“If there were time I’d play you Beethoven’s third concerto. That’s what I’m playing now. All those feelings are in it . . . just as I feel them now. So it seems to me. But that must be another time, now we must talk.” We began discussing how she could meet Natasha, and how it . She told me that they kept a watch on her, and though her stepmother was kind and fond of her, she would never allow her to make friends with Natalya Nikolaevna, and so she had decided to have recourse to deception. She sometimes went a drive in the morning, but almost always with the countess. Sometimes the countess didn’t go with her but sent her out alone with a French lady, who was ill just now. Sometimes the countess had headaches, and so she would she had one. And meanwhile she would over-persuade her Frenchwoman (an old lady who was some sort of companion), for the latter was very good-natured. The upshot of it was that it was impossibl she would be able to visit Natasha. “You won’t regret making Natasha’s acquaintance,” I said. “She is very anxious to know you too, and she must, if only to know to whom she is giving up Alyosha. Don’t worry too much about it all. Time will settle it all, without your troubling You are going into the country, aren’t you?” “Quite soon. In another month perhaps,” she answered “And I know the prince is insisting on it .” “What do you think — will Alyosha go with you? “I’ve thought about that,” she said, looking intently at me “He will go, won’t he?” “Yes, he will.” “Good heavens, how it will all end I don’t know. I tell you what, Ivan Petrovitch, I’ll write to you about everything, I’ll write to you often, fully. Now I’m going to worry you, too. Will you often come and see us?” “I don’t know, Katerina Fyodorovna. That depends upon circumstances. Perhaps I may not come at all.” “Why not?” “It will depend on several considerations, and chiefly what terms I am on with the prince .” “He’s a dishonest man,” said Katya with decision. “I tell you what, Ivan Petrovitch, how if I should come to see you? Will that be a good thing, or not?” “What do you think yourself?” “I think it would be a good thing. In that way I could bring you news,” she added
