the pilgrims and Princess Márya’s helpless attempts to protect them were their customary long-established relations on the matter.
“ Mais, ma bonne amie ,” said Prince Andréy, “ vous devriez au contraire m’être reconnaissante de ce que j’explique à Pierre votre intimité avec ce jeune homme .”
“Really?” said Pierre, gazing over his spectacles with curiosity and seriousness (for which Princess Márya was specially grateful to him) into Ivánushka’s face, who, seeing that she was being spoken about, looked round at them all with crafty eyes.
Princess Márya’s embarrassment on her people’s account was quite unnecessary. They were not in the least abashed. The old woman, lowering her eyes but casting side glances at the newcomers, had turned her cup upside down and placed a nibbled bit of sugar beside it, and sat quietly in her armchair, though hoping to be offered another