"Ah, the world is odious to me," Sophie declares.
The bell outside is heard to ring at this moment.
"Insufferable!" Sonja exclaims. "I trust no one is coming to disturb us now!" And, glancing at the mirror over the chimney-piece, she adjusts her jabot and a curl above her forehead.
The lackey flings wide the folding doors and announces, "Mademoiselle Urwèse,"--the French abbreviation, apparently, for Fuhrwesen; for, even more copper-coloured than usual, in consequence of the biting north wind outside, with her hair blowing about her eyes, a kind of reddish-yellow turban upon her head, and wearing her tassel-bedecked water-proof, the pianist enters.
"How nice of you! This is really charming, my dear Fuhrwesen!" exclaims Sophie, hastily concealing her disappointment. "This is my day, but I closed my doors for all strangers,--absolutely for all," the imaginative Princess asseverates; then, pausing suddenly, she glances uneasily at Stasy. But Stasy has long since learned to let such rhapsodies pass her by without so much as the quiver of an eyelash: her face is motionless, and the Oblonsky goes on fluently: "You were the only one whom Baptiste had orders to admit. Take off your wraps: you will stay and dine, of course, dear, will you not?"
"With your kind permission," Fräulein Fuhrwesen says, submissively, kissing the Oblonsky's hand.
"And now sit here by the fire and warm yourself. Anastasia,"--this is drawled over her shoulder,--"pour out a glass of cordial for her.--You can have nothing more, my dear; I cannot permit you to spoil your appetite. We are going to have an extremely fine dinner."
"Your Highness is really too kind," says the pianist. "Ah, how intensely becoming that green gown is to you! Did you hear Prince Olary's description of you?--'The Venus of Milo, dressed by Worth.' Was it not capital?" And the pianist gazes at the Oblonsky with enthusiastic admiration.
"Yes, yes, you are in love with me, my dear: 'tis an old story," the Princess says, with a laugh. "But now tell us something new: you always have a budget of news. Any fresh scandal in the Faubourg?"
"Let me think," Fräulein Fuhrwesen says, reflectively. "What news have I heard? À propos--yes, I remember; but it will shock your Highness terribly. I really had no idea of such depravity in girls of what is called the best standing."