You're Stepan Trofimovitch's confidant, aren't you ?" I turned rather red.
"Ach, forgive me, please.

I used quite the wrong word: not funny at all, but only..." She was confused and blushed.

"Why be ashamed though at your being a splendid person?
Well, it's time we were going, Mavriky Nikolaevitch! Stepan Trofimovitch, you must be with us in half an hour.
Mercy, what a lot we shall talk! Now I'm your confidante, and about everything, _everything,_ you understand ?" Stepan Trofimovitch was alarmed at once.
"Oh, Mavriky Nikolaevitch knows everything, don't mind him!" "What does he know ?" "Why, what do you mean ?" she cried in astonishment.

"Bah, why it's true then that they're hiding it! I wouldn't believe it! And they're hiding Dasha, too.

Aunt wouldn't let me go in to see Dasha to-day.