ce to
others; they examined the ladies' dresses, noticed comicalities
and eccentricities among the people, and laughed and talked among
themselves. Evgenie Pavlovitch, too, found plenty of friends to bow to.
Several people noticed Aglaya and the prince, who were still together.

Before very long two or three young men had come up, and one or two
remained to talk; all of these young men appeared to be on intimate
terms with Evgenie Pavlovitch. Among them was a young officer, a
remarkably handsome fellow--very good-natured and a great chatterbox. He
tried to get up a conversation with Aglaya, and did his best to secure
her attention. Aglaya behaved very graciously to him, and chatted
and laughed merrily. Evgenie Pavlovitch begged the prince's leave to
introduce their friend to him. The prince hardly realized what was
wanted of him, but the introduction came off; the two men bowed and
shook hands.

Evgenie Pavlovitch's friend asked the prince some question, but the
latter did not reply, or if he did, he muttered something so strangely
indistinct that there was nothing to be made of it. The officer stared
intently at him, then glanced at Evgenie, divined why the latter had
introduced him, and gave his undivided attention to Aglaya again. Only
Evgenie Pavlovitch observed that Aglaya flushed up for a moment at this.

The prince did not notice that others were talking and making themselves
agreeable to Aglaya; in fact, at moments, he almost forgot that he was
sitting by her himself. At other moments he felt a longing to go away
somewhere and be alone with his thoughts, and to feel that no one knew
where he was.

Or if that were impossible he would like to be alone at home, on the
terrace-without either Lebedeff or his children, or anyone else about
him, and to lie there and think--a day and night and another day again!
He thought of the mountains-and especially of a certain spot which he
used to frequent, whence he would look down upon the distant valleys and
fields, and see the waterfall, far off, like a little silver thread,
and the old ruined castle in the distance. Oh! how he longed to be there
now--alone with his thoughts--to think of one thing all his life--one
thing! A thousand years would not be too much time! And let everyone
here forget him--forget him utterly! How much better it would have been
if they had never known him--if all this could but prove to be a dream.
Perhaps it was a dream!

Now and then he look