she said. Says I, 'Don't you belong to any sec'?' Says she, 'No, I don't belong to any. What makes you think so?' 'Because,' says I, 'because, lady, I don't know whether to call you Miss or Mrs. Do you live with your old man?' She laughed. 'Why, yes, says she, 'o' course I do.'"
"She laughed, did she?"
"Yes, she did. 'O' course I live with him,' says she. 'Then,' says I, 'what makes you act as you do? You never see him without his clo'es on, as though you wan't his wife.' And, says she, 'It's because I don't want him to see me in dishabilly.' Oh no, they don' belong to any sec's at all. 'Then,' says I, 'what makes you do so?' 'So as to keep love in the house and git rid of quarrels,' says she.
"Well now, Petrovna, that looks as though she spoke the truth. Of course, she allus wants to look decent!"
"And then she goes on and says, says she, 'If I don't want other folks to see me in dishabilly, then why should my husband, whom I love more, see me before I have washed my face. It wouldn't do to show myself before him in any such way.'"
"Well, so does that look as though she spoke the truth, Petrovna. What makes men fall in love with other men's wives? It's because they see then nicely dressed, while they see their own wives—how did you call it? oh, yes, in dishabilly. It's said so in Holy Writ, in Solomon's Proverbs, and he was the wisest of the Tsars!"
II.
The affairs of the Lopukhófs prospered. Viéra Pavlovna was always happy. But one time (this was some five months after the wedding) Dmitri Sergéitch, returning from one of his lessons, found his wife in a peculiar state of mind. Her eyes were shining with pride and happiness. This caused Dmitri Sergéitch to remember that for several days past he had seen in her some signs of mental exaltation, joyful thoughts, and tender pride.
"My dear, you seem to be so happy; why don't you give us the benefit of it?"
"I think I am, my dear; but you just wait a little while. I will tell you when I am sure that I am right. You must wait for several days. And it is going to be a great joy to
