After the wedding Varvara began to drink now and then—most frequently with Grushina. Once when she was a little tipsy Prepolovenskaya was at her house and Varvara blabbed about the letter. She didn't tell everything but she hinted sufficiently clearly. This was enough for the cunning Sofya—it was a sudden revelation to her.
"But why didn't I guess it at once," she mentally reproached herself. She told Vershina in confidence about the forged letters—and from her it spread all over the town.
Prepolovenskaya could not help laughing at Peredonov's credulousness whenever she met him.
She said to him:
"You're very simple, Ardalyon Borisitch."
"I'm not simple at all," he replied, "I'm a graduate of a University."
"You may be a graduate, but anyone who wants to can take you in."
"I can take in everyone myself," argued Peredonov.
Prepolovenskaya smiled slyly and left him. Peredonov was dully perplexed.