s. But
just before they reached the drawing-room door, the prince stopped her,
and hurriedly and in great agitation whispered to her:

"You are altogether perfection; even your pallor and thinness are
perfect; one could not wish you otherwise. I did so wish to come and see
you. I--forgive me, please--"

"Don't apologize," said Nastasia, laughing; "you spoil the whole
originality of the thing. I think what they say about you must be true,
that you are so original.--So you think me perfection, do you?"

"Yes."

"H'm! Well, you may be a good reader of riddles but you are wrong THERE,
at all events. I'll remind you of this, tonight."

Nastasia introduced the prince to her guests, to most of whom he was
already known.

Totski immediately made some amiable remark. Al seemed to brighten up at
once, and the conversation became general. Nastasia made the prince sit
down next to herself.

"Dear me, there's nothing so very curious about the prince dropping in,
after all," remarked Ferdishenko.

"It's quite a clear case," said the hitherto silent Gania. "I have
watched the prince almost all day, ever since the moment when he first
saw Nastasia Philipovna's portrait, at General Epanchin's. I remember
thinking at the time what I am now pretty sure of; and what, I may say
in passing, the prince confessed to myself."

Gania said all this perfectly seriously, and without the slightest
appearance of joking; indeed, he seemed strangely gloomy.

"I did not confess anything to you," said the prince, blushing. "I only
answered your question."

"Bravo! That's frank, at any rate!" shouted Ferdishenko, and there was
general laughter.

"Oh prince, prince! I never should have thought it of you;" said General
Epanchin. "And I imagined you a philosopher! Oh, you silent fellows!"

"Judging from the fact that the prince blushed at this innocent joke,
like a young girl, I should think that he must, as an honourable man,
harbour the noblest intentions," said the old toothless schoolmaster,
most unexpectedly; he had not so much as opened his mouth before.
This remark provoked general mirth, and the old fellow himself laughed
loudest of the lot, but ended with a stupendous fit of coughing.

Nastasia Philipovna, who loved originality and drollery of all kinds,
was apparently very fond of this old man, and rang the bell for more tea
to stop his coughing. It was now half-past ten o'clock.

"Gentlemen, wouldn't you like a little champagne