l over with agreeable excitement, "that, apart
from the pleasure of being with you Liza should be carried away by such
an excellent, I may say lofty, feeling... of compassion..." (she
glanced at the "unhappy creature") "and... and at the very portal of the
temple...."

"Such a feeling does you honour," Varvara Petrovna approved
magnificently. Yulia Mihailovna impulsively held out her hand and
Varvara Petrovna with perfect readiness touched it with her fingers. The
general effect was excellent, the faces of some of those present beamed
with pleasure, some bland and insinuating smiles were to be seen.

In short it was made manifest to every one in the town that it was not
Yulia Mihailovna who had up till now neglected Varvara Petrovna in not
calling upon her, but on the contrary that Varvara Petrovna had "kept
Yulia Mihailovna within bounds at a distance, while the latter would
have hastened to pay her a visit, going on foot perhaps if necessary,
had she been fully assured that Varvara Petrovna would not turn her
away." And Varvara Petrovna's prestige was enormously increased.

"Get in, my dear." Varvara Petrovna motioned Mlle. Lebyadkin towards the
carriage which had driven up.

The "unhappy creature" hurried gleefully to the carriage door, and there
the footman lifted her in.

"What! You're lame!" cried Varvara Petrovna, seeming quite alarmed,
and she turned pale. (Every one noticed it at the time, but did not
understand it.)

The carriage rolled away. Varvara Petrovna's house was very near
the cathedral. Liza told me afterwards that Miss Lebyadkin laughed
hysterically for the three minutes that the drive lasted, while Varvara
Petrovna sat "as though in a mesmeric sleep." Liza's own expression.

CHAPTER V. THE SUBTLE SERPENT

VARVARA PETROVNA rang the bell and threw herself into an easy chair by
the window.

"Sit here, my dear." She motioned Marya Timofyevna to a seat in the
middle of the room, by a large round table. "Stepan Trofimovitch,
what is the meaning of this? See, see, look at this woman, what is the
meaning of it?"

"I... I..." faltered Stepan Trofimovitch.

But a footman came in.

"A cup of coffee at once, we must have it as quickly as possible! Keep
the horses!"

_"Mais, chere et excellente amie, dans quelle inquietude..."_ Stepan
Trofimovitch exclaimed in a dying voice.

"Ach! French! French! I can see at once that it's the highest society,"
cried Marya Timofyevna, clapping her ha