“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.