“They are very good people, very kind,” answered Sonia, who still seemed bewildered, “and all the furniture, everything⁠ ⁠… everything is theirs. And they are very kind and the children, too, often come to see me.”

“They all stammer, don’t they?”

“Yes.⁠ ⁠… He stammers and he’s lame. And his wife, too.⁠ ⁠… It’s not exactly that she stammers, but she can’t speak plainly. She is a very kind woman. And he used to be a house serf. And there are seven children⁠ ⁠… and it’s only the eldest one that stammers and the others are simply ill⁠ ⁠… but they don’t stammer.⁠ ⁠… But where did you hear about them?” she added with some surprise.

“Your father told me, then. He told me all about you.⁠ ⁠… And how you went out at six o’clock and came back at nine and how Katerina Ivanovna knelt down by your bed.”

Sonia was confused.