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The mother takes to drink again, and the despair of Vassily increases. One day the unfortunate woman hangs herself. The pope comes in, however, in time to save her; but now another noose has tightened itself about the priest's heart. One question oppresses him: "Why these sufferings? If God exists, and if God is love, how is such misery possible?" Vassily's faith trembles.
'Then it's true... is it true? murmured Anna Pavlovna, and bent down to her.... 'Answer! she went on harshly, clutching Olga by the arm. 'Mother! rang out Vassily's brazen voice, 'you promised me not to be hard on her. 'I want... confess... confess... is it true? is it true? 'Mother... remember... Vassily began deliberately. This one word moved Anna Pavlovna greatly.
Pavel Afanasievitch's father heard too of Vassily's presence, and after an interval of a few days 'for the sake of greater formality' he sallied off to Lutchinovka with the object of 'felicitating our honoured guest on his advent to the halls of his ancestors. Afanasey Lukitch was famed all over the countryside for his eloquence that is to say, for his capacity for enunciating without faltering a rather long and complicated speech, with a sprinkling of bookish phrases in it.
Vassily's first shed stood at the farthest end of the orchard, but after the pears had been picked he had to remove to another shed only forty paces away from the house of his master. He liked this new place very much.
Vassily's eve, it was permissible for Misha to dress up and masquerade with the servant boys and not only permissible, but even a binding duty.... But, at any other time, God forbid! and so on, and so on. I remember Misha at thirteen.
David instantly leaped on to the parapet; he uttered a joyful exclamation.... Something white, something blue gleamed in the air and shot into the water it was the silver watch with Vassily's blue bead chain flying into the water.... But then something incredible happened. What happened to me I am utterly unable to describe.
In all these trifles there lay hid something special, though I am bound to admit that the how can one express it? la distinction, which had fallen to Olga Pavlovna's share would not have attracted Vassily's notice had he met her in Petersburg.
Let me go, David Yegoritch.... Kindly take the watch. Only don't tell your papa." David let go his hold of Vassily's waistcoat. I looked into his face: certainly not only Vassily might have been frightened by it. It looked so weary ... and cold ... and angry.... Vassily dashed into the house and promptly returned with the watch in his hand.
Long continued grieving had crushed all cheerfulness and every strong feeling in that poor woman; nothing is so clear a proof of Vassily's captivating charm as that he had made even his mother love him passionately.
Olga was utterly overwhelmed; she was filled with terror and shame; a dull, heavy despair came upon her; she longed for death, and waited in agony for Vassily's decision. 'We must confess everything to my mother, he said to her at last. Olga turned deadly pale; her knees shook under her.
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