About seven in the evening
Early that morning he had started for Petersburg . Lebedeff also was away on business . But Gavrila Ardalionovitch had promised to visit Muishkin , who eagerly awaited his coming . About seven in the evening , soon after dinner , he arrived . At the first glance it struck the prince that he , at any rate , must know all the details of last night 's affair . Indeed , it would have been impossible for him to remain in ignorance considering the intimate relationship between him , Varvara Ardalionovna , and Ptitsin . But although he and the prince were intimate , in a sense , and although the latter had placed the Burdovsky affair in his hands -- and this was not the only mark of confidence he had received -- it seemed curious how many matters there were that were tacitly avoided in their conversations .