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All this she said brightly, rapidly, and with a peculiar

brilliance in her eyes. But Alexey Alexandrovitch did not now

attach any special significance to this tone of hers. He heard

only her words and gave them only the direct sense they bore. And

he answered simply, though jestingly. There was nothing

remarkable in all this conversation, but never after could Anna

recall this brief scene without an agonizing pang of shame.

Seryozha came in preceded by his governess. If Alexey

Alexandrovitch had allowed himself to observe he would have

noticed the timid and bewildered eyes with which Seryozha glanced

first at his father and then at his mother. But he would not see

anything, and he did not see it.

"Ah, the young man! He's grown. Really, he's getting quite a man.

How are you, young man?"