The young man, flattered, sat down nearer to her with a coquettish smile, and engaged the smiling Julie in a confidential conversation without at all noticing that his involuntary smile had stabbed the heart of Sónya, who blushed and smiled unnaturally. In the midst of his talk he glanced round at her. She gave him a passionately angry glance, and hardly able to restrain her tears and maintain the artificial smile on her lips, she got up and left the room. All Nikoláy’s animation vanished. He waited for the first pause in the conversation, and then with a distressed face left the room to find Sónya.

“How plainly all these young people wear their hearts on their sleeves!” said Anna Mikháylovna, pointing to Nikoláy as he went out. “ Cousinage⁠—dangereux voisinage ,” 3 she added.