suddenly exclaimed the voice of Marfa Timofeevna in the next room, the door of which had been left half open.

"Pray excuse me, my dear sir," replied Marfa Timofeevna, "I overlooked you in my joy.

During the whole time Lavretsky was talking with the mistress of the house, with Panshine and with Marfa Timofeevna, that old gentleman had been sitting in his corner, squeezing up his eyes and shooting out his lips, while he listened with the curiosity of a child to all that was being said.

Up stairs, in Marfa Timofeevna's room, the light of the lamp, which hung in the corner before the age-embrowned sacred pictures, fell on Lavretsky, as he sat in an arm-chair, his elbows resting on his knees, his face hidden in his hands.

The next day Ivan Petrovich sent his father a letter, which was frigidly and ironically polite, and then betook himself to the estate of two of his second cousins,Dmitry Pestof, and his sister Marfa Timofeevna, with the latter of whom the reader is already acquainted.

But even those few astonished Ivan Petrovich; he was not aware that Marfa Timofeevna had taught his wife to read and write.

The old man, who was greatly moved, bade her set her mind at rest, and immediately sent his own carriage for his daughter-in-law, calling her, for the first time, Malania Sergievna.[A] Malania arrived with her boy, and with Marfa Timofeevna, whom nothing would have induced to allow her to go alone, and who was determined not to allow her to meet with any harm.

After Marfa Timofeevna had left herwho had conceived a perfect hatred for Glafira, and had quarrelled with her three times in the course of a single daythe poor woman at first found her position difficult and painful.

But when Marfa Timofeevna entered the Kalitines' house, Agafia did not get on well with her.

Even Marfa Timofeevna, although she never put any constraint upon Liza, tried to induce her to moderate her zeal, and would not let her make so many prostrations.

Maria Dmitrievna was asleep, the footman declared; her head ached, Marfa Timofeevna and Lizaveta Mikhailovna were not at home.

Marfa Timofeevna did not come down from up-stairs until the soup was already placed on the table.

Gedeonovsky was the only person who kept the conversation alive, relating several of his stories, though from time to time he looked timidly at Marfa Timofeevna and coughed.

" She sat down to cards with Varvara and Gedeonov sky; but Marfa Timofeevna carried off Liza to her room up-stairs, saying that the girl "had no face left," and she was sure her head must be aching.

For a long time Marfa Timofeevna looked at her in silence, then she quietly knelt down before her, and began, still quite silently, to kiss her handsfirst one, and then the other.

And Marfa Timofeevna could not sufficiently kiss those poor, pale, nerveless hands; while silent tears poured down from her eyes and from Liza's too.

Marfa Timofeevna had tried to prevent her going but in vain.

" All that night long Marfa Timofeevna sat watching by Liza's bedside.

At last he sent her away, and, after long hesitation, as Varvara Pavlovna did not return, he determined to go to the Kalitines', and pay a visit, not to Madame Kalitine (for nothing would have induced him to enter her drawing-roomthat drawing-room in which his wife was), but to Marfa Timofeevna.

By a fortunate chance he met Shurochka in the court-yard, and she brought him to Marfa Timofeevna.

"Liza, Lizochka," hurriedly began Marfa Timofeevna, "where have youwhere have you put my book?" "What book, aunt?" "Why, good gracious!

"No, I don't Marfa Timofeevna" "No arguing, if you please.

" And Marfa Timofeevna went away, after casting a side-glance at Lavretsky.

" "Yes, because you" The door of the next room suddenly opened, and Marfa Timofeevna came in, holding her cap in her hand.

" And Marfa Timofeevna ran out of the room without even having put on her cap.