“Well, thank goodness, we shall hear all the particulars now!” murmured Felisata Michaelovna to her neighbour. CHAPTER XIII. The prince entered and smiled benignly around. All the agitation which his conversation with Mosgliakoff, a quarter of an hour since, had aroused in his chicken-heart vanished at the sight of the ladies. Those gentle creatures received him with chirps and exclamations of joy. Ladies always petted our old friend the prince, and were—as a rule—wonderfully familiar with him. He had a way of amusing them with his own individuality which was astonishing! Only this morning Felisata Michaelovna had announced that she would sit on his knee with the greatest pleasure, if he liked; “because he was such a dear old pet of an old man!” Maria Alexandrovna fastened her eyes on him, to read—if she could—if it were but the slightest indication of his state of mind, and to get a possible idea for a way out of this horribly critical position. But there was nothing to be made of _his_ face; it was just as before—just as ever it was! “Ah—h! here’s the prince at last!” cried several voices. “Oh, Prince, how we have waited and waited for you!” “With impatience, Prince, with impatience!” another chorus took up the strain. “Dear me, how very flat—tering!” said the old man, settling himself near the tea-table. The ladies immediately surrounded him. There only remained Natalia Dimitrievna and Mrs. Antipova with the hostess. Afanassy stood and smiled with great courtesy. Mosgliakoff also smiled as he gazed defiantly at Zina, who, without taking the slightest notice of him, took a chair near her father, and sat down at the fireside. “Prince, do tell us—is it true that you are about to leave us so soon?” asked Felisata Michaelovna. “Yes, yes, _mesdames_; I am going abroad almost im—mediately!” “Abroad, Prince, abroad? Why, what can have caused you to take such a step as that?” cried several ladies at once. “Yes—yes, abroad,” said the prince; “and do you know it is principally for the sake of the new i—deas——” “How, new ideas? what new ideas—what does he mean?” the astonished ladies asked of one another. “Ye—yes. Quite so—new ideas!” repeated the prince with an air of deep conviction, “everybody goes abroad now for new ideas, and I’m going too, to see if I can pick any up.” Up to this moment Maria Alexandrovna had listened to the conversation observantly; but it now struck her that the prince had entirely forgotten her existence—which would not do! “Allow me, Prince, to introduce my husband, Afanassy Matveyevitch. He hastened up from our country seat so soon as ever he heard of your arrival in our house.” Afanassy, under the impression that he was being praised, smiled amiably and beamed all over.