Anna Sergievna took Katia under the chin, and raised her face towards her own.
"You have not quarrelled, I hope?" she said.
"Oh no," said Katia, and quietly put away her sister's hand.
"What solemn replies! Well, I came here to propose a walk, since he is always asking me to go one. But, to pass to another subject, some shoes have arrived for you from the town, so you had better go and try them on. Only yesterday I was noticing how shabby your old ones are. In general, you do not take sufficient pains in such matters, for you have charming feet, and also not ugly hands, even though a trifle too large. You ought to take care of your feet. When you are here you do not do so sufficiently."
Madame passed onwards with a light rustle of her handsome gown, while Katia rose from the bench, and, taking the volume of Heine, departed in another direction—though not to try on the boots.
"'You have charming feet,'" she repeated to herself as she tripped up the sun-baked steps of the terrace. "'You have charming feet.' Well, before long some one shall be at them."
Confusion then overcame her, and she took the remaining steps at a bound.
Meanwhile Arkady made for his room. As he was passing through the hall he was overtaken by the butler, and informed that Monsieur Bazarov was awaiting him above.
"Evgenii Vasilitch?" exclaimed Arkady in a tone very much as of alarm. "Has he been here long?"
"A few minutes only. He instructed me not to announce him to Madame but to take him straight to your room."