Zosia with a shout rushed through the window into the chamber, and, out of
breath, sat down upon her aunt's lap; Telimena, kissing her and stroking
her under the chin, with joy observed the liveliness and charm of the
child (for she really loved her ward). But once more she made a solemn
face, rose, and walking up and down and across the chamber, and holding
her finger on her lips, she spoke thus:--

"My dear Zosia, you are quite forgetful both of your age and of your
station in life. Why, to-day you are beginning your fourteenth year; it is
time to give up turkeys and hens. Fie! is such fun worthy of a dignitary's
daughter? And you have petted long enough those sunburned peasants'
children, Zosia! My heart aches to look at you; you have tanned your
shoulders dreadfully, like a real little gypsy; and you walk and move like
a village girl. From now on I shall see that all this is changed. I shall
begin to-day; to-day I shall take you into society, to the drawing-room,
to our guests; we have a throng of guests here. See that you do not cause
me shame."

Zosia jumped from her place and clapped her hands; and, clasping both arms
around her aunt's neck, she wept and laughed by turns for very joy.

"O auntie, it is so long since I have seen any guests! Since I have been
living here with the hens and turkeys, the only guest that I have seen was
a wild dove. I'm just a little tired of sitting in the chamber; the Judge
even says that it is bad for the health."

"The Judge," interrupted her aunt, "has continually been bothering me with
requests to take you out into society; has continually been mumbling under
his breath that you are already grown up. He doesn't know what he is
talking about himself; he is an old fellow who never had any experience in
the great world. I know better how much preparation a young lady needs, in
order to make an impression when she comes out in society. You see, Zosia,
that any one who grows up in the sight of men, even though she may be
beautiful and clever, produces no impression, since all have been
accustomed to seeing her ever since she was small. But if a well-trained,
grown-up young lady suddenly appears glittering before the world from no
one knows where, then everybody crowds up to her out of curiosity,
observes all her movements, each glance of her eye, attends to her words
and repeats them to others; and when a young person gets to be in fashion,
every one must praise her, even if he