Chapter 2

           HippolytehadnowbeenfivedaysatthePtitsins’.Hisflittingfromtheprince’stothesenewquartershadbeenbroughtaboutquitenaturallyandwithoutmanywords.Hedidnotquarrelwiththeprince—infact,theyseemedtopartasfriends.Gania,whohadbeenhostileenoughonthateventfulevening,hadhimselfcometoseehimacoupleofdayslater,probablyinobediencetosomesuddenimpulse.Forsomereasonorother,Rogojintoohadbeguntovisitthesickboy.Theprincethoughtitmightbebetterforhimtomoveawayfromhis(theprince’s)house.Hippolyteinformedhim,ashetookhisleave,thatPtitsin“hadbeenkindenoughtoofferhimacorner,”anddidnotsayawordaboutGania,thoughGaniahadprocuredhisinvitation,andhimselfcametofetchhimaway.Ganianoticedthisatthetime,andputittoHippolyte’sdebitonaccount.

           GaniawasrightwhenhetoldhissisterthatHippolytewasgettingbetter;thathewasbetterwasclearatthefirstglance.Heenteredtheroomnowlastofall,deliberately,andwithadisagreeablesmileonhislips.

           NinaAlexandrovnacamein,lookingfrightened.Shehadchangedmuchsincewelastsawher,halfayearago,andhadgrownthinandpale.Colialookedworriedandperplexed.Hecouldnotunderstandthevagariesofthegeneral,andknewnothingofthelastachievementofthatworthy,whichhadcausedsomuchcommotioninthehouse.