what fallen off of late. And
now, suddenly, every one was positive that Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch was
betrothed to one of the count's daughters, though nothing had given
grounds for such a supposition. And as for some wonderful adventures in
Switzerland with Lizaveta Nikolaevna, even the ladies quite dropped all
reference to it. I must mention, by the way, that the Drozdovs had by
this time succeeded in paying all the visits they had omitted at first.
Every one now confidently considered Lizaveta Nikolaevna a most ordinary
girl, who paraded her delicate nerves. Her fainting on the day of
Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch's arrival was explained now as due to her
terror at the student's outrageous behaviour. They even increased the
prosaicness of that to which before they had striven to give such a
fantastic colour. As for a lame woman who had been talked of, she was
forgotten completely. They were ashamed to remember her.

"And if there had been a hundred lame girls--we've all been young once!"

Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch's respectfulness to his mother was enlarged
upon. Various virtues were discovered in him. People talked with
approbation of the learning he had acquired in the four years he had
spent in German universities. Gaganov's conduct was declared utterly
tactless: "not knowing friend from foe." Yulia Mihailovna's keen insight
was unhesitatingly admitted.

So by the time Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch made his appearance among them
he was received by every one with naive solemnity. In all eyes fastened
upon him could be read eager anticipation. Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch at
once wrapped himself in the most austere silence, which, of course,
gratified every one much more than if he had talked till doomsday. In a
word, he was a success, he was the fashion. If once one has figured in
provincial society, there's no retreating into the background. Nikolay
Vsyevolodovitch began to fulfil all his social duties in the province
punctiliously as before. He was not found cheerful company: "a man who
has seen suffering; a man not like other people; he has something to be
melancholy about." Even the pride and disdainful aloofness for which he
had been so detested four years before was now liked and respected.

Varvara Petrovna was triumphant. I don't know whether she grieved much
over the shattering of her dreams concerning Lizaveta Nikolaevna. Family
pride, of course, helped her to get over it. One thing was strange:
Varvara Petrovna was sudden