"I've seen an ass, maman," said Adelaida.
"And I've heard one," Aglaya picked up.
The three girls laughed again.
The prince laughed with them.
"That's very naughty of you," observed Mrs. Epanchin. "You must forgive them, Prince, they really are kind.
I'm eternally scolding them, but I love them.
They're flighty, frivolous, mad."
"But why?" the prince laughed. "In their place I wouldn't have missed the chance either.
But all the same I stand up for the ass: an ass is a kind and useful fellow."
"And are you kind, Prince?
I ask out of curiosity," Mrs. Epanchin asked.
They all laughed again.
"Again that accursed ass turns up! I wasn't even thinking of it!" Mrs. Epanchin cried.
"Please believe me, Prince, I wasn't . . ."
"Hinting?
Oh, I believe you, without question!"
And the prince never stopped laughing.
"It's very good that you laugh.
I see you're a most kind young man," said Mrs. Epanchin.
"Sometimes I'm not," replied the prince.
"And I am kind," Mrs. Epanchin put in unexpectedly, "I'm always kind, if you wish, and that is my only failing, because one should not always be kind.
I'm often very angry, with these ones here, with Ivan Fyodorovich especially, but the trouble is that I'm kindest when I'm angry.
Today, before you came, I was angry and pretended I didn't and couldn't understand anything.
That happens to me—like a child.
Aglaya taught me a lesson; I thank you, Aglaya.
Anyhow, it's all nonsense.
I'm still not as stupid as I seem and as my daughters would have me appear.
I have a strong character and am not very shy.
Anyhow, I don't say it spitefully.
Come here, Aglaya, kiss me. Well . . . enough sentiment," she observed, when Aglaya kissed her with feeling on the lips and hand.
"Go on, Prince.
Perhaps you'll remember something more interesting than the ass."
"I still don't understand how it's possible to tell things just like that," Adelaida observed again. "I wouldn't find anything to say."
"But the prince would, because the prince is extremely intelligent and at least ten times more intelligent than you, or maybe twelve times.
I hope you'll feel something after that.
Prove it to them, Prince, go on.
We can indeed finally get past that ass.
Well, so, besides the ass, what did you see abroad?"
"That was intelligent about the ass, too," observed Alexandra. "The prince spoke very interestingly about the case of his illness, and how he came to like everything because of one external push.
It has always been interesting to me, how people go out of their minds and then recover again.
Especially if it happens suddenly."
"Isn't it true?
Isn't it true?" Mrs. Epanchin heaved herself up. "I see you, too, can sometimes be intelligent. Well, enough laughing!
You stopped, I believe, at nature in Switzerland, Prince. Well?"
"We came to Lucerne, and I was taken across the lake.
I felt how good it was, but I also felt terribly oppressed," said the prince.
"Why?" asked Alexandra.
"I don't understand why.
I always feel oppressed and uneasy when I look at such nature for the first time—both good and uneasy. Anyhow, that was all while I was still sick."
"Ah, no, I've always wanted very much to see it," said Adelaida.