“I’ll bring it you directly. We only have a cook and one maid, so I have to help as much as I can. Varia looks after things, generally, and loses her temper over it. Gania says you have only just arrived from Switzerland?” “Yes.” “Is it jolly there?” “Very.” “Mountains?” “Yes.” “I’ll go and get your bundle.” Here Varvara joined them. “The maid shall bring your bed-linen directly. Have you a portmanteau?” “No; a bundle—your brother has just gone to the hall for it.” “There’s nothing there except this,” said Colia, returning at this moment. “Where did you put it?” “Oh! but that’s all I have,” said the prince, taking it. “Ah! I thought perhaps Ferdishenko had taken it.” “Don’t talk nonsense,” said Varia, severely. She seemed put out, and was only just polite with the prince. “Oho!” laughed the boy, “you can be nicer than that to _me_, you know—I’m not Ptitsin!” “You ought to be whipped, Colia, you silly boy. If you want anything” (to the prince) “please apply to the servant. We dine at half-past four. You can take your dinner with us, or have it in your room, just as you please. Come along, Colia, don’t disturb the prince.” At the door they met Gania coming in. “Is father in?” he asked. Colia whispered something in his ear and went out. “Just a couple of words, prince, if you’ll excuse me. Don’t blab over _there_ about what you may see here, or in this house as to all that about Aglaya and me, you know. Things are not altogether pleasant in this establishment—devil take it all! You’ll see. At all events keep your tongue to yourself for _today_.” “I assure you I ‘blabbed’ a great deal less than you seem to suppose,” said the prince, with some annoyance. Clearly the relations between Gania and himself were by no means improving. “Oh well; I caught it quite hot enough today, thanks to you. However, I forgive you.” “I think you might fairly remember that I was not in any way bound, I had no reason to be silent about that portrait. You never asked me not to mention it.” “Pfu! what a wretched room this is—dark, and the window looking into the yard. Your coming to our house is, in no respect, opportune. However, it’s not _my_ affair. I don’t keep the lodgings.” Ptitsin here looked in and beckoned to Gania, who hastily left the room, in spite of the fact that he had evidently wished to say something more and had only made the remark about the room to gain time. The prince had hardly had time to wash and tidy himself a little when the door opened once more, and another figure appeared. This was a gentleman of about thirty, tall, broad-shouldered, and red-haired; his face was red, too, and he possessed a pair of thick lips, a wide nose, small eyes, rather bloodshot, and with an ironical expression in them; as though he were perpetually winking at someone. His whole appearance gave one the idea of impudence; his dress was shabby.