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Rh seemed to be no end to her story; yes, now her heart was full. She had found a lively enterprise. Beaumont listened to her attentively; but can one be satisfied with listening only? And she said, almost with vexation, "Mr. Beaumont, I am disappointed in you. Does it have so little effect on you, that it only interests you, and nothing more?"

"Katerina Vasílyevna, you forget that I have seen all this at home in America; some of the details may be interesting to me; but the enterprise itself is too familiar to me. Only the people who carry it on with such success are of interest to me, while to you the thing is a novelty. For instance, what can you tell me about Madame Kirsánova?"

"Akh! Bozhe moi! Of course I liked her very much indeed. She was so lovely in describing everything to me."

"You told me that before."

"What else do you want? What more can I tell you? What attention could I give to her when I had such a novel thing before my eyes?"

"That is so," said Beaumont; "I understand we entirely forget about persons when we are interested in things; however, can't you tell me something else about Madame Kirsánova?"

Katerina Vasílyevna tried to gather all her recollections about Viéra Pavlovna, but she could only bring back the first impression which Viéra Pavlovna made upon her; she gave a very lively picture of her personal appearance, her way of speaking, all, in fact, that the eye takes in when meeting a stranger for the first time; but further, there was absolutely nothing in her recollections of Viéra Pavlovna that was of special interest: it was her work-shop, work-shop, work-shop, and Viéra Pavlovna's explanations about the work-shop. She understood the explanations perfectly, but Viéra Pavlovna herself, from the time that followed their first meeting, made no impression upon her.

"And so this time I am disappointed in my expectations in learning about Madame Kirsánova; but I am not going to give you up; in a few days I shall ask you again about her."

"But why don't you yourself make her acquaintance, if she interests you so?"

"I should like to do so; maybe I will do so some time. But before, I must learn more about her."—Beaumont was silent for a moment.—"I was wondering whether to ask you or not; but it seems better to ask you, if you should happen