we to do with Panshine? Much better tell me who taught
you to make appointments with people at night. Eh, my mother!"

Liza turned very pale.

"Don't try to deny it, please," continued Marfa Timofeevna. "Shurochka
saw it all herself, and told me. I've had to forbid her chattering,
but she never tells lies.".--

"I am not going to deny it, aunt," said Liza, in a scarcely audible
voice.

"Ah, ah! Then it is so, my mother. You made an appointment with him,
that old sinner, that remarkably sweet creature!"

"No."

"How was it, then?"

"I came down to the drawing-room to look for a book. He was in the
garden; and he called me."

"And you went? Very good, indeed! Perhaps you love him, then?"

"I do love him," said Liza quietly.

"Oh, my mothers! She does love him!" Here Marfa Timofeevna took off
her cap. "She loves a married man! Eh? Loves him!"

"He had told me--" began Liza.

"What he had told you, this little hawk? Eh, what?"

"He had told me that his wife was dead."

Marfa Timofeevna made the sign of the cross. "The kingdom of heaven be
to her," she whispered. "She was a frivolous woman. But don't let's
think about that. So that's how it is. I see, he's a widower. Oh yes,
he's going ahead. He has killed one wife, and now he's after a second.
A nice sort of person he is, to be sure. But, niece, let me tell you
this, in my young days things of this kind used to turn out very badly
for girls. Don't be angry with me, my mother. It's only tools who are
angry with the truth. I've even told them not to let him in to see me
to-day. I love him, but I shall never forgive him for this. So he is
a widower! Give me some water. But as to your putting Panshine's nose
out of joint, why I think you're a good girl for that. But don't go
sitting out at night with men creatures. Don't make me wretched in my
old age, and remember that I'm not altogether given over to fondling.
I can bite, too--A widower!"

Marfa Timofeevna went away, and Liza sat down in a corner, and cried a
long time. Her heart was heavy within her. She had not deserved to be
so humiliated. It was not in a joyous manner that love had made itself
known to her. It was for the second time since yesterday morning that
she was crying now. This new and unlooked-for feeling had only just
sprung into life within her heart, and already how deafly had she had
to pay for it, how roughly had other hands dealt with her treasured
secret! She felt ashamed, and hurt, a