Beforetheendofthewatercure，PrinceShcherbatsky，whohadgoneonfromCarlsbadtoBadenandKissingentoRussianfriends-togetabreathofRussianatmosphere，ashesaid-camebacktohiswifeanddaughter。
TheviewsofthePrinceandofthePrincessonlifeabroadwerecompletelyopposed。ThePrincessthoughteverythingdelightful，andinspiteofherestablishedpositioninRussiansociety，shetriedabroadtobelikeaEuropeanfashionablelady，whichshewasnotforthesimplereasonthatshewasatypicalRussiangentlewoman；andsoshewasaffected，whichdidnotaltogethersuither。ThePrince，onthecontrary，thoughteverythingforeigndetestable，gotsickofEuropeanlife，kepttohisRussianhabits，andpurposelytriedtoshowhimselfabroadlessEuropeanthanhewasinreality。
ThePrincereturnedthinner，withtheskinhanginginloosebagsonhischeeks，butinthemostcheerfulframeofmind。HisgoodhumorwasevengreaterwhenhesawKittycompletelyrecovered。ThenewsofKitty’sfriendshipwithMadameStahlandVarenka，andthereportsthePrincessgavehimofsomekindofchangeshehadnoticedinKitty，troubledthePrinceandarousedhishabitualfeelingofjealousyofeverythingthatdrewhisdaughterawayfromhim，andadreadthathisdaughtermighthavegotoutofthereachofhisinfluenceintoregionsinaccessibletohim。Butthisunpleasantnewswasalldrownedintheseaofkindlinessandgoodhumorwhichwasalwayswithinhim，andmoresothaneversincehiscourseofCarlsbadwaters。
ThedayafterhisarrivalthePrince，inhislongovercoat，withhisRussianwrinklesandbaggycheeksproppedupbyastarchedcollar，setoffwithhisdaughtertothespringinthegreatestgoodhumor。
Itwasalovelymorning:thetidy，cheerfulhouseswiththeirlittlegardens，thesightofthered-faced，red-armed，beer-drinkingGermanwaitresses，workingawaymerrily，andbrightsundidone’sheartgood。Butthenearertheygottothespringstheoftenertheymetsickpeople；andtheirappearanceseemedmorepitiablethaneveramongtheeverydayconditionsofprosperousGermanlife。Kittywasnolongerstruckbythiscontrast。Thebrightsun，thebrilliantgreenofthefoliage，thestrainsofthemusicwereforherthenaturalsettingofallthesefamiliarfaces，withtheirchangestogreateremaciationortoconvalescence，forwhichshewatched。ButtothePrincethebrightnessandgaietyoftheJunemorning，andthesoundoftheorchestraplayingagaywaltztheninfashion，andaboveall，theappearanceoftherobustwaitresses，seemedsomethingunseemlyandmonstrous，inconjunctionwiththeseslowlymovingcadaversgatheredtogetherfromallpartsofEurope。