Olga's elder sister, Tatyana, promptly falls in love with Onyegin, and in a letter, which is always quoted as one of the finest passages in Russian literature, and the most perfect portrait of the noble Russian woman's soul, she declares her love for him.

Onyegin politely snubs her, lecturing her in a fatherly way, and no one is informed of the occurrence, except Tatyana's old nurse, who, though stupid, is absolutely devoted to her, and does not betray the knowledge which she has, involuntarily, acquired.

Not long afterwards, Tatyana's name-day festival is celebrated by a dinner, at which Onyegin is present, being urged thereto by Lensky.
He goes, chiefly, that no comment may arise from any abrupt change of his ordinary friendly manners.

The family, ignorant of what has happened between him and Tatyana, and innocently scheming to bring them together, place him opposite her at dinner.

Angered by this, he revenges himself on the wholly innocent Lensky, by flirting outrageously with Olga (the wedding-day is only a fortnight distant), and Olga, being as vain and weak as she is pretty, does her share.