Dmitrievna inherited Pokrovskoe, but she did not live there long. Two
years after her marriage with Kalitin, who succeeded in winning her
heart in a few days, Pokrovskoe was exchanged for another estate, which
yielded a much larger income, but was utterly unattractive and had no
house. At the same time Kalitin took a house in the town of O----, in
which he and his wife took up their permanent abode. There was a large
garden round the house, which on one side looked out upon the open
country away from the town.

"And so," decided Kalitin, who had a great distaste for the quiet of
country life, "there would be no need for them to be dragging themselves
off into the country." In her heart Marya Dmitrievna more than once
regretted her pretty Pokrovskoe, with its babbling brook, its wide
meadows, and green copses; but she never opposed her husband in anything
and had the greatest veneration for his wisdom and knowledge of the
world. When after fifteen years of married life he died leaving her with
a son and two daughters, Marya Dmitrievna had grown so accustomed to her
house and to town life that she had no inclination to leave O----.

In her youth Marya Dmitrievna had always been spoken of as a pretty
blonde; and at fifty her features had not lost all charm, though they
were somewhat coarser and less delicate in outline. She was more
sentimental than kindhearted; and even at her mature age, she retained
the manners of the boarding-school. She was self-indulgent and easily
put out, even moved to tears when she was crossed in any of her habits.
She was, however, very sweet and agreeable when all her wishes were
carried out and none opposed her. Her house was among the pleasantest in
the town. She had a considerable fortune, not so much from her own
property as from her husband's savings. Her two daughters were living
with her; her son was being educated in one of the best government