Chapter 4

           AllthreeoftheMissEpanchinswerefine,healthygirls,well-grown,withgoodshouldersandbusts,andstrong—almostmasculine—hands;and,ofcourse,withalltheaboveattributes,theyenjoyedcapitalappetites,ofwhichtheywerenotintheleastashamed.

           ElizabethaProkofievnasometimesinformedthegirlsthattheywerealittletoocandidinthismatter,butinspiteoftheiroutwarddeferencetotheirmotherthesethreeyoungwomen,insolemnconclave,hadlongagreedtomodifytheunquestioningobediencewhichtheyhadbeeninthehabitofaccordingtoher;andMrs.GeneralEpanchinhadjudgeditbettertosaynothingaboutit,though,ofcourse,shewaswellawareofthefact.

           Itistruethathernaturesometimesrebelledagainstthesedictatesofreason,andthatshegrewyearlymorecapriciousandimpatient;buthavingarespectfulandwell-disciplinedhusbandunderherthumbatalltimes,shefounditpossible,asarule,toemptyanylittleaccumulationsofspleenuponhishead,andthereforetheharmonyofthefamilywaskeptdulybalanced,andthingswentassmoothlyasfamilymatterscan.

           Mrs.Epanchinhadafairappetiteherself,andgenerallytookhershareofthecapitalmid-daylunchwhichwasalwaysservedforthegirls,andwhichwasnearlyasgoodasadinner.Theyoungladiesusedtohaveacupofcoffeeeachbeforethismeal,atteno’clock,whilestillinbed.Thiswasafavouriteandunalterablearrangementwiththem.