Shewasascapriciousaseverinthechoiceofheracquaintances，andadmittedfewintohernarrowcircle。Yetshealreadyhadanumerousfollowingandmanychampionsonwhomshecoulddependintimeofneed。Onegentlemanonhisholidayhadbrokenoffhisengagementonheraccount，andanoldgeneralhadquarrelledwithhisonlysonforthesamereason。
Shewasaccompaniedsometimesinhercarriagebyagirlofsixteen，adistantrelativeofherhostess。Thisyoungladysangverywell；infact，hermusichadgivenakindofnotorietytotheirlittlehouse。Nastasia，however，wasbehavingwithgreatdiscretiononthewhole。Shedressedquietly，thoughwithsuchtasteastodrivealltheladiesinPavlofskmadwithenvy，ofthat，aswellasofherbeautyandhercarriageandhorses。
\"Asforyesterday’sepisode，\"continuedGania，\"ofcourseitwaspre-arranged。\"Herehepaused，asthoughexpectingtobeaskedhowheknewthat。Buttheprincedidnotinquire。ConcerningEvgeniePavlovitch，Ganiastated，withoutbeingasked，thathebelievedtheformerhadnotknownNastasiaPhilipovnainpastyears，butthathehadprobablybeenintroducedtoherbysomebodyintheparkduringthesefourdays。AstothequestionoftheIOU’sshehadspokenof，theremighteasilybesomethinginthat；forthoughEvgeniewasundoubtedlyamanofwealth，yetcertainofhisaffairswereequallyundoubtedlyindisorder。
Arrivedatthisinterestingpoint，Ganiasuddenlybrokeoff，andsaidnomoreaboutNastasia’sprankofthepreviousevening。
AtlastVarvaraArdalionovnacameinsearchofherbrother，andremainedforafewminutes。WithoutMuishkin’saskingher，sheinformedhimthatEvgeniePavlovitchwasspendingthedayinPetersburg，andperhapswouldremainthereovertomorrow；andthatherhusbandhadalsogonetotown，probablyinconnectionwithEvgeniePavlovitch’saffairs。