`Oh, no! By the way, do you know I saw Seriozha?' said Anna, screwing up her eyes, as though looking
at something far away. `But we'll talk about that later. You wouldn't believe it, I'm like a hungry beggar
woman when a full dinner is set before her, and she does not know what to begin on first. The full dinner
is you, and the talks I have before me with you, which I could never have with anyone else; and I don't
know which subject to begin upon first. Mais je ne vous ferai grâce de rien. I must have everything out
with you. Oh, I ought to give you a sketch of the company you will meet with us,' she began. `I'll begin
with the ladies. Princess Varvara - you know her, and I know your opinion and Stiva's about her. Stiva
says the whole aim of her existence is to prove her superiority over Auntie Katerina Pavlovna: that's all
true; but she's a good-natured woman, and I am so grateful to her. In Peterburg there was a moment
when un chaperon was absolutely essential for me. Then she turned up. But, really, she is good-natured.
She did a great deal to alleviate my position. I see you don't understand all the difficulty of my position...
there in Peterburg,' she added. `Here I'm perfectly at ease and happy. Well, of that later on, though.
Then Sviiazhsky - he's the marshal of the district, and he's a very good sort of a man, but he wants to
get something out of Alexei. You understand, with his property, now that we are settled in the country,
Alexei can exercise great influence. Then there's Tushkevich - you have seen him, you know - Betsy's
admirer. Now he's been thrown over, and he's come to see us. As Alexei says, he's one of those people
who are very pleasant if one accepts them for what they try to appear to be, et puis, il est comme il
faut, as Princess Varvara says. Then Veslovsky... you know him. A very charming boy,' she said, and a
sly smile curved her lips. `What's this wild story about him and the Levins? Veslovsky told Alexei about
it, and we don't believe it. Il est tres gentil et naïf,' she said again with the same smile. `Men need occupation,
and Alexei needs a circle, so I value all these people. We have to have the house lively and gay, so that
Alexei may not long for any novelty. Then you'll see the steward - a German, a very good fellow, and he
understands his work. Alexei has a very high opinion of him. Then the doctor, a young man, not quite
a Nihilist perhaps, but, you know, he eats with his knife... But a very good doctor. Then the architect...
Une petite cour.'