"Hm!...

yes, indeed, there is a piece of news, and very surprising news too.

Lavretsky--Fedor Ivanitch is here." "Fedya!" cried Marfa Timofyevna.

"Are you sure you are not romancing, my good man ?" "No, indeed, I saw him myself." "Well, that does not prove it." "Fedor Ivanitch looked much more robust," continued Gedeonovsky, affecting not to have heard Marfa Timofyevna's last remark.

"Fedor Ivanitch is broader and has quite a colour." "He looked more robust," said Marya Dmitrievna, dwelling on each syllable.