⁠ ⁠… with good eyes, however, laughing eyes.⁠ ⁠… These rose buds are charming for two years when they are young⁠ ⁠… even for three⁠ ⁠… then they broaden out and are spoilt forever⁠ ⁠… producing in their husbands that deplorable indifference which does so much to promote the woman movement⁠ ⁠… that is, if I understand it correctly.⁠ ⁠… H’m! It’s a fine hall; the rooms are not badly decorated. It might be worse. The music might be much worse.⁠ ⁠… I don’t say it ought to have been. What makes a bad impression is that there are so few ladies. I say nothing about the dresses. It’s bad that that chap in the grey trousers should dare to dance the cancan so openly. I can forgive him if he does it in the gaiety of his heart, and since he is the local chemist.⁠ ⁠… Still, eleven o’clock is a bit early even for chemists. There were two fellows fighting in the refreshment-bar and they weren’t turned out. At eleven o’clock people ought to be turned out for fighting, whatever the standard of manners.⁠ ⁠… Three o’clock is a different matter; then one has to make concessions to public opinion⁠—if only this ball survives till three o’clock. Varvara Petrovna has not kept her word, though, and hasn’t sent flowers. H’m! She has no thoughts for flowers, pauvre mère