.

She took the handkerchief from her face, glanced keenly at him, took
in what he had said, and burst out laughing--such a merry, unrestrained
laugh, so hearty and gay, that. Adelaida could not contain herself. She,
too, glanced at the prince's panic-stricken countenance, then rushed at
her sister, threw her arms round her neck, and burst into as merry a
fit of laughter as Aglaya's own. They laughed together like a couple of
school-girls. Hearing and seeing this, the prince smiled happily, and in
accents of relief and joy, he exclaimed "Well, thank God--thank God!"

Alexandra now joined in, and it looked as though the three sisters were
going to laugh on for ever.

"They are insane," muttered Lizabetha Prokofievna. "Either they frighten
one out of one's wits, or else--"

But Prince