But Pyotr Stepanovitch was the most excited of all.

He was trying desperately with bold gesticulations to persuade Varvara Petrovna of something, but it was a long time before I could make out what it was.

He appealed to Praskovya Ivanovna, and Lizaveta Nikolaevna too, even, in his excitement, addressed a passing shout to his father--in fact he seemed all over the room at once.

Varvara Petrovna, flushing all over, sprang up from her seat and cried to Praskovya Ivanovna: "Did you hear what he said to her here just now, did you hear it ?" But the latter was incapable of replying.

She could only mutter something and wave her hand.