, courteous voice,
and searching eyes. Panshin speedily divined, with the swift
comprehension of other people's sentiments which was peculiar to him, that
he was not affording his interlocutor any particular pleasure, and made
his escape, under a plausible pretext, deciding in his own mind that
Lavretzky might be a very fine man, but that he was not sympathetic, was
"_aigri_," and, "_en somme_," rather ridiculous.--Marya Dmitrievna made
her appearance accompanied by Gedeonovsky; then Marfa Timofeevna
entered with Liza; after them followed the other members of the household;
then came that lover of music, Mme. Byelenitzyn, a small, thin lady, with
an almost childish, fatigued and handsome little face, in a rustling black
gown, with a motley-hued fan, and heavy gold bracelets; her husband also
came, a rosy-cheeked, plump man, with huge feet and hands, with white
eyelashes, and an impassive smile on his thick lips; in company his wife
never spoke to him, but at home, in moments of tenderness, she was wont to
call him "her little pig"; Panshin returned: the rooms became very full
of people and very noisy. Such a throng of people was not to Lavretzky's
liking; Mme. Byelenitzyn particularly enraged him by constantly staring
at him through her lorgnette. He would have withdrawn at once, had it not
been for Liza: he wished to say two words to her in private, but for a
long time he was not able to seize a convenient moment, and contented
himself with watching her in secret joy; never had her face seemed to him
more noble and charming. She appeared to great advantage from the
proximity of Mme. Byelenitzyn. The latter was incessantly fidgeting about
on her chair, shrugging her narrow little shoulders, laughing, in an
enervated way, and screwing up her eyes, then suddenly opening them very
wide. Liza sat quietly, her gaze was direct, and she did not laugh at all.
The hostess sat down to play cards with Marfa Timofeevna, Mme.
Byelenitzyn, and Gedeonovsky, who played very slowly, was constantly
making mistakes, blinking his eyes, and mopping his face with his
handkerchief. Panshin assumed a melancholy mien, expressed himself with
brevity, with great significance and mournfulness,--for all the world like
an artist who has not had his say,--but despite the entreaties of Mme.
Byelenitzyn, who was having a violent flirtation with him, he would not
consent to sing his romance: Lavretzky embarrassed him. Feodor Ivanitch
also said little; the