Chapter 3

           TheoccurrenceattheVauxhallhadfilledbothmotheranddaughterswithsomethinglikehorror.IntheirexcitementLizabethaProkofievnaandthegirlswerenearlyrunningallthewayhome.

           Inheropiniontherewassomuchdisclosedandlaidbarebytheepisode,that,inspiteofthechaoticconditionofhermind,shewasabletofeelmoreorlessdecidedoncertainpointswhich,uptonow,hadbeeninacloudycondition.

           However,oneandallofthepartyrealizedthatsomethingimportanthadhappened,andthat,perhapsfortunatelyenough,somethingwhichhadhithertobeenenvelopedintheobscurityofguess-workhadnowbeguntocomeforthalittlefromthemists.InspiteofPrinceS.‘sassurancesandexplanations,EvgeniePavlovitch’srealcharacterandpositionwereatlastcomingtolight.Hewaspubliclyconvictedofintimacywith“thatcreature.”SothoughtLizabethaProkofievnaandhertwoelderdaughters.

           Buttherealupshotofthebusinesswasthatthenumberofriddlestobesolvedwasaugmented.Thetwogirls,thoughratherirritatedattheirmother’sexaggeratedalarmandhastetodepartfromthescene,hadbeenunwillingtoworryheratfirstwithquestions.

           Besides,theycouldnothelpthinkingthattheirsisterAglayaprobablyknewmoreaboutthewholematterthanboththeyandtheirmotherputtogether.

           PrinceS.lookedasblackasnight,andwassilentandmoody.Mrs.Epanchindidnotsayawordtohimallthewayhome,andhedidnotseemtoobservethefact.