He's a great hand at spinning them; he has a perfect record-office in his head.

He's such a realist, you know, that he can't tell a lie, and prefers truthfulness to effect...

except, of course, in special cases when effect is more important than truth." (As he said this he was still looking about him.) "So, you see clearly, maman, that it's not for you to ask my forgiveness, and if there's any craziness about this affair it's my fault, and it proves that, when all's said and done, I really am mad....

I must keep up my character here...." Then he tenderly embraced his mother.
"In any case the subject has been fully discussed and is done with," he added, and there was a rather dry and resolute note in his voice.
Varvara Petrovna understood that note, but her exaltation was not damped, quite the contrary.
"I didn't expect you for another month, Nicolas!" "I will explain everything to you, maman, of course, but now..." And he went towards Praskovya Ivanovna.
But she scarcely turned her head towards him, though she had been completely overwhelmed by his first appearance.

Now she had fresh anxieties to think of; at the moment the captain had stumbled upon Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch as he was going out, Liza had suddenly begun laughing--at first quietly and intermittently, but her laughter grew more and more violent, louder and more conspicuous.