PART II
6. CHAPTER VI.
(continued)
"What was I to draw? According to the lines she quoted:
"'From his face he never lifted
That eternal mask of steel.'"
"What sort of a face was I to draw? I couldn't draw a mask."
"I don't know what you are driving at; what mask do you mean?"
said Mrs. Epanchin, irritably. She began to see pretty clearly
though what it meant, and whom they referred to by the generally
accepted title of "poor knight." But what specially annoyed her
was that the prince was looking so uncomfortable, and blushing
like a ten-year-old child.
"Well, have you finished your silly joke?" she added, and am I to
be told what this 'poor knight' means, or is it a solemn secret
which cannot be approached lightly?"
But they all laughed on.
"It's simply that there is a Russian poem," began Prince S.,
evidently anxious to change the conversation, "a strange thing,
without beginning or end, and all about a 'poor knight.' A month
or so ago, we were all talking and laughing, and looking up a
subject for one of Adelaida's pictures--you know it is the
principal business of this family to find subjects for Adelaida's
pictures. Well, we happened upon this 'poor knight.' I don't
remember who thought of it first--"
"Oh! Aglaya Ivanovna did," said Colia.
"Very likely--I don't recollect," continued Prince S.
"Some of us laughed at the subject; some liked it; but she
declared that, in order to make a picture of the gentleman, she
must first see his face. We then began to think over all our
friends' faces to see if any of them would do, and none suited
us, and so the matter stood; that's all. I don't know why Nicolai
Ardalionovitch has brought up the joke now. What was appropriate
and funny then, has quite lost all interest by this time."
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