'It's not nice, Sofya Ivanovna, if it's all festoons.'
'It's sweet, Anna Grigoryevna, you would never believe how sweet. It's made with two seams, there are wide armholes, and above … but now, now you will be astonished, now you will say … well, you may wonder: only fancy, the waists are longer than ever, coming down to a point in front, and the front busk is more extreme than ever; the skirt is gathered all round just as in the old-fashioned farthingale, they even stick on a little padding at the back to make you quite a belle-femme.'
'Well, that really is … I must say!' said the lady who was agreeable in all respects, tossing her head with a sense of her own dignity.
'Yes, precisely so; I must say!' answered the simply agreeable lady.
'Do what you like, I shall never follow that fashion.'
'I feel just the same. … Really, when you come to think what extremes fashion will sometimes go to … it's beyond anything! I asked my sister to send me the pattern just for fun; my Melanya undertook to make it.'
'Why, have you actually got the pattern!' cried the lady agreeable in all respects, with a perceptible throbbing of her heart.
'Yes, my sister brought it.'
'My darling, do let me have it, for the sake of all that's holy.'
'Oh, I have already promised it to Praskovya
