"It's not that I've grown wiser, but simply that the truth has come out this week."
"What truth has come out this week?
Listen, Praskovya Ivanovna, don't irritate me. Explain to me this minute, I beg you as a favour, what truth has come out and what do you mean by that?"
"Why there it is, sitting before you!" and Praskovya Ivanovna suddenly pointed at Marya Timofyevna with that desperate determination which takes no heed of consequences, if only it can make an impression at the moment.
Marya Timofyevna, who had watched her all the time with light-hearted curiosity, laughed exultingly at the sight of the wrathful guest's finger pointed impetuously at her, and wriggled gleefully in her easy chair.
"God Almighty have mercy on us, they've all gone crazy!" exclaimed Varvara Petrovna, and turning pale she sank back in her chair.
She turned so pale that it caused some commotion.
Stepan Trofimovitch was the first to rush up to her. I drew near also; even Liza got up from her seat, though she did not come forward. But the most alarmed of all was Praskovya Ivanovna herself. She uttered a scream, got up as far as she could and almost wailed in a lachrymose voice:
"Varvara Petrovna, dear, forgive me for my wicked foolishness!
Give her some water, somebody."
"Don't whimper, please, Praskovya Ivanovna, and leave me alone, gentlemen, please, I don't want any water!" Varvara Petrovna pronounced in a firm though low voice, with blanched lips.
"Varvara Petrovna, my dear," Praskovya Ivanovna went on, a little reassured, "though I am to blame for my reckless words, what's upset me more than anything are these anonymous letters that some low creatures keep bombarding me with; they might write to you, since it concerns you, but I've a daughter!"
Varvara Petrovna looked at her in silence, with wide-open eyes, listening with wonder.
At that moment a side-door in the corner opened noiselessly, and Darya Pavlovna made her appearance.
She stood still and looked round. She was struck by our perturbation.
Probably she did not at first distinguish Marya Timofyevna, of whose presence she had not been informed.
Stepan Trofimovitch was the first to notice her; he made a rapid movement, turned red, and for some reason proclaimed in a loud voice:
"Darya Pavlovna!" so that all eyes turned on the new-comer.
"Oh, is this your Darya Pavlovna!" cried Marya Timofyevna.
"Well, Shatushka, your sister's not like you.
How can my fellow call such a charmer the serf-wench Dasha?"
Meanwhile Darya Pavlovna had gone up to Varvara Petrovna, but struck by Marya Timofyevna's exclamation she turned quickly and stopped just before her chair, looking at the imbecile with a long fixed gaze.
"Sit down, Dasha," Varvara Petrovna brought out with terrifying composure. "Nearer, that's right. You can see this woman, sitting down.
Do you know her?"
"I have never seen her," Dasha answered quietly, and after a pause she added at once: "She must be the invalid sister of Captain Lebyadkin."
"And it's the first time I've set eyes on you, my love, though I've been interested and wanted to know you a long time, for I see how well-bred you are in every movement you make," Marya Timofyevna cried enthusiastically.
"And though my footman swears at you, can such a well-educated charming person as you really have stolen money from him?
For you are sweet, sweet, sweet, I tell you that from myself!" she concluded, enthusiastically waving her hand.
"Can you make anything of it?" Varvara Petrovna asked with proud dignity.
"I understand it...."
"Have you heard about the money?"
"No doubt it's the money that I undertook at Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch's request to hand over to her brother, Captain Lebyadkin."
A silence followed.
"Did Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch himself ask you to do so?"
"He was very anxious to send that money, three hundred roubles, to Mr. Lebyadkin.
And as he didn't know his address, but only knew that he was to be in our town, he charged me to give it to Mr. Lebyadkin if he came."
"What is the money... lost?
What was this woman speaking about just now?"
"That I don't know. I've heard before that Mr. Lebyadkin says I didn't give him all the money, but I don't understand his words.
There were three hundred roubles and I sent him three hundred roubles."
Darya Pavlovna had almost completely regained her composure.
And it was difficult, I may mention, as a rule, to astonish the girl or ruffle her calm for long—whatever she might be feeling.
She brought out all her answers now without haste, replied immediately to every question with accuracy, quietly, smoothly, and without a trace of the sudden emotion she had shown at first, or the slightest embarrassment which might have suggested a consciousness of guilt.
Varvara Petrovna's eyes were fastened upon her all the time she was speaking.
Varvara Petrovna thought for a minute,
"If," she pronounced at last firmly, evidently addressing all present, though she only looked at Dasha, "if Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch did not appeal even to me but asked you to do this for him, he must have had his reasons for doing so.
I don't consider I have any right to inquire into them, if they are kept secret from me.
But the very fact of your having taken part in the matter reassures me on that score, be sure of that, Darya, in any case.
But you see, my dear, you may, through ignorance of the world, have quite innocently done something imprudent; and you did so when you undertook to have dealings with a low character.
The rumours spread by this rascal show what a mistake you made.