“Very well, very well, dear! we may disagree as to ideas and yet be very fond of one another. But if you are afraid of the working of my plan, and dread that you will see any baseness or meanness about it, leave it all to me, dear, and I guarantee you that not a particle of dirt shall soil you! Your hands shall be clean! As if I would be the one to compromise you! Trust me entirely, and all shall go grandly and with dignity; all shall be done worthily; there shall be no scandal—even if there be a whisper afterwards, we shall all be out of the way, far off! We shall not stay here, of course! Let them _howl_ if they like, _we_ won’t care. Besides, they are not worth bothering about, and I wonder at your being so frightened of these people, Zina. Don’t be angry with me! how can you be so frightened, with your proud nature?” “I’m not frightened; you don’t understand me a bit!” said Zina, in a tone of annoyance. “Very well, darling; don’t be angry. I only talk like this because these people about here are always stirring up mud, if they can; while you—this is the first time in your life you have done a mean action.—_Mean_ action! What an old fool I am! On the contrary, this is a most generous, _noble_ act! I’ll prove this to you once more, Zina. Firstly, then, it all depends upon the point of view you take up——” “Oh! bother your proofs, mother. I’ve surely had enough of them by now,” cried Zina angrily, and stamped her foot on the floor. “Well, darling, I won’t; it was stupid of me—I won’t!” There was another moment’s silence. Maria Alexandrovna looked into her daughter’s eyes as a little dog looks into the eyes of its mistress. “I don’t understand how you are going to set about it,” said Zina at last, in a tone of disgust. “I feel sure you will only plunge yourself into a pool of shame! I’m not thinking of these people about here. I despise their opinions; but it would be very ignominious for _you_.” “Oh! if that’s all, my dear child, don’t bother your head about it: please, _please_ don’t! Let us be agreed about it, and then you need not fear for me. Dear me! if you but knew, though, what things I have done, and kept my skin whole! I tell you this is _nothing_ in comparison with _real_ difficulties which I have arranged successfully. Only let me try. But, first of all we must get the prince _alone_, and that as soon as possible. That’s the first move: all the rest will depend upon the way we manage this. However, I can foresee the result. They’ll all rise against us; but I’ll manage _them_ all right! I’m a little nervous about Mosgliakoff. He——” “Mosgliakoff!” said Zina, contemptuously.