The change from St. Petersburg, while it proved beneficial to Peter’s health, did not cure his indolence, capriciousness, and irritability. On the contrary, they seemed to increase, because his present surroundings suggested comparisons with his ideal life at Votinsk, which were unfavourable to Alapaiev. He was lonely, for he missed Nicholas; although at the same time he was jealous of the continual congratulations over each letter which came from Petersburg, announcing his brother’s progress and success. The family were delighted, and compared him with Peter, whose studies did not progress rapidly under such an indifferent teacher as Zinaïda. “Pierre is not himself,” wrote his mother at this time. “He has grown idle, learns nothing, and often makes me cry with vexation.” Even Peter himself confesses his indolence in a letter dated July 7th (19th):-- “MA CHÈRE M-ELLE FANNY,--Je vous prie beaucoup de me pardonner que je ne vous ai ecrit si longtemps. Mais comme vous savez que je ne ment pas, c’est _ma paresse_ qui en est cause, mais ce n’est pas _l’oublie_, parceque je Vous aime toujours comme je vous aimez avant. Nicholas apprend très bien.”[4] Receiving no reply to this, he wrote again at the end of June. At last an answer came, in which, apparently, Fanny scolded her old pupil, for one of his cousins wrote at this time: “When your letter came, Aunty read it aloud, and Peterkin cried bitterly. He loves you so.” A real improvement in the boy’s character dated from the arrival of a new governess, Nastasia Petrov. His mother was soon able to report to Fanny that “Pierre is behaving better and learns willingly with his new teacher.” On May 1st (13th), 1850, twin boys were added to the Tchaikovsky family--Anatol and Modeste. Peter Ilich informed Fanny of the event in the following letter:-- “[ALAPAIEV, _May_ 2_nd_ (14_th_), 1850.] “CHÈRE ET BONNE MELLE FANNY,--C’est avec une grande joie que j’ai appris la nouvelle que vous avez un élève _siban_ et si diligent. Je veux aussi Vous apprendre, ma chère Fanny, une nouvelle qui peutêtre Vous rejouira un peu; c’est la naissance de mes frères qui sont jumeaux (la nuit du premier Mai). Je les ai déjà vus plusieurs fois, mais chaque fois que je les vois je crois que ce sont des Anges qui ont descendu sur la terre.”[5]