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Salamatoffs'。 It is quite true； Mr。 Crooks plays remarkably
well。〃
Nekhludoff had come here in order to distract his thoughts； for
he used to like being in this house； both because its refined
luxury had a pleasant effect on him and because of the atmosphere
of tender flattery that unobtrusively surrounded him。 But to…day
everything in the house was repulsive to himeverything：
beginning with the doorkeeper； the broad staircase； the flowers；
the footman； the table decorations； up to Missy herself； who
to…day seemed unattractive and affected。 Kolosoff's self…assured；
trivial tone of liberalism was unpleasant； as was also the
sensual； self…satisfied； bull…like appearance of old Korchagin；
and the French phrases of Katerina Alexeevna； the Slavophil。 The
constrained looks of the governess and the student were
unpleasant； too； but most unpleasant of all was the pronoun HIM
that Missy had used。 Nekhludoff had long been wavering between
two ways of regarding Missy； sometimes he looked at her as if by
moonlight； and could see in her nothing but what was beautiful；
fresh； pretty； clever and natural； then suddenly； as if the
bright sun shone on her； he saw her defects and could not help
seeing them。 This was such a day for him。 To…day he saw all the
wrinkles of her face； knew which of her teeth were false； saw the
way her hair was crimped； the sharpness of her elbows； and； above
all； how large her thumb…nail was and how like her father's。
〃Tennis is a dull game；〃 said Kolosoff； 〃we used to play lapta
when we were children。 That was much more amusing。〃
〃Oh； no； you never tried it； it's awfully interesting；〃 said
Missy； laying； it seemed to Nekhludoff； a very affected stress on
the word 〃awfully。〃 Then a dispute arose in which Michael
Sergeivitch； Katerina Alexeevna and all the others took part；
except the governess； the student and the children； who sat
silent and wearied。
〃Oh； these everlasting disputes！〃 said old Korchagin； laughing；
and he pulled the napkin out of his waistcoat； noisily pushed
back his chair； which the footman instantly ；caught hold of； and
left the table。
Everybody rose after him； and went up to another table on which
stood glasses of scented water。 They rinsed their mouths； then
resumed the conversation； interesting to no one。
〃Don't you think so？〃 said Missy to Nekhludoff； calling for a
confirmation of the statement that nothing shows up a man's
character like a game。 She noticed that preoccupied and； as it
seemed to her； dissatisfied look which she feared； and she wanted
to find out what had caused it。
〃Really； I can't tell； I have never thought about it；〃 Nekhludoff
answered。
〃Will you come to mamma？〃 asked Missy。
Yes； yes；〃 he said； in a tone which plainly proved that he did
not want to go； and took out a cigarette。
She looked at him in silence； with a questioning look； and he
felt ashamed。 〃To come into a house and give the people the
dumps；〃 he thought about himself； then； trying to be amiable；
said that he would go with pleasure if the princess would admit
him。
〃Oh； yes！ Mamma will be pleased。 You may smoke there； and Ivan
Ivanovitch is also there。〃
The mistress of the house； Princess Sophia Vasilievna； was a
recumbent lady。 It was the eighth year that； when visitors were
present； she lay in lace and ribbons； surrounded with velvet；
gilding； ivory； bronze； lacquer and flowers； never going out； and
only； as she put it； receiving intimate friends； i。e。； those who
according to her idea stood out from the common herd。
Nekhludoff was admitted into the number of these friends because
he was considered clever； because his mother had been an intimate
friend of the family； and because it was desirable that Missy
should marry him。
Sophia Vasilievna's room lay beyond the large and the small
drawing…rooms。 In the large drawing…room； Missy； who was in front
of Nekhludoff； stopped resolutely； and taking hold of the back of
a small green chair； faced him。
Missy was very anxious to get married； and as he was a suitable
match and she also liked him； she had accustomed herself to the
thought that he should be hers （not she his）。 To lose him would
be very mortifying。 She now began talking to him in order to get
him to explain his intentions。
〃I see something has happened；〃 she said。 〃Tell me； what is the
matter with you？〃
He remembered the meeting in the law court； and frowned and
blushed。
〃Yes； something has happened；〃 he said； wishing to be truthful；
〃a very unusual and serious event。〃
〃What is it； then？ Can you not tell me what it is？〃 She was
pursuing her aim with that unconscious yet obstinate cunning
often observable in the mentally diseased。
〃Not now。 Please do not ask me to tell you。 I have not yet had
time fully to consider it；〃 and he blushed still more。
〃And so you will not tell me？〃 A muscle twitched in her face and
she pushed back the chair she was holding。 〃Well then； come！〃 She
shook her head as if to expel useless thoughts； and； faster than
usual； went on in front of him。
He fancied that her mouth was unnaturally compressed in order to
keep back the tears。 He was ashamed of having hurt her； and yet
he knew that the least weakness on his part would mean disaster；
i。e。； would bind him to her。 And to…day he feared this more than
anything； and silently followed her to the princess's cabinet。
CHAPTER XXVII。
MISSY'S MOTHER。
Princess Sophia Vasilievna； Missy's mother； had finished her very
elaborate and nourishing dinner。 （She had it always alone； that
no one should see her performing this unpoetical function。） By
her couch stood a small table with her coffee； and she was
smoking a pachitos。 Princess Sophia Vasilievna was a long； thin
woman； with dark hair； large black eyes and long teeth； and still
pretended to be young。
Her intimacy with the doctor was being talked about。 Nekhludoff
had known that for some time； but when he saw the doctor sitting
by her couch； his oily； glistening beard parted in the middle； he
not only remembered the rumours about them； but felt greatly
disgusted。 By the table； on a low； soft； easy chair； next to
Sophia Vasilievna； sat Kolosoff； stirring his coffee。 A glass of
liqueur stood on the table。 Missy came in with Nekhludoff； but
did not remain in the room。
〃When mamma gets tired of you and drives you away； then come to
me；〃 she said； turning to Kolosoff and Nekhludoff； speaking as if
nothing had occurred； then she went away； smiling merrily and
stepping noiselessly on the thick carpet。
〃How do you do； dear friend？ Sit down and talk；〃 said Princess
Sophia Vasilievna； with her affected but very naturally…acted
smile； showing her fine； long teetha splendid imitation of what
her own had once been。 〃I hear that you have come from the Law
Courts very much depressed。 I think it must be very trying to a
person with a heart；〃 she added in French。
〃Yes； that is so；〃 said Nekhludoff。 〃One often feels one's own
deone feels one has no right to judge。〃
〃Comme； c'est vrai；〃 she cried； as if struck by the truth of this
remark。 She was in the habit of artfully flattering all those
with whom she conversed。 〃Well； and what of your picture？ It does
interest me so。 If I were not such a sad invalid I should have
been to see it long ago；〃 she said。
〃I have quite given it up；〃 Nekhludoff replied drily。 The
falseness of her flattery seemed as evident to him to…day as her
age； which she was trying to conceal； and he could not put
himself into the right state to behave politely。
〃Oh； that IS a pity！ Why； he has a real talent for art； I have it
from Repin's own lips；〃 she added； turning to Kolosoff。
〃Why is it she is not ashamed of lying so？〃 Nekhludoff thought；
and frowned。
When she had convinced herself that Nekhludoff was in a bad
temper and that one could not get him into an agreeable and
clever conversation； Sophia Vasilievna turned to Kolosoff； asking
his opinion of a new play。 She asked it in a tone as if
Kolosoff's opinion would decide all doubts； and each word of this
opinion be worthy of being immortalised。 Kolosoff found fault
both with the play and its author； and that led him to express
his views on art。 Princess Sophia Vasilievna； while trying at the
same time to defend the play； seemed impressed by the truth of
his arguments； either giving in at once； or at least modifying
her opinion。 Nekhludoff looked and listened； but neither saw nor
heard what was going on before him。
Listening now to Sophia Vasilievna； now to Kolosoff； Nekhludoff
noticed that neither he nor she cared anything about the play or
each other； and that if they talked it was only to gratify the
physical desire to move the muscles of the throat and tongue
after having eaten； and that Kolosoff； having drunk vodka； wine
and liqueur； was a little tipsy。 Not tipsy like the peasants who
drink seldom； but like people to whom drinking wine has become a
habit。 He did not reel about or talk nonsense； but he was in a
state that was not normal； excited and self…satisfied。
Nekhludoff also noticed that during the conversation Princess
Sophia Vasilievna kept glancing uneasily at the window； through
which a slanting ray of sunshine； whic