But here he is--speak of the devil," added Marfa Timofyevna looking into the street.

"Here comes your agreeable man striding along.

What a lanky creature he is, just like a stork!" Marya Dmitrievna began to arrange her curls.

Marfa Timofyevna looked at her ironically.
"What's that, not a grey hair surely?
You must speak to your Palashka, what can she be thinking about ?" "Really, auntie, you are always so..." muttered Marya Dmitrievna in a tone of vexation, drumming on the arm of her chair with her finger-tips.
"Sergei Petrovitch Gedeonovsky!" was announced in a shrill piping voice, by a rosy-cheeked little page who made his appearance at the door..