\"Oncemoreletusbegyoutobecalm，mydearboy。We’lltalkofallthisanothertime——Ishalldosowiththegreatestpleasure，forone，\"saidtheolddignitary，withasmile。
IvanPetrovitchgruntedandtwistedroundinhischair。GeneralEpanchinmovednervously。Thelatter’schiefhadstartedaconversationwiththewifeofthedignitary，andtooknonoticewhateveroftheprince，buttheoldladyveryoftenglancedathim，andlistenedtowhathewassaying。
\"No，Ihadbetterspeak，\"continuedtheprince，withanewoutburstoffeverishemotion，andturningtowardstheoldmanwithanairofconfidentialtrustfulness。\"Yesterday，AglayaIvanovnaforbademetotalk，andevenspecifiedtheparticularsubjectsImustnottouchupon——sheknowswellenoughthatIamoddwhenIgetuponthesematters。Iamnearlytwenty-sevenyearsold，andyetIknowIamlittlebetterthanachild。Ihavenorighttoexpressmyideas，andsaidsolongago。OnlyinMoscow，withRogojin，didIeverspeakabsolutelyfreely！HeandIreadPushkintogether——allhisworks。RogojinknewnothingofPushkin，hadnotevenheardhisname。IamalwaysafraidofspoilingagreatThoughtorIdeabymyabsurdmanner。Ihavenoeloquence，Iknow。Ialwaysmakethewronggestures——
inappropriategestures——andthereforeIdegradetheThought，andraisealaughinsteadofdoingmysubjectjustice。Ihavenosenseofproportioneither，andthatisthechiefthing。IknowitwouldbemuchbetterifIwerealwaystositstillandsaynothing。WhenIdoso，Iappeartobequiteasensiblesortofaperson，andwhat’smore，Ithinkaboutthings。ButnowImustspeak；itisbetterthatIshould。Ibegantospeakbecauseyoulookedsokindlyatme；youhavesuchabeautifulface。I
promisedAglayaIvanovnayesterdaythatIwouldnotspeakalltheevening。\"