ried Adelaida, walking quickly up to the prince
and holding out her hand.

He smiled absently at her; then suddenly he felt a burning sensation in
his ear as an angry voice whispered:

"If you do not turn those dreadful people out of the house this very
instant, I shall hate you all my life--all my life!" It was Aglaya. She
seemed almost in a frenzy, but she turned away before the prince could
look at her. However, there was no one left to turn out of the house,
for they had managed meanwhile to get Hippolyte into the cab, and it had
driven off.

"Well, how much longer is this going to last, Ivan Fedorovitch? What do
you think? Shall I soon be delivered from these odious youths?"

"My dear, I am quite ready; naturally... the prince."

Ivan Fedorovitch held out his hand to Muishkin, but ran after his wife,
who was leaving with every sign of violent indignation, before he had
time to shake it. Adelaida, her fiance, and Alexandra, said good-bye to
their host with sincere friendliness. Evgenie Pavlovitch did the same,
and he alone seemed in good spirits.

"What I expected has happened! But I am sorry, you poor fellow, that
you should have had to suffer for it," he murmured, with a most charming
smile.

Aglaya left without saying good-bye. But the evening was not to end
without a last adventure. An unexpected meeting was yet in store for
Lizabetha Prokofievna.

She had scarcely descended the terrace steps leading to the high road
that skirts the park at Pavlofsk, when suddenly there dashed by a smart
open carriage, drawn by a pair of beautiful white horses. Having passed
some ten yards beyond the house, the carriage suddenly drew up, and one
of the two ladies seated in it turned sharp round as though she had just
caught sight of some acquaintance whom she particularly wished to see.

"Evgenie Pavlovitch! Is that you?" cried a clear, sweet voice, which
caused the prince, and perhaps someone else, to tremble. "Well, I AM
glad I've found you at last! I've sent to town for you twice today
myself! My messengers have been searching for you everywhere!"

Evgenie Pavlovitch stood on the steps like one struck by lightning.
Mrs. Epanchin stood still too, but not with the petrified expression of
Evgenie. She gazed haughtily at the audacious person who had addressed
her companion, and then turned a look of astonishment upon Evgenie
himself.

"There's news!" continued the clear voice. "You need not be anxious
about Kupferof